Will too much coffee make you see ghosts?
Seven cups may cause visions
Published:
PEOPLE who drink more than seven cups of instant coffee a day have an increased tendency to hallucinate – and may even think they sense ghosts, according to research revealed today.
High caffeine users were three times more likely to have heard a non-existent person’s voice than “low” users who drank less than one cup of instant coffee or its equivalent, scientists found.
Besides coffee, caffeine can be obtained from sources such as tea, chocolate, “pep” pills and energy drinks.
The researchers from the University of Durham pointed out that hallucinations are not necessarily a sign of mental illness and around 3% of people regularly hear voices.
They studied 200 students who were asked about their typical intake of caffeine-containing products.
The students’ susceptibility to hallucinatory experiences and stress levels were also looked at.
Among the experiences reported were seeing things that were not there, hearing voices, and sensing the presence of dead people.
Caffeine’s ability to heighten the effects of stress may explain the findings, the scientists believe.
When under stress, the body releases a hormone called cortisol, which is produced in greater quantities after consuming caffeine.
The extra cortisol boost could be what helps a person hallucinate.
Psychologist Simon Jones, the PhD student who led the study, said: “This is a first step towards looking at the wider factors associated with hallucinations.
“Given the link between food and mood, and particularly between caffeine and the body’s response to stress, it’s sensible to look at nutrition.”
