... and I find it very hard to stay at a low dose. If I quit entirely for a few weeks I could probably manage one small coffee a day for a while but inevitably I'd have a rough night and then I need a small and then another small or maybe just a large and pretty soon I can be drinking two whole carafe a day.

I have the same issue w/ cannabis. Right now I have a few plants (legal) in the garden and also a bag that is going to a friend and I don't care. If I had a little puff though the next day I would want another little puff and another and in a week or so I would be like the guy in the Bob Marley song

https://genius.com/The-toyes-smoke-two-joints-lyrics