It’s almost become passe now to talk casually about our coffee addictions, as though they’re not real addictions or are somehow mitigated by the fact that we’re aware of them. The reality is that many Americans consume far too much caffeine. While coffee is the major culprit here, energy drinks are fast becoming one of the major contributors to this problem and it is a problem. Caffeine overdose contributes to road rage, stressful employment atmospheres, and personal health issues. Certainly, if you’re cramming in the lead-up to your pharmacy technician certification, it’s understandable to have a few cups of the black stuff. But consuming fast quantities of caffeine on a daily basis can become a dangerous cycle for many people. Here are the signs that your coffee addiction has become dangerous:

You don’t even feel anything until the second cup. This should be obvious, yet somehow it’s become commonplace for people to move on to the second cup of coffee without wondering why they don’t feel anything. The average cup of coffee has about 112 mg of caffeine in it. If you’re not feeling that, something’s wrong.

You drink more coffee than water. First of all, most people don’t drink enough water, period. Secondly, coffee dehydrates you, so you need to drink even more water. If you’re slugging coffee and not hydrating you’re paving the way for some major headaches and health problems.

You think you can skip a meal with coffee. Powering through a lunch meeting with just coffee? You have a dangerous addiction. Your body needs many vitamins and minerals that coffee doesn’t even get close to substituting.

You drink coffee at night. Caffeine severely affects your sleep/wake cycles, so if you’re consuming it within a few hours of going to sleep you’re not going to get your proper REM that night. And that means fatigue, crankiness and more coffee the next day.

You let your kids drink coffee. This one’s just a no-brainer. Children, especially ones prone to hyperactivity, should never consume caffeine, as it affects their nervous systems, personalities and can even lead to obesity. The fact that you’re letting your kid drink coffee is a sign that you’re dangerously addicted to it.

These are the warning signs of a dangerous coffee addiction. If you match this profile, it’s probably a good idea to cut back your caffeine intake on a daily basis. Start by exercising in the morning, drinking lots of water, and eating nutritional meals throughout the day.