Chemical Dependency

"The coffee addiction is not an understatement. Americans crave their daily fix and drink an estimated 400 million cups a day. But, coffee is so much more than just a drink. As one of the most actively traded commodities, coffee is now a multibillion-dollar global industry. What is it about coffee that keeps us coming back for more? Is it truly the caffeine or is it something else…the aroma, the taste, the sense of gathering a cup of coffee brings." 

http://www.cnbc.com/id/43393500 

"Caffeine is a stimulant to the central nervous system, and regular use of caffeine does cause mild physical dependence. But caffeine doesn't threaten your physical, social, or economic health the way addictive drugs do. (Although after seeing your monthly spending at the coffee shop, you might disagree!)

Your body quickly absorbs caffeine. But it also gets rid of it quickly. Processed mainly through the liver, caffeine has a relatively short half-life. This means it takes about five to seven hours, on average, to eliminate half of it from your body. After eight to 10 hours, 75% of the caffeine is gone. For most people, a cup of coffee or two in the morning won't interfere with sleep at night.

Caffeine has few proven health benefits. But the list of caffeine's potential benefits is interesting. Any regular coffee drinker may tell you that caffeine improves alertness, concentration, energy, clear-headedness, and feelings of sociability. You might even be the type who needs that first cup o' Joe each morning before you say a single word. Scientific studies support these subjective findings. One French study even showed a slower decline in cognitive ability among women who consumed caffeine.

Other possible benefits include helping certain types of headache pain. Some people's asthma also appears to benefit from caffeine. These research findings are intriguing, but still need to be proven."

http://www.webmd.com/balance/caffeine-myths-and-facts?page=3

So as seen above, caffeine has some benefits and of course some damages that may by harmful or not, my suggestion as a coffee consumer and lover is that like anything else in this world, there must be a balance between the obsessed and the passion. My blogs are to simply tell a story of my experiences with each cup, not to imply that sooner or later I will get an ulcer from too much consumption. My love for coffee is similar to an athlete on the field, I consume with precaution and balance with learning experiences on the way.