Is caffein addiction just as bad as other drug/alcohol addictions?

I hear all of the time that people in aa/na are hypocrites because they drink coffee all day. To me that is really a cop out as drinking a pot of coffee isn't even remotely close to a good alcohol or drug bender. Yes caffein is addictive. I just think its a little disingenuous to say that it is just as bad as getting wasted every day.

What are your thoughts?

Addiction is a complex beast at the best of times, for example some become addicted to gambling which must be purely based on natural reward systems and psychological issues.

I've had a number of substance issues over the years but I do not consider I have an issue with caffeine despite drinking coffee on a regular basis.

IMHO there are very few cover all rules...YMMV

I feel like I deserve only the best coffee.
and lots of it.
however,I have said this before about other substances.
it's impossible to gauge what will become a problem.

People can and do become addicted to caffeine but it's not the same as abusing certain illegal/legally prescribed drugs or legal drugs like RCs (research chems), and alcohol, or abusing drugs daily like opiates, alcohol, or just spending your entire day doing nothing but getting stoned and revolving your entire life around herb.

I drink coffee and tea daily but it's more out of habit for a morning routine and structure. When I don't have any coffee or tea I do not get caffeine withdrawal or the headaches people sometimes get from caffeine withdrawal. I used to drink 3-5 cups of coffee and tea a day but now I just drink 1-1.5 cups of coffee, or sometimes just green tea or black tea, and I drink herbal infusions in the late afternoon and evening. I'm not in AA/NA and I don't drink caffeine all day.

I say hell no.. i'm still waiting for some really negative consequences of a caffeine addiction to be shared. but then again i'm an avid active caffeine consumer

My caffeine intake is pretty steady and regular since a week or two ago - before that I was avoiding it entirely because my sleep sucked. Then I said fuck it, and now That I've started drinking energy drinks again I can fucking sleep at night... Go figure...

I tell you case IMO half of the addiction game is increasing your dopamine in a safe way that doesnt cause a huge comedown.. and i am totally pro caffeine in recovering addicts and i think the fellowships agree as caffeine is always around the meetings.

Caffeine most likely isn't going to cause you to crash your car, go to jail, lose your kids, or lose your life. Frankly I think the real elephant in the room as far as 12 steppers go is tobacco. It WILL kill you and second hand smoke harms those around you. You would think you had traveled in time back to 1950 hanging around outside after an NA or AA meeting judging by how many smokers there are.

Does caffeine cause dependence? Yes

Caffeine could cause addiction based on how the individual treats their usage of the substance.