How does caffeine affect you?
Apparently people with ADHD have a different reaction to stimulants than other people because brain chemistry. I've always been able to sleep perfectly after drinking coffee (only the strongest ones take away my sleep - ie espresso -) and I didn't know it was an ADHD thing until recently.
I got sick last week and when I went to the doctor and asked him if I should go to work with my symptoms, he said that I could and to just drink coffee if I felt tired. I thought to myself "that's not good advice". Not only would it do nearly nothing for me, but I don't want to get addicted if I start thinking of consuming caffeine every time I feel tired.
What effect does caffeine have on you? Does drinking coffee actually wake you up?
Obligatory edit: wow, so this is what fame feels like... An overwhelming amount of notifications xD. I honestly expected like five answers only, but I've read every single one of you, thank you for your input. (And yes, I do realize that there are stronger brews than espresso, but when I created the post I just wrote whatever sounded somewhat strong)
Too much caffeine makes my stomach queasy. I also get palpitations. I try to minimize it, especially now that im on stims.
The palpitations are what made me think caffeine was effecting me. But weirdly I had decaf coffee and didn't notice much of a difference. Still made my heart rate increase, had to poop, and felt like I needed to move around. At this point I'm wondering if coffee is a placebo.
For tea I'll drink one I find soothing in the evening, (like earl gray), but I try not to because increased heart rate disturbs my sleep and gives me anxious dreams. I also find it helps me focus when I have tea. But not sure how much of that is ritual.
Could be anxiety...?
Coffee gas histamines that can cause uneasiness in some people. Energy drinks are fine for me, but coffee makes me feel I'll and restless in a bad way
Hops in beer also does this to me, palpitations, nausea, etc
Maybe a hint of motivation? Sometimes? Usually it just makes me have to poop and it does nothing but that if I’m tired.
the poop 😭😭
Ah you see the secret to not getting the coffee shits is for every poop to just be coffee shit consistency. On a side note i highly recommend a good probiotic to just about anyone. I'm a born skeptic of most "medicine" like that, but I'll be damned if I don't actually notice a difference.
Same, it helps the poop. I get more motivated to do physical tasks too. If I'm a little tired, it can help but if I'm super tired it just makes it worse.
That morning poop is essential though. Gets you cleared out and ready for the day!
I sleep after taking caffeine.
Same, always wondered why everyone said caffeine keeps them awake but I can easily fall asleep. Now I know why
This. Coffee is the warm drink I have when go to sleep.
50/50 chance of energy or I will get even more tired 🤷♀️ Rather not risk it tbh.
This is exactly me. Or if I get energy I get theheart palpitations
Caffeine would make my brain more quiet and focused, but myhyperactivity
At least I was able to pay attention to my work, but I was constantly moving, fidgeting, shaking.
Exactly same. I had a big practical a couple months back and I consumed an ungodly amount of caffeine in all forms. Aced that exam without missing a single detail, but felt like I wasn't even there lmao. I was practically yelling throughout and jumping from one place to the next. I also had a heart rate of 130 throughout. Worth it tho.
I drank monster and it made my brain be quiet which is weird cause I don't normally notice the 5 or so thought processes until they go away
Before I was diagnosed I used to drink a monster before every exam because it calmed down my mind and quieted my unimportant thoughts too. Definitely didn’t give me “energy” tho
Caffeine makes me highly stressed, anxious and agitated. I'm onVyvanse
So when I was younger I use to take caffeine energy drinks to help me focus an study. The problem is a good majority of people with ADHD tend to have addiction issues and/or not understand pacing. Well I over dosed on caffeine and boy can I tell you that was a nightmare of an experience. So to anyone taking caffeine as a way to help themselves through some ADHD struggles I would highly recommend you reconsider or at least keep track of how much your taking in.
Anxiety and poop
I drink a lot of caffeine or used too. Anymore it seems to make me more tired.
Barely any effects. I think I go to the bathroom more often, but that's it. Can't say whether it makes me sleepy or not, because I very often drink it in the hopes that it'll wake me up (it certainly does not), but I can fall asleep as soon as I'm done drinking it. Same thing with energy drinks.
I also never felt any kind of addiction to caffeine, even when I had it several times a week.
My dad didn't believe me until I fell asleep mid-movie after a huge cup of very sweet coffee. And my friend, who can't drink it past 2 pm, watches me like I'm some strange creature every time I drink a cup at night (and still fall asleep before her).
Funny. I guess it's different for everyone.
-I can inject caffeine and take a 1 hour nap -if I take it after 4:00 I can't sleep 🤦
What I believe is that one's reaction to a stimulant is the only empirical diagnosis.
When my Dr. and I suspected we were treating comorbidiies, we tried my reaction to Adderall. No effect and that sealed a long diagnosis.
I drink coffee and it helps me wake up...but I also can't stop talking. Like, I CAN'T. I will go on tangents about the most random things and be so aware that I'm doing it but there's no off switch lmao
I find that caffeine just makes me feel gross and jittery depending on the strength of the coffee or other drink. It rarely “wakes me up” and I often drink coffee or RedBull in the late evening because I enjoy the taste.
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For me, the headaches. Fucking caffeine headaches.
Tylenol doesn’t work. They last like 24 fucking hours.
The only effect caffeine really has on me is clearing some of my morning brain fog. Before I started drinking coffee, it would take me easily 3 hours to feel like I could do anything. I recently started on Strattera and it has helped me reduce the caffeine needed to feel "normal" from 3 cups in the morning to just one.
Just to clarify: it doesn't make me feel awake, just able to function a little more.
Never had any effects after drinking coffee except for GI related things but it never improved my energy or kept me from sleeping
There’s a weird sweet spot for me. The perfect amount gives me the energy and motivation I need to accomplish things. Any more and it’s heart palpitations and a panic attack. I still take the risk just to get things done lol
I can only handle caffeine in small amounts (no more than a daily black tea) because of my anxiety. Which seems to be more severe than my ADHD. I can’t sleep if I have too much or drink it too late, and when I do indulge in say, a coffee beverage of some sort, I usually feel depleted the next day.
Edit to add: it usually makes me very anxious and doesn’t seem effective as an ADHD aid.
Caffeine equals a nice long nap for me.
i drink a lot of caffeine but I don’t feel like it really gives me much energy. if i drink it late at night it does keep me up tho
Depends, i love coffee but it does not make me alert, rather the opposite. I'm swedish and apart from finland we drink more coffee than any other country and 5 cups a day is kinda normal to me. if i drink more than that my stomach goes "hey man calm down!" but it does nothing for me really. I just like the taste of it, coffee and a swedish snus is my jam! Love that shit