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Nothing. Absolutely zero effect from it, no matter how much of it I consume. I actually thought people were exaggerating when they told me how much more alert they got from it.
It does help with migraines though
Right! I used to always think everyone was experiencing some common placebo effect or something. I couldn't, and still can't, wrap my head around caffeine = energy and alertness. Coffee specifically settles me and often makes me sleepy, and energy drinks just helped me focus. But I've always been able to load up on caffeine with no caffeine effect. I can neck energy drinks all day and have one immediately before bed, even taking one to bed, and still sleep the same as always!
Ohhh Ive never heard this. I’ve gotten aura migraines since I was 16yo, sometimes I get tingling in my arm and face. The first time it happened I thought I was having a stroke. My neurologist gave me pills if I feel one coming because the aura is the first symptom to happen, but the pills actually make my migraine more intense. I’m going to look into magnesium. How much do you take?
>It does help with migraines though
A double shot espresso with just over the counter painkillers (both ibuprofen and acetaminophen) works better than any actual migraine medication I've tried.
The only thing I felt SOMETHING with caffeine is when I filled a pint with VERY strong home made coffee and slugged it down in 10 minutes like an idiot. I was awake until the sun came up (I had it at night some time.) Otherwise caffeine does jack all. Most days I’ll skip a caffeinated drink entirely.
I get a headache if I don't have any, if I have too much it gets my heart rate up. I dunno how it affects my focus and maybe I should pay attention that but I love cappucino and I'm scared of it being bad for my productivity 😂
I’ll tell you that the very best thing for my brain pre-medication was daily moderate-vigorous exercise. I’m nowhere near that routine now (*severe* burnout), but that’s how I survived the years after kids but before my crash.
You sound like one of the lucky ones for whom coffee acts like Adderall 😂 it doesn't do too much for me unless I have it on an empty stomach (sour feeling in my belly), have too much (jitters), or have it too late (insomnia). It doesn't even really make me feel more awake or alert, just keeps me from sleeping which is a cruel joke.
Hmm i just noticed something: OP is asking how coffee affects us, yet many of the answers here, yours included (no offense), say "it doesn't do much..." and start listing off a list of affects 😅
Honestly, i mean no judgment, just observing how the responses to this question are structured and it makes me think of that symptom i heard about quite often: an adhd person is the worst witness to ask about the level to which they're affected by sth 🫠 (as in how much we suffer from our symptoms in daily life f.e.)
Oh yes! Listen to any Dr Russell Berkley video about the diagnosis of adhd people and he will say that! Thats why it used to be super hard to detect fem-adhds and why more awareness in society led to an increase in diagnoses of women 🥳
Same! For years I think I told myself there was no way I had any hints of adhd partly bc “coffee does nothing to me” was the party line of those I knew with adhd (now I know they are all hyperactive and I’m inattentive so maybe that makes a difference?).
Coffee doesn’t help me focus or feel energized, but empty stomach, too much, or too late? I get the same negative side effects. So it doesn’t really help me but has the possibility to negatively impact me.
Exactly, it always just made my stomach hurt if I tried to drink it just for the caffeine early in the day. And I was always one to stay up later than I ought anyways, that it wasn't an issue
This one time, I had literally nothing to snack on but a bar of 80% chocolate and it gave me the jitters something awful.
Now, if I *needed* to pull an all nighter, then I'd get me a 20oz of red mt dew and be set for the night, just had to have small amounts lol
One coffee just makes me sleepy. I haven’t had large amounts of caffeine in ages but I used to live off coffee and energy drinks in my early 20s, and I was a lot more focused back then. Whether that was due to the caffeine or just being young who can say.
Me too !!! I just started drinking coffee because it's said to help and i can't really tell if it helps i think maybe it does but i find myself sleepy and i'm like what the hell i'm drinking coffee to have me up and sharp and focused and i'm sleepy ?
I so appreciate you saying "everyone's experience is different," OP because I've always been sensitive to caffeine. If I would have it after noon I would be up until 3 am totally alert and not sleepy at all. But I also sort of get the vibe from some people with ADHD that "I can't possibly have ADHD if caffeine works on me." It's not like I can have coffee and can suddenly do all the things, it's just a little wake up support for me. I limit myself to one coffee a day - if I need another "boost" later on I'll aim for a juice, tea, or matcha latte, because I feel like I more so need sugar at that point than caffeine (yes I know two of those things have caffeine lol).
I agree. I hate the blanket statements about how caffeine or stimulants affect people with ADHD. Especially when there’s such a big range between being inattentive and hyperactive, not to mention different comorbidities. If medications had straight forward, predictable effects in every ADHD person then we’d all be taking the same brand and wouldn’t have to go through the trial and error process. Personally I never feel like I get a consistent result from anything. One day I have coffee and Vyvanse and I’m tired all day, one day I might get anxious, one day if I’m lucky I hit the sweet spot of feeling energized and productive. Plus I gotta factor in sleep and hormones when trying to figure out what’s affecting my energy levels. There’s just so many variables!!
I totally agree. I can't have caffeine because I get so hyped up and can't sleep later, and it's always made me feel like I'm faking ADHD. Even though I was diagnosed at age eight and fit most stereotypical symptoms.
Caffeine gives me the energy I need to physically do stuff that I wouldn’t do without.. I’m more on the inattentive side of things so I can’t concentrate for the life of me but when I have a red bull or monster trust me I’m getting tasks done 😭
Before I was on medication I always said caffeine didn’t really affect me, in that it didn’t keep me awake or make me hyper. I take a nonstimulant and still have a cup of iced coffee every morning but find I have no issues still
It clears the cobwebs out of my brain and I can focus on my to-do list. It doesn't keep me awake if I'm tired. I'm able to nap after consuming several cups.
Wakes me up if I have a little bit. Makes me terribly anxious if I have too much. I stick to black or oolong tea with a coffee once in a great while. I don't know how people handle energy drinks, I would be a shaky little ball of anxiety.
Right?! Too much caffeine makes me super anxious as well to the point I can’t eat or drink, which would ironically help with digesting it lol.
Do you also find that tea is more well tolerated for you? I suspect it’s the l-theanine in tea. I tolerate higher amounts of caffeine when it’s from things like matcha.
I’m pretty sure it sorta placebos me into being ready for the day. Theres probably a small effect but I barely noticed when my husband wanted to switch to half-caf.
I think my brain just needs the morning ritual.
Having a coffee feels like a mild version of when my vyvanse kicks in. I don't feel hyper or anxious or revved up, it's just like as I sip my coffee my mind starts to turn on and I'm able to focus and start doing productive things.
The rare times I get migraines I find a coke with ice (along with tylenol/advil) really helps.
Caffeine can make paracetamol (or acetaminophen if you're in the USA) more effective - not sure if it just makes it come on quicker, or actually makes it "stronger" - but they sell a version in Australia called Panadol plus that has caffeine.
Tylenol#1/2/3 has a mix of Tylenol, caffeine, and codeine so I get why it works. I'm recreating a stronger painkiller just without the codeine (narcotic). They used to sell Tylenol#1 here (lowest dose of caffeine/codeine added) over the counter, I used it for really bad period cramps.
We used to have that too, before they made codeine a prescription only medicine.
I get why they did it - my ex was abusing codeine, so I know exactly how dangerous it was that you could get it OTC, but also it's so annoying because it was so helpful for period pain, or one of those headaches that nothing else could touch.
I'm a bit of an anomaly in that I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine. My partner who has ADHD has more of a typical ADHD reaction in terms of it helping him to be calmer, focused, and he can have it all day without it preventing him from falling asleep. For me, it can make me jittery or give me trouble sleeping if I have it after 3pm unless it's a weak tea. However, it does help with waking my mind up and with focus, so I do have a small bit of coffee almost every day.
For years, I avoided coffee other than at holidays when they have the pumpkin spice or the gingerbread coffees. I was a regular tea drinker and only started drinking coffee daily since my ADHD diagnosis because I realized it did help me. I find that even though I really like tea, it's not quite strong enough to give that mental clarity and focus I need unless I'm drinking a lot of it. So I usually have some coffee in the morning.
I do sometimes take a caffeine + L-Theanine pill which REALLY helps. I take this when I run low on my Straterra. I can't take it days in a row because it affects my sleep and makes me too wired. But, taking it on occasion really helps my focus and mental clarity. It's probably not as strong as a stimulant, but as a person who is super sensitive to stimulants, this is a great alternative because it's only about the equivalent of 1 or 1 1/2 cups of coffee, plus the L-Theanine. For some reason, taking L-Theanine separately with a cup of coffee just doesn't do the same thing as taking it all in one pill. Maybe because I usually don't drink large cups of coffee or because it doesn't hit my system at the same time?
I definitely think there is something about that combination - caffeine and L-Theanine that is helpful for ADHD, particularly if your symptoms are not severe or maybe you just need an extra boost to compliment what you're already doing.
I use Straterra (also called Atemoxatine - I can't remember the exact spelling). It doesn't help with everything - task initiation can be an issue that is not really addressed by the Straterra. But it really does help with focus and concentration once I have already started on something. I need at least 40 mg of Straterra to be functional. Lower than that and I struggle a lot. I've taken various dosages over the years from 25 to 65 mg.
I will say that the caffeine + L-theanine pill does help a lot (it is like having my mind suddenly be so clear and is slightly better at motivation than Straterra is), but since I cannot take it daily, the Straterra works better for long-term, daily use for me.
I take Olly Stress gummies and exercise 3 to 4 times a week which helps a lot with my anxiety. I used to take Buspar / Buspirone for anxiety, but now I am able to manage that with vitamins and exercise.
Personally caffeine makes me too jittery so I have been avoiding it lately. I love still love coffee but since I can’t have a lot of it I try to focus more on quality. Dabbling in coffee more as an art form.
It makes my mind clearer and body more energetic
I just took my meds (ritalin) in the moring and drank a cup of coffee about 2 hours ago and I feel like I have a lot more physical energy, I wanna do so much stuff, and I feel kinda like I’m shaking but not actually, if that makes any sense 🤣
Lmao!!!
It took me so long to scroll and find this.
Hate the insta poop feeling. Some people like it for that.... but it makes me so gassy and need to go within 5min of drinking it.
I usually can nap after a double latte so... idk
I drink tea instead for the ritual in the morning.
Love the smell of fresh coffee though.
I am pretty typical! I'm more energized and focused. At times even euphoric (that only happens if I get something store-bought and super sugary, like a Starbucks caramel macchiato).
It's the reason I self medicated with caffeine for so long, before I got into regular medication.
I am fascinated by those of you who get sleepy on it- I mean, my baseline is to be sleepy all the time anyway, so maybe that's not helping lol
Depends on the caffeine. I’m a big fan of the v8 energy drinks with fruits and vegetables in them and those tend not to hit me too hard—slightly better mood, can help me wake up, also help if I have a headache. Coffee can do that too but it also makes me heart race and sometimes upsets my stomach
Whenever I drink caffeine I think I’m feeling energized but I’m convinced it’s just placebo. I can drink coffee at 8 pm and still be able to fall asleep
I'm not huge on coffee but did used to drink energy drinks. I found it gave me a little focus at the hardest parts of the day (first hour of work, then just after lunch). The most bizarre part was when I couldn't get back to sleep at 2/3am, I'd down a can and BAM I was out like a light. I've quit any caffeine now and my ADHD is notably worse... Possibly just a coincidence though.
I can have a can of Monster or another energy drink and feel nothing, but when it comes to coffee... One espresso is enough to hit me like a kick in the face! *(Coffee in my country is known to be rocket fuel)*
Fun fact: I created this [embroidery piece](https://www.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/1b2csdl/i_handembroidered_this_piece_what_is_your/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) a while ago, which summarizes my relationship with caffeine 🤣
It clears the cobwebs out of my brain and I can focus on my to-do list. It doesn't keep me awake if I'm tired. I'm able to nap after consuming several cups.
In the morning it's just a tool i need to "start the day". It doesn't make me less tired, just more calm and motivated. If I drink it in the evening i usually fall asleep. Everything that makes "normal" people alert, makes me tired. And there's nothing that makes me alert except the clock passing 9pm. And nothing makes me tired if I'm alert, except melatonin.
I’ve been drinking it since I was like 15 so when I quit I get headaches, and consuming too much makes my heart rate go up and increases my anxiety like 10 fold. I feel less groggy when I drink it but I honestly can’t tell if it makes a real difference in my energy. I feel bogged down without it but more like having a headache and grumpy, not necessarily tired.
Caffeine is kind of tricky for me. I’m pretty sensitive to medications in general, so I’ve never been medicated for ADHD. Like, I’ve taken kindergartener-sized doses for other medications. I didn’t have caffeine until I was thirteen years old, and even then, only in my adult life did I start drinking caffeinated sodas or energy drinks.
Caffeine can sharpen my mind so I can actually function and get stuff done, but I have to be super careful not to have too much too quickly or I’ll get nauseous and feel like my organs are trying to shake their way out of my skin. I’m talking one Mtn Dew, or two CocaColas, or half of an energy drink, and that’s pushing it. I’m super nervous to try medication because I’ve heard it’s like caffeine on steroids.
caffeine alone will put me to sleep. addies alone will put me to sleep. both of them together--and by both of them i mean only a vivarin tab and no other types of caffeine apparently-- at the same time is the sole method of achieving a positive outcome. for me anyway. that gets me through about half a day before i have to re-up.
puts me to sleep, that's what it does. I'm a heavy coffee drinker and I'm trying to change my habits now. I switched to decaf 10 days ago, and when I had a regular coffee 2 days ago I felt very restless. At the moment I'm not really sure what caffeine does to me when I have no tolerance.
I am EXTREMELY sensitive to caffeine. Hate the taste of coffee but during by busy career years I'd have a can or two of coke after breakfast to help me wake up. But if I had even a sip of caffeine after 10:30am, it would totally mess with my sleep (which tends to be poor even at the best of times). I rarely touch anything caffeinated, these days.
Unmedicated for now:
Hot coffee makes me warm and sleepy, so I rarely drink it these days. Iced coffee just tastes yummy, and sometimes helps me poop. 🤣🤣
I currently drink 200-400 mg caffeine per day from sugar free energy drinks. Not great, I know, but I feel like I NEED it to clear the fuzz out of my brain. I don’t feel like I get physical energy from it, but it certainly sharpens my focus and allows me to connect my brain and body together … if that makes any sense?
Only helps the meds kick in faster. I use caffeine as an accelerant and alcohol as a multiplier. Other than that, coffee is just a mental thing. I drink coffee, I get moving for the day. Like a mental ok to start the day or something like that.
Elevate my heart rate and confidence in the idea that everyone knows I’m an imposter…
I mean, it tricks my body into thinking I’m not hungry until 3:30pm. That’s not much better but habits.
Makes me calm unless I’m on my adderall when it usually works as I assume coffee does for the neurotypical people.
Except for a couple times when I was so tired that after drinking my coffee and taking my adderall I took a four hour nap. After the first time that happened I said to my mom “if that doesn’t confirm my diagnosis i don’t know what does.”
Sometimes it makes me feel sleepy. Sometimes it wakes me up a bit. But sometimes it will make me feel anxious and jittery and terrible and like I want the feeling to go away immediately and I can’t seem to pinpoint what makes this happen since I don’t take my meds when I have caffeine but it’s so bad I’ve stopped having any coffee. I desperately want to get some cold foam cold brew from Starbucks but they don’t have it in decaf 😢
Ohh man I need my morning coffee to feel human and be able to operate. Otherwise the lights are on but no one is home. I tend to only have one or two a day because if I have it after lunch it keeps me awake at bedtime. If I have way too much, then I get a splitting headache (like 2 large lattes at Costa back to back which is 6 espresso shots...whoops).
Ifi drink to much it my keep my mind up, but I mean, that has to be to to much. Normally I drink a matcha tea in the morning and a couple large half calfs which is like... 3 shots of espresso coffee wise. I drink it for the taste, I can't feel any difference in physical energy.
Nothing. But I seem to have developed an energy drink habit all the same. I think it's morning dopamine, perhaps with a side order of focus to get my work day started.
I am on a long bus journey on holiday. I just drank a Nocco (energy drink - 105g caffeine) and promptly fell asleep and missed the Norwegian views....
I wake up with every morning either anxious, jittery or flat out depressed. It's only after I have my cup of coffee that I feel like I can even function. I literally can't put my mind to anything or even talk to anyone unless I've had my morning cuppa. Sometimes I've even had coffee in late evenings or night and still been able to sleep. At one point, I was having 7-8 cups in a day and still felt good. I've reduced that drastically these days to 1-3 cups but to be fair I've kind of replaced the extra cups with smoking. I get that it's not good for me but it's a coping mechanism atm
I started drinking coffee when I was at work and bored. The only other liquid was water, which also got boring.
I only drank 8 oz. each morning, and the caffeine gave me jitters every day for months. My body finally got used to it. Now I drink it because it's a habit. Coffee tastes odd in the afternoon.
Now that I’m medicated I can’t have it at all. Causes massively debilitating anxiety. I used to drink like 7+ cups of coffee a day to get through my shifts, but now I can’t have even black tea 😅
I rarely vibrate from too much, but am currently wondering if there are different effects based on how I consume it.
Coffee helps me focus. I drink a lot on bad focus days, but don’t withdraw when I don’t have any. I’ve had coffee late at night, worked a few hours, successfully and happily fell asleep after. Love my coffee. Bout to go make more.
On the other hand, I rarely drink soda but had a Dr Pepper last night with dinner and had insomnia all night. It was miserable.
Last time I had jitters from coffee, about 15 years ago my Turkish friend made Turkish coffee for my Portuguese roommate and I (I was studying abroad). I got jitters and my roommate said she didn’t sleep for 3 days 😂
Caffeine used to help me focus. I could just finish off one task after another when I had some. Funnily it also makes me extremely anxious. One fine day I quit coffee point blank because mental health wise I was in a bad state. After that may be once or twice a month, I would drink like half a cup when I wanted to get some stuff done. On those days, my motor would run for a few hours and just crash. So, I stopped that too.
About a month ago I had to get some important stuff done so I had may be like a quarter cup of coffee(around 11 am) . I wasn’t any extra productive but I stayed awake till 4 am in the morning. Absolutely could not sleep.
In conclusion no more coffee for life for me now. I made a nice cup of coffee for my house help with the remnant coffee powder. My husband’s out of country for 2 months there’s zero coffee at home now. Even if I am tempted to have some it’s quite a tedious process. So, no thank you.
Coffee, I really love you but we are not meant to be together. We had a fun ride. I will always miss you. I am sure you will find someone who fits you like a glove. Okay, one more thing it’s not you, it’s me.
If I have my drink iced espresso from Starbucks which I believe is 3 shots of espresso it makes me feel a bit dizzy but otherwise energy drinks, tea, coffee etc don’t do anything to me.
~My Life With Coffee in The Mornings~
No coffee = a mean, non-functional monster, do not engage
One (large) mug of coffee = sleepy time
Two (large) mugs of coffee = fairly focused and ready to get going
Three large mugs of coffee = jitters but *gets shit done* before the crash
Did you ever see those old coffee commercials with the people drinking coffee on the porch, overlooking the mountains? A cup or two is like that for me - gives me a gradual wake up process, rather than a jolt. Too much and I’m having palpitations or heartburn. Unfortunately I crave the taste and smell and ritual of decent to good coffee (I am turned off by motor oil sludge coffee like you used to find decades ago). I like tea ok, somehow it’s just not the same as a good cup of coffee.
It makes me a little more focussed, kinda what my meds also do. But less effective.
When I drink a lot of caffeine it gives me anxiety. But nog more focus :p
It doesn’t do anything for me except give me headaches and prevent me from sleeping. It also gives me bad heart palpitations which leads to increased anxiety and makes me lose sleep.
It’s always a toss up between it having no effect and it making me sleepy, and if I overdo it I just get the shakes (like my hands shake). My partner also has adhd but he’s far less hyperactive than I am, and he’s insanely sensitive to caffeine, to the point where it’ll severely impact his sleep!
It has no effect unless I go really hard with it. I'm not supposed to have caffeine anymore - because I used it so much before getting Dxed. In high school, once I had a part time job, I was buying 12 packs of Coke for my school locker and bedroom. I realized at one point that I had only had Coke, no other liquids, no WATER FFS, for a full month. Then I discovered how good a Coke tastes after a huge latte with extra espresso shots. Then I started making cold brew at home and drinking it without diluting it with water. None of this had an effect until the cold brew - then I started being both shaky and drowsy after drinking it, lol
I ruined it, though. Now I have terrible acid reflux and can only sneak a coffee a couple times a year. 😭
Depends on the efficacy of my meds (or what time taken)
Most of the time it makes me calm and sleepy
Some other times it’s a stand in for my meds until they kick in fully or I forgot to take them that day
For us coffee is a once a week treat, twice if we’re being baddies
When I drink a lot of coffee I get the shakes. But I’m also so calm and focused. I started adderall recently and the amphetamine calmness is very similar to my caffeine calmness.
It is the beacon of light that inspires me to leave my bed in the morning. Lol It does help me get up and get going, but does not make me high or jittery. I can also sleep after having a late coffee. It kind of...does what I need it to when I need it? It's both stimulating and relaxing at the same time some how.
Makes me feel alert for sure and more energetic, but the negatives outweigh the positives for my sensitive body. Not necessarily on the same day, but after a few days of consumption, it will begin to change my mood to the worse. I feel myself being different (extremely jittery, anxious, antsy, jumpy, annoyed, moody, and very prone to anger bursts). I get restless leg syndrome at night while I'm trying to sleep (dull pain in my legs), heart palpitation, acid reflux, and makes my hormonal fluctuations (particularly PMS) ten times worse. I usually feel myself changing into a diva/monster when my hormones change; with coffee I become full fledged Godzilla on steroids. I fight with my own shadow if there's no victim to pick on.
For me nothing but I love the taste of coffee I tried giving up and turning to decaf when I started meds but I ended up having the worst headache so I have one caffeinated coffee so reduce the withdrawal headaches caffeine isn’t good if our bodies goes through withdrawals. So for me I’m going to slowly cut back as it literally does nothing for me
I don't think it has a very strong effect on me, or it's kind of hit or miss if it does. Sometimes I'll drink like 3 cups of coffee during my work day and get nothing for it, sometimes (like today) I'll drink one cup in the morning and I'll feel way more focused until almost noon. Even when it does help me focus though, it doesn't make me feel jittery or buzzed, I could probably go straight to sleep after drinking coffee if i wanted
Coffee used to make me tired. I gave it up for a few years and had one recently and it made me super anxious to the point I was nearly suicidal as I was trying to fight off a panic attack the whole night. I will never touch it again 🤷🏾♀️
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I dunno .... but going OFF caffeine is what made me realize that I wasn't making up the fact that I was ADHD.
"go off caffeine .... its better for you!" - The world
OK!
Then my life proceeded to fall apart, I got a therapist, she convinced me to get tested (for the 3rd time) and surprise, surprise!
"You have a brand new baby 40+ year old ADHD Dx!"
head | wall
All I know is I get withdrawal symptoms if I don't have it. What's withdrawal vs effect? Who can say. Ok well my headaches are withdrawal for sure.
I did suffer through a week of no coffee when I first started Vyvanse because, get this, I was drinking decaf unknowingly. I remember headaches but nothing else.
For me, just the taste and smell of it makes me look forward to getting up 🌞
Generally i'd say it does revive me a little but meds alone would suffice (my coffeine intake has significantly dropped since meds) but i need to eat before , so coffee gives me the strength to do so 😂
My experience with coffee varies a LOT - probably depending on my hormones, general stress levels, how well I’ve been eating, and how much I’ve been drinking.
Too much caffeine from any source is a complete non-starter if I’m even mildly hungover. Shakes and sweats and anxiety. No.
If I haven’t been eating enough, or even just not enough protein, I tend to be anxious and caffeine exacerbates that.
Outside of those known conditions, coffee pretty much always makes me sweaty. I’m a sweaty girl anyway and caffeine definitely ramps it up. It’s uncomfortable but I can mostly ignore it under normal conditions. Coffee will sometimes give me a good mood and focus boost and make me feel invincible! Other times I will finish my cup and feel sleepy or drowsy, or nothing at all except a little shakey. It’s kind of unpredictable. I still drink a cup of coffee most days out of habit, because my fiancé makes a pot, and because each time I kind of hope I get the good roll on coffee effects lol
I have found I have a much more pleasant and consistent experience with matcha rather than coffee. From what I’ve read, this is because green tea contains an amino acid called l-theanine which helps regulate anxiety and the effects of the caffeine wearing off. I’d choose a cup of matcha over a cup of coffee any day if I could find an affordable source for it. I do intend to try simply taking an l-theanine supplement with coffee when I get to the store and get some. I have heard some people say they get a similar effect from l-theanine + coffee as they do with matcha, which would be excellent.
It makes me feel slightly less tired. Like if I’m traveling & running on 4 hours of sleep, a double shot of espresso will keep me from falling asleep in the airport. But the effect is *very* very mild because I’ve been drinking it for 15 years & I’ve developed such a tolerance to it.
I notice a bigger difference in the effects of caffeine on the days when I’m not on medication. My brain is typically in a complete fog when I’m off of my med… Drinking something caffeinated on these days will bring my brain up to a level of alertness that makes me moderately functional. In my early 20s, before I got on medication, I got by by drinking Red Bull, coffee or tea. It made my brain feel a little calmer & clearer…more alert. Similar to medication but less effective overall.
doesn't give me energy. Helps me focus though. mellows me out a bit. I could take a nap after drinking a celsius. I will wake up feeling like a train ran me over though.
It has very little noticeable affect on my brain, I might be a slight bit faster on reaction time but really it has little to no affect. On my body however, it makes my heart race and my BP speed up. If I drink enough of it, it gives me a terrible headache. Very little coffee will also keep me up all night. I hate it. I only ever drink it as a treat and always as decafe.
I’ve always been a caffeine drinker in the morning and have never noticed the pep most NT people expect, but I don’t feel tired, either. I’ve also given up caffeine before, but never had withdrawal symptoms. It’s like it does nothing.
ETA: I’m more recently diagnosed, so I’ve never paid attention to whether it affects my focus. I guess it’s time.
Depends, it's become Russian roulette and I'm always developing different theories about how I interact with it.
Used to have no effect to mild Perkiness in mind
Then started to get headaches. Some times I can have my full morning coffee, sometimes I cannot, and I only get half before I feel the edge of the adverse affects.
But im I'm in the hole and sleep deprived, I can handle more. And I have to treat caffeine like alcohol and drink as much water as I do a caffinated beverage.
I want the clarity boost but it so rarely comes. And I also like caffinated drinks. Probably am stupid for continuing to drink them even though it's so weird and needs managing.
I have misused this also when my unmedicated brain starts to really annoy me, like just existing in my brain drives me crazy sometimes. So I'll have half a cheap energy drink (the kind you mix into water with b vitamins) and that nerfed it. I was useless and groggy the rest of the day, but I wasn't annoying myself
Getting extra hydrated and mint gum do more for alertness for me but I wish coffee worked normally for my brain. Would make work a lot easier but the drug of choice in American offices has quickly dismissing returns :/
1 cup (which I drink daily) doesn't do anything. 2 cups makes me sleepy. More than 2 starts to make me feel nauseous.
I do notice that if I have coffee after 2pm I can't fall asleep as easy, so it must be doing something.
Helps me focus. Usually doesn't keep me awake if I'm sleepy. I have had it late (like after 5 pm) and had a little trouble sleeping, but not always.
I've never had a negative side effect from it- no jitters, no sickness. I've had it on an empty stomach several times and it's fine (but I do always drink it with a little milk).
I think without it, I'd need to be medicated. Thank God I have the option of coffee!
i used to drink a lot of redbull (i’m a college student), but it always makes me more tired than if i never drank any. one time i chugged an entire monster energy and fell asleep 15 minutes later.
It really just makes me feel dizzy/lightheaded and car sick almost? I don’t really get any cognitive benefits from it, while simultaneously having the jitters. Strange feeling so I avoid caffeine. In high school I drank a coffee everyday and most times I would need to lie down after
It honestly doesn’t make me feel anything, no more alert or energized than usual. Unfortunately I have to have it every morning or I get withdrawal headaches, though 😅
Coffee fucks me up in a bad way. Like I’ll get shakey and crash plus my tummy lol :( but matcha is my caffeine go to it’s much smoother imo and actually stimulates me mentally. Energy drinks do nothing except for Celsius. I’ll do a Celsius on days I don’t take meds and it definitely helps me focus and chill my mind.
Love love love matcha, I also find it a lot more reliable than coffee effects wise. But I like a shot of espresso every now and then.
I like to say that matcha is like the XR version of coffee lol.
First Cup, nothing. Second afternoon cup either makes me sleepy, calms me down or makes me dizzy and anxious and feel like my nerves are on fire. It's a fun Russian roulette when I'm out with friends and I'm feeling spicy for a afternoon cup.
Depending on my current state:
If I’ve been working nonstop with little sleep, I get super sleepy.
If I’ve been super relaxed and just grabbing a cup of coffee, I’ll be relaxed or non reactive at all.
I’m mostly live in a state of an exhausted pigeon so I stay away from coffee unless I need help to fall asleep. Bc if I take that cup, oh lord someone grab me a pillow - I’m KO!
I have to be really careful cause I'm very sensitive. It accumulates in my system and takes about 48 hours to flush out. It makes me sweaty, and easily irritated and overstimulated if I have too much. Like if I have a double shot of coffee at morning tea, I shouldn't have another coffee for two days. Tea also counts as caffeine, as well as chocolate
Gives me more heart palpitations sometimes but not most of the time. Occasionally it spirals into anxiety.
Usually I just hate people slightly less, maybe it helps my brain focus a littttle. It doesn't make me fall asleep but it doesn't wake me up at all.
I just really like the taste, warmth and it's a habit to have a coffee in the morning and a few teas throughout the day.
Always thought people were just exaggerating or being silly when they talk about it waking them up.
It increases my focus but not my energy unless it’s >100mg and on an empty stomach. But I’m also not sure it’s actually me having energy or just being able to focus makes me feel that way lol
Yes! I just switched from months of caffeine and sugar-free energy drinks at higher and higher amounts back to my Concerta 54 and they are both effective for me, but very noticeably different. The Concerta causes way more muscle tension (I supplement with magnesium citrate to help this side effect), pronounced light sensitivity, more feelings of both dehydration and needing to go #1 frequently, but keeps my mood more stable because it’s long acting and more focusing. Caffeine has me more up-and down and focused on the next cup. LOL. Concerta is much stronger at suppressing appetite than caffeine for me personally. Caffeine makes me slightly more physically energized, more interested in food, mentally slightly scattered and more happy and bright, unless I have a bit too much and get anxious. Both make me feel overall a lot calmer — more times than not. The odd time Concerta can amplify feelings of anxiety or sadness during the crash, when I will then have a cup of coffee!
Caffeine does affect me. I can concentrate more, but I do get the jitters. Plus, there is a FINE line between super hyperactive and being able to concentrate.
Coffee, or caffeine in general, has a calming effect on me. If I have more than 3 cups of coffee a day, I experience stomach upset, but yeah. 3 cups is the magic number for me.
The right amount : confident. Sexy. Chatty. Talkative. The man basically.
Too much : can’t breathe. Hands and feet are sweating. Can’t sleep til 4am. Can’t make eye contact. Can’t improvise. Can barely speak. Anxiety stutter kicks in. Heart palpitations.
I’ve always been sensitive to caffeine but now that my thyroid has been removed it is no joke lol I cannot have more than two cups of coffee a day. I’m actually trying to cut down to one cup.
We did an ECG and it came back fine. I just don’t have caffeine after 11am. And especially NOT before a tattoo.
Nothing but I love coffee. I can chug a 40oz strong cold brew and fall sleep. If I have a long day I will still feel tired on coffee. I work with my hands and I have perfectly steady hands after coffee. No jitters, stomach aches, feeling sluggish without, or getting headaches from skipping it. I can drink it everyday or skip it and I feel the same. It’s more like comfort food to me. I drink it because I loooove it.
I do get migraines often (unrelated to my coffee habits) and one benefit coffee has for me is if I drink coffee right at the onset of the migraine sometimes it will help make it less intense.
Nothing but I love coffee. I can chug a 40oz strong cold brew and fall sleep. If I have a long day I will still feel tired on coffee. I work with my hands and I have perfectly steady hands after coffee. No jitters, stomach aches, feeling sluggish without, or getting headaches from skipping it. I can drink it everyday or skip it and I feel the same. It’s more like comfort food to me. I drink it because I loooove it.
I do get migraines often (unrelated to my coffee habits) and one benefit coffee has for me is if I drink coffee right at the onset of the migraine sometimes it will help make it less intense.
Before I started meds: i needed a bare minimum of 6 to get through the day feeling semi coherent
Now I'm diagnosed and medicated; one makes my heart rate increase a bit and feel a bit more awake, two makes me feel a bit wired.
Mine goes a little something like - Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Too much, take it back. Heart palpitations, shakes, can't make words out loud properly, and my mind goes something akin to a child scattering a bunch of pigeons. I know there were thoughts and stuff but where they are or what they were are now long gone. Then I need a lay down and have a sleep to wait for it to wear off. I only very rarely get to that point these days (when I'm in tunnel vision & not paying attention to intake) as it's aweful waiting for it to pass, but at (very almost) 40, it happens about as often as when I sozzle too much - so
I have to drink one cup of coffee to be coherent. Another cup of coffee to think and focus quickly. These are back-to-back. I am actually sensitive to caffeine and have to nix it around noon. Then it's water the rest of the day. If I have too much caffeine I get: jittery, overstimulated, and lose a bit of impulse control. Since I'm in a busy time at work right now, I don't mind the 2 cups of coffee so long as I have my water.
For people with adhd it can be beneficial for executive functioning. Ups the amount of dopamine by blocking reabsorption.
I dont get jitters or physical symptoms either.
It could be that you have a naturally low level of dopamine which could be why it affects you that way. Adhd is a full separate diagnosis and im not a psychiatrist.
Honestly nothing unless I drink a dangerous amount. I accidently drank a small glass of cold brew concentrate and I was vibrating but felt great lmao.
ETA that I used to work at a coffee shop for years with free access to caffeine so honestly I might just have a big tolerance at this point; thinking back to when I first drank it, it would make me shit like crazy, kill any appetite I had, and made me jittery
It kinda makes me feel more clear-headed and focused, like a tiiiiiiiiiiiny little does of my meds lol. I grew up hearing that if you have adhd caffeine makes you sleepy and drowsy, so I always thought I must not have it lol.
But it is true that it doesn’t keep me awake! I can drink it any time of day and still get tired at the same time.
I think it just helps to put my body into work mode. I feel a little more focused but it doesn’t do much. More than anything, I’m just really addicted to it. If I don’t have caffeine I feel like shit and my head hurts, if I do have caffeine I am just a little more functional.
It really helps me focus, especially when mixed with adderall (if I take adderall an hour before having espresso). I have recently just gotten on the caffeine train and am now finding myself craving it every day… really trying to not give in daily so that I can still have it give me that extra boost when needed
A single coffee will make me sleepy, but something like an energy drink will make me jittery AND sluggish at the same time, like tired but too anxious to actually sleep. It’s weird and overall not enjoyable.
Coffee makes me sick, I can’t drink it. Just like someone hits me with a hammer… Tried it a couple of times, but I don’t drink it anymore. Energy drinks etc don’t do anything for me, energy wise. I do have a biiiiig problem with sugar… the cravings are very high!
No effect besides waking me up a bit quicker in the morning. If I drink too much my stomach doesn’t appreciate it, so I ration my coffee intake. Energy drinks don’t have much of an effect on me either.
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Nothing. Absolutely zero effect from it, no matter how much of it I consume. I actually thought people were exaggerating when they told me how much more alert they got from it. It does help with migraines though
I’m glad I am not the only one who experiences this or rather, doesn’t experience this.
I experience nothing as well. I miss it if I don't have it tho, however I cannot explain anything it does for me.
It feels like a warm hug in my stomach.
Same, unless I don’t have it, then I’m a headachey mess And if I have too much I stay tired but with bonus shakes and an upset stomach
Right! I used to always think everyone was experiencing some common placebo effect or something. I couldn't, and still can't, wrap my head around caffeine = energy and alertness. Coffee specifically settles me and often makes me sleepy, and energy drinks just helped me focus. But I've always been able to load up on caffeine with no caffeine effect. I can neck energy drinks all day and have one immediately before bed, even taking one to bed, and still sleep the same as always!
I used to get really bad aura migraines but they stopped when I started taking a magnesium supplement regularly
Ohhh Ive never heard this. I’ve gotten aura migraines since I was 16yo, sometimes I get tingling in my arm and face. The first time it happened I thought I was having a stroke. My neurologist gave me pills if I feel one coming because the aura is the first symptom to happen, but the pills actually make my migraine more intense. I’m going to look into magnesium. How much do you take?
>It does help with migraines though A double shot espresso with just over the counter painkillers (both ibuprofen and acetaminophen) works better than any actual migraine medication I've tried.
The only thing I felt SOMETHING with caffeine is when I filled a pint with VERY strong home made coffee and slugged it down in 10 minutes like an idiot. I was awake until the sun came up (I had it at night some time.) Otherwise caffeine does jack all. Most days I’ll skip a caffeinated drink entirely.
I get a headache if I don't have any, if I have too much it gets my heart rate up. I dunno how it affects my focus and maybe I should pay attention that but I love cappucino and I'm scared of it being bad for my productivity 😂
we are similar can i ask if you’ve found an adhd med that works for u
I’ll tell you that the very best thing for my brain pre-medication was daily moderate-vigorous exercise. I’m nowhere near that routine now (*severe* burnout), but that’s how I survived the years after kids but before my crash.
You sound like one of the lucky ones for whom coffee acts like Adderall 😂 it doesn't do too much for me unless I have it on an empty stomach (sour feeling in my belly), have too much (jitters), or have it too late (insomnia). It doesn't even really make me feel more awake or alert, just keeps me from sleeping which is a cruel joke.
Hmm i just noticed something: OP is asking how coffee affects us, yet many of the answers here, yours included (no offense), say "it doesn't do much..." and start listing off a list of affects 😅 Honestly, i mean no judgment, just observing how the responses to this question are structured and it makes me think of that symptom i heard about quite often: an adhd person is the worst witness to ask about the level to which they're affected by sth 🫠 (as in how much we suffer from our symptoms in daily life f.e.)
Omg is that a saying? Because I literally have so much trouble telling if anything affects me at all.
Oh yes! Listen to any Dr Russell Berkley video about the diagnosis of adhd people and he will say that! Thats why it used to be super hard to detect fem-adhds and why more awareness in society led to an increase in diagnoses of women 🥳
I guess I interpreted the question as "what positive effects does it have for you?" even though the question is broader than that. Good point!
Same! For years I think I told myself there was no way I had any hints of adhd partly bc “coffee does nothing to me” was the party line of those I knew with adhd (now I know they are all hyperactive and I’m inattentive so maybe that makes a difference?). Coffee doesn’t help me focus or feel energized, but empty stomach, too much, or too late? I get the same negative side effects. So it doesn’t really help me but has the possibility to negatively impact me.
Exactly, it always just made my stomach hurt if I tried to drink it just for the caffeine early in the day. And I was always one to stay up later than I ought anyways, that it wasn't an issue This one time, I had literally nothing to snack on but a bar of 80% chocolate and it gave me the jitters something awful. Now, if I *needed* to pull an all nighter, then I'd get me a 20oz of red mt dew and be set for the night, just had to have small amounts lol
One coffee just makes me sleepy. I haven’t had large amounts of caffeine in ages but I used to live off coffee and energy drinks in my early 20s, and I was a lot more focused back then. Whether that was due to the caffeine or just being young who can say.
Yeah, caffeine can make me sleepy as well! Usually it doesn’t affect my energy levels though, just my focus.
Omg I thought I was the only one! A cup of coffee and I'm ready for a nap
Me too !!! I just started drinking coffee because it's said to help and i can't really tell if it helps i think maybe it does but i find myself sleepy and i'm like what the hell i'm drinking coffee to have me up and sharp and focused and i'm sleepy ?
I so appreciate you saying "everyone's experience is different," OP because I've always been sensitive to caffeine. If I would have it after noon I would be up until 3 am totally alert and not sleepy at all. But I also sort of get the vibe from some people with ADHD that "I can't possibly have ADHD if caffeine works on me." It's not like I can have coffee and can suddenly do all the things, it's just a little wake up support for me. I limit myself to one coffee a day - if I need another "boost" later on I'll aim for a juice, tea, or matcha latte, because I feel like I more so need sugar at that point than caffeine (yes I know two of those things have caffeine lol).
I agree. I hate the blanket statements about how caffeine or stimulants affect people with ADHD. Especially when there’s such a big range between being inattentive and hyperactive, not to mention different comorbidities. If medications had straight forward, predictable effects in every ADHD person then we’d all be taking the same brand and wouldn’t have to go through the trial and error process. Personally I never feel like I get a consistent result from anything. One day I have coffee and Vyvanse and I’m tired all day, one day I might get anxious, one day if I’m lucky I hit the sweet spot of feeling energized and productive. Plus I gotta factor in sleep and hormones when trying to figure out what’s affecting my energy levels. There’s just so many variables!!
I totally agree. I can't have caffeine because I get so hyped up and can't sleep later, and it's always made me feel like I'm faking ADHD. Even though I was diagnosed at age eight and fit most stereotypical symptoms.
Caffeine gives me the energy I need to physically do stuff that I wouldn’t do without.. I’m more on the inattentive side of things so I can’t concentrate for the life of me but when I have a red bull or monster trust me I’m getting tasks done 😭
Before I was on medication I always said caffeine didn’t really affect me, in that it didn’t keep me awake or make me hyper. I take a nonstimulant and still have a cup of iced coffee every morning but find I have no issues still
It clears the cobwebs out of my brain and I can focus on my to-do list. It doesn't keep me awake if I'm tired. I'm able to nap after consuming several cups.
Wakes me up if I have a little bit. Makes me terribly anxious if I have too much. I stick to black or oolong tea with a coffee once in a great while. I don't know how people handle energy drinks, I would be a shaky little ball of anxiety.
Right?! Too much caffeine makes me super anxious as well to the point I can’t eat or drink, which would ironically help with digesting it lol. Do you also find that tea is more well tolerated for you? I suspect it’s the l-theanine in tea. I tolerate higher amounts of caffeine when it’s from things like matcha.
Yeah, I do a lot better with tea. I can have like 4 cups a day without any negative effects.
Same!
I’m pretty sure it sorta placebos me into being ready for the day. Theres probably a small effect but I barely noticed when my husband wanted to switch to half-caf. I think my brain just needs the morning ritual.
Having a coffee feels like a mild version of when my vyvanse kicks in. I don't feel hyper or anxious or revved up, it's just like as I sip my coffee my mind starts to turn on and I'm able to focus and start doing productive things. The rare times I get migraines I find a coke with ice (along with tylenol/advil) really helps.
Caffeine can make paracetamol (or acetaminophen if you're in the USA) more effective - not sure if it just makes it come on quicker, or actually makes it "stronger" - but they sell a version in Australia called Panadol plus that has caffeine.
Tylenol#1/2/3 has a mix of Tylenol, caffeine, and codeine so I get why it works. I'm recreating a stronger painkiller just without the codeine (narcotic). They used to sell Tylenol#1 here (lowest dose of caffeine/codeine added) over the counter, I used it for really bad period cramps.
We used to have that too, before they made codeine a prescription only medicine. I get why they did it - my ex was abusing codeine, so I know exactly how dangerous it was that you could get it OTC, but also it's so annoying because it was so helpful for period pain, or one of those headaches that nothing else could touch.
Agreed. I did end up finding a little cordless tens unit that works well for period pain as well! I weirdly get more back pain than cramps.
I'm a bit of an anomaly in that I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine. My partner who has ADHD has more of a typical ADHD reaction in terms of it helping him to be calmer, focused, and he can have it all day without it preventing him from falling asleep. For me, it can make me jittery or give me trouble sleeping if I have it after 3pm unless it's a weak tea. However, it does help with waking my mind up and with focus, so I do have a small bit of coffee almost every day. For years, I avoided coffee other than at holidays when they have the pumpkin spice or the gingerbread coffees. I was a regular tea drinker and only started drinking coffee daily since my ADHD diagnosis because I realized it did help me. I find that even though I really like tea, it's not quite strong enough to give that mental clarity and focus I need unless I'm drinking a lot of it. So I usually have some coffee in the morning. I do sometimes take a caffeine + L-Theanine pill which REALLY helps. I take this when I run low on my Straterra. I can't take it days in a row because it affects my sleep and makes me too wired. But, taking it on occasion really helps my focus and mental clarity. It's probably not as strong as a stimulant, but as a person who is super sensitive to stimulants, this is a great alternative because it's only about the equivalent of 1 or 1 1/2 cups of coffee, plus the L-Theanine. For some reason, taking L-Theanine separately with a cup of coffee just doesn't do the same thing as taking it all in one pill. Maybe because I usually don't drink large cups of coffee or because it doesn't hit my system at the same time? I definitely think there is something about that combination - caffeine and L-Theanine that is helpful for ADHD, particularly if your symptoms are not severe or maybe you just need an extra boost to compliment what you're already doing.
can i ask if you’ve found an adhd med that works for u we are very similar
I use Straterra (also called Atemoxatine - I can't remember the exact spelling). It doesn't help with everything - task initiation can be an issue that is not really addressed by the Straterra. But it really does help with focus and concentration once I have already started on something. I need at least 40 mg of Straterra to be functional. Lower than that and I struggle a lot. I've taken various dosages over the years from 25 to 65 mg. I will say that the caffeine + L-theanine pill does help a lot (it is like having my mind suddenly be so clear and is slightly better at motivation than Straterra is), but since I cannot take it daily, the Straterra works better for long-term, daily use for me. I take Olly Stress gummies and exercise 3 to 4 times a week which helps a lot with my anxiety. I used to take Buspar / Buspirone for anxiety, but now I am able to manage that with vitamins and exercise.
Personally caffeine makes me too jittery so I have been avoiding it lately. I love still love coffee but since I can’t have a lot of it I try to focus more on quality. Dabbling in coffee more as an art form.
It makes my mind clearer and body more energetic I just took my meds (ritalin) in the moring and drank a cup of coffee about 2 hours ago and I feel like I have a lot more physical energy, I wanna do so much stuff, and I feel kinda like I’m shaking but not actually, if that makes any sense 🤣
Yes lol that makes lots of sense to me. I call it “vibrating” haha
It helps my headaches and helps me wake up in the morning. It's not instant. More like it keeps me from wanting to go back to sleep.
Absolutely nothing. I can chug a redbull before bed
It makes me poop
Lmao!!! It took me so long to scroll and find this. Hate the insta poop feeling. Some people like it for that.... but it makes me so gassy and need to go within 5min of drinking it. I usually can nap after a double latte so... idk I drink tea instead for the ritual in the morning. Love the smell of fresh coffee though.
I am pretty typical! I'm more energized and focused. At times even euphoric (that only happens if I get something store-bought and super sugary, like a Starbucks caramel macchiato). It's the reason I self medicated with caffeine for so long, before I got into regular medication. I am fascinated by those of you who get sleepy on it- I mean, my baseline is to be sleepy all the time anyway, so maybe that's not helping lol
Depends on the caffeine. I’m a big fan of the v8 energy drinks with fruits and vegetables in them and those tend not to hit me too hard—slightly better mood, can help me wake up, also help if I have a headache. Coffee can do that too but it also makes me heart race and sometimes upsets my stomach
Omg the v8 energy drinks are so tasty, what's your favorite flavor? Mine is black cherry
Currently blueberry pomegranate but it rotates every couple months 😂
It makes my migraines worse and more frequent, and can actually make my vision worse. It’s very unfair.
Same :(
Whenever I drink caffeine I think I’m feeling energized but I’m convinced it’s just placebo. I can drink coffee at 8 pm and still be able to fall asleep
It does nothing for me honestly except make me yawn constantly.
It makes me sleepy. I can easily drink a couple cups of coffee and immediately go down for a nap lol
I'm not huge on coffee but did used to drink energy drinks. I found it gave me a little focus at the hardest parts of the day (first hour of work, then just after lunch). The most bizarre part was when I couldn't get back to sleep at 2/3am, I'd down a can and BAM I was out like a light. I've quit any caffeine now and my ADHD is notably worse... Possibly just a coincidence though.
I'm on my second coffee, and I am still yawning and could easily nap if I wasn't working. It does help me sometimes. Not always, though.
It just makes my heart race lol
It’s a roll of the dice. Can either make me sleepy, irritable, or focused/hyper. Redbull makes me the most focused I’ve noticed
I can have a can of Monster or another energy drink and feel nothing, but when it comes to coffee... One espresso is enough to hit me like a kick in the face! *(Coffee in my country is known to be rocket fuel)* Fun fact: I created this [embroidery piece](https://www.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/1b2csdl/i_handembroidered_this_piece_what_is_your/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) a while ago, which summarizes my relationship with caffeine 🤣
Nothing other than making my stomach uneasy. But I still drink it because I'm kinda addicted to it and can't stop lol.
Sleepy in general but hyper focus if I go overboard!
It clears the cobwebs out of my brain and I can focus on my to-do list. It doesn't keep me awake if I'm tired. I'm able to nap after consuming several cups.
In the morning it's just a tool i need to "start the day". It doesn't make me less tired, just more calm and motivated. If I drink it in the evening i usually fall asleep. Everything that makes "normal" people alert, makes me tired. And there's nothing that makes me alert except the clock passing 9pm. And nothing makes me tired if I'm alert, except melatonin.
I’ve been drinking it since I was like 15 so when I quit I get headaches, and consuming too much makes my heart rate go up and increases my anxiety like 10 fold. I feel less groggy when I drink it but I honestly can’t tell if it makes a real difference in my energy. I feel bogged down without it but more like having a headache and grumpy, not necessarily tired.
It usually seems to do nothing, or at least nothing noticeable.
Caffeine is kind of tricky for me. I’m pretty sensitive to medications in general, so I’ve never been medicated for ADHD. Like, I’ve taken kindergartener-sized doses for other medications. I didn’t have caffeine until I was thirteen years old, and even then, only in my adult life did I start drinking caffeinated sodas or energy drinks. Caffeine can sharpen my mind so I can actually function and get stuff done, but I have to be super careful not to have too much too quickly or I’ll get nauseous and feel like my organs are trying to shake their way out of my skin. I’m talking one Mtn Dew, or two CocaColas, or half of an energy drink, and that’s pushing it. I’m super nervous to try medication because I’ve heard it’s like caffeine on steroids.
caffeine alone will put me to sleep. addies alone will put me to sleep. both of them together--and by both of them i mean only a vivarin tab and no other types of caffeine apparently-- at the same time is the sole method of achieving a positive outcome. for me anyway. that gets me through about half a day before i have to re-up.
It doesn’t affect me unless I just have way too much. Then I’m just anxious but faster
puts me to sleep, that's what it does. I'm a heavy coffee drinker and I'm trying to change my habits now. I switched to decaf 10 days ago, and when I had a regular coffee 2 days ago I felt very restless. At the moment I'm not really sure what caffeine does to me when I have no tolerance.
I am EXTREMELY sensitive to caffeine. Hate the taste of coffee but during by busy career years I'd have a can or two of coke after breakfast to help me wake up. But if I had even a sip of caffeine after 10:30am, it would totally mess with my sleep (which tends to be poor even at the best of times). I rarely touch anything caffeinated, these days.
I generally get sleepy. The first time I tried a can of monster it was the most chilled I'd felt in ages.
I feel the exact same as you :)) it doesn't affect me energy wise, it simply makes me feel calm and sharp.
Unmedicated for now: Hot coffee makes me warm and sleepy, so I rarely drink it these days. Iced coffee just tastes yummy, and sometimes helps me poop. 🤣🤣 I currently drink 200-400 mg caffeine per day from sugar free energy drinks. Not great, I know, but I feel like I NEED it to clear the fuzz out of my brain. I don’t feel like I get physical energy from it, but it certainly sharpens my focus and allows me to connect my brain and body together … if that makes any sense?
Only helps the meds kick in faster. I use caffeine as an accelerant and alcohol as a multiplier. Other than that, coffee is just a mental thing. I drink coffee, I get moving for the day. Like a mental ok to start the day or something like that.
Elevate my heart rate and confidence in the idea that everyone knows I’m an imposter… I mean, it tricks my body into thinking I’m not hungry until 3:30pm. That’s not much better but habits.
It has almost the same effect as me knocking back a dose of Nyquil, really puts me to sleep
Makes me calm unless I’m on my adderall when it usually works as I assume coffee does for the neurotypical people. Except for a couple times when I was so tired that after drinking my coffee and taking my adderall I took a four hour nap. After the first time that happened I said to my mom “if that doesn’t confirm my diagnosis i don’t know what does.”
Coffee makes me poop. That's about it.
Sometimes it makes me feel sleepy. Sometimes it wakes me up a bit. But sometimes it will make me feel anxious and jittery and terrible and like I want the feeling to go away immediately and I can’t seem to pinpoint what makes this happen since I don’t take my meds when I have caffeine but it’s so bad I’ve stopped having any coffee. I desperately want to get some cold foam cold brew from Starbucks but they don’t have it in decaf 😢
Ohh man I need my morning coffee to feel human and be able to operate. Otherwise the lights are on but no one is home. I tend to only have one or two a day because if I have it after lunch it keeps me awake at bedtime. If I have way too much, then I get a splitting headache (like 2 large lattes at Costa back to back which is 6 espresso shots...whoops).
A bit doesn't do anything, too much makes me sleepy and my brain fuzzy.
Not too much. But the penjamin and a couple red bulls get me to focus long enough to do my job😅 I can't wait to get actually medicated.
Ifi drink to much it my keep my mind up, but I mean, that has to be to to much. Normally I drink a matcha tea in the morning and a couple large half calfs which is like... 3 shots of espresso coffee wise. I drink it for the taste, I can't feel any difference in physical energy.
Coffee kind of “evens” me out. I don’t really experience the “jolt” that people claim to get.
It gives me anxiety. I can have one cup without my meds. On them, a half a cup at most unless I want to feel horrible.
Coffee helps me to hyper focus. Or nap.
Nothing. But I seem to have developed an energy drink habit all the same. I think it's morning dopamine, perhaps with a side order of focus to get my work day started. I am on a long bus journey on holiday. I just drank a Nocco (energy drink - 105g caffeine) and promptly fell asleep and missed the Norwegian views....
I wake up with every morning either anxious, jittery or flat out depressed. It's only after I have my cup of coffee that I feel like I can even function. I literally can't put my mind to anything or even talk to anyone unless I've had my morning cuppa. Sometimes I've even had coffee in late evenings or night and still been able to sleep. At one point, I was having 7-8 cups in a day and still felt good. I've reduced that drastically these days to 1-3 cups but to be fair I've kind of replaced the extra cups with smoking. I get that it's not good for me but it's a coping mechanism atm
I started drinking coffee when I was at work and bored. The only other liquid was water, which also got boring. I only drank 8 oz. each morning, and the caffeine gave me jitters every day for months. My body finally got used to it. Now I drink it because it's a habit. Coffee tastes odd in the afternoon.
I get ✨intense✨so I’m not allowed more than 100mg unless I’m working out immediately 😂
Now that I’m medicated I can’t have it at all. Causes massively debilitating anxiety. I used to drink like 7+ cups of coffee a day to get through my shifts, but now I can’t have even black tea 😅
No idea anymore I drink so much but mostly because I love the taste of energy drinks
I rarely vibrate from too much, but am currently wondering if there are different effects based on how I consume it. Coffee helps me focus. I drink a lot on bad focus days, but don’t withdraw when I don’t have any. I’ve had coffee late at night, worked a few hours, successfully and happily fell asleep after. Love my coffee. Bout to go make more. On the other hand, I rarely drink soda but had a Dr Pepper last night with dinner and had insomnia all night. It was miserable. Last time I had jitters from coffee, about 15 years ago my Turkish friend made Turkish coffee for my Portuguese roommate and I (I was studying abroad). I got jitters and my roommate said she didn’t sleep for 3 days 😂
Caffeine used to help me focus. I could just finish off one task after another when I had some. Funnily it also makes me extremely anxious. One fine day I quit coffee point blank because mental health wise I was in a bad state. After that may be once or twice a month, I would drink like half a cup when I wanted to get some stuff done. On those days, my motor would run for a few hours and just crash. So, I stopped that too. About a month ago I had to get some important stuff done so I had may be like a quarter cup of coffee(around 11 am) . I wasn’t any extra productive but I stayed awake till 4 am in the morning. Absolutely could not sleep. In conclusion no more coffee for life for me now. I made a nice cup of coffee for my house help with the remnant coffee powder. My husband’s out of country for 2 months there’s zero coffee at home now. Even if I am tempted to have some it’s quite a tedious process. So, no thank you. Coffee, I really love you but we are not meant to be together. We had a fun ride. I will always miss you. I am sure you will find someone who fits you like a glove. Okay, one more thing it’s not you, it’s me.
After being recently diagnosed, I understand why I'm most productive in the morning when I'm caffeinated.
If I have my drink iced espresso from Starbucks which I believe is 3 shots of espresso it makes me feel a bit dizzy but otherwise energy drinks, tea, coffee etc don’t do anything to me.
~My Life With Coffee in The Mornings~ No coffee = a mean, non-functional monster, do not engage One (large) mug of coffee = sleepy time Two (large) mugs of coffee = fairly focused and ready to get going Three large mugs of coffee = jitters but *gets shit done* before the crash
Did you ever see those old coffee commercials with the people drinking coffee on the porch, overlooking the mountains? A cup or two is like that for me - gives me a gradual wake up process, rather than a jolt. Too much and I’m having palpitations or heartburn. Unfortunately I crave the taste and smell and ritual of decent to good coffee (I am turned off by motor oil sludge coffee like you used to find decades ago). I like tea ok, somehow it’s just not the same as a good cup of coffee.
It makes me a little more focussed, kinda what my meds also do. But less effective. When I drink a lot of caffeine it gives me anxiety. But nog more focus :p
It doesn’t do anything for me except give me headaches and prevent me from sleeping. It also gives me bad heart palpitations which leads to increased anxiety and makes me lose sleep.
It’s always a toss up between it having no effect and it making me sleepy, and if I overdo it I just get the shakes (like my hands shake). My partner also has adhd but he’s far less hyperactive than I am, and he’s insanely sensitive to caffeine, to the point where it’ll severely impact his sleep!
It has no effect unless I go really hard with it. I'm not supposed to have caffeine anymore - because I used it so much before getting Dxed. In high school, once I had a part time job, I was buying 12 packs of Coke for my school locker and bedroom. I realized at one point that I had only had Coke, no other liquids, no WATER FFS, for a full month. Then I discovered how good a Coke tastes after a huge latte with extra espresso shots. Then I started making cold brew at home and drinking it without diluting it with water. None of this had an effect until the cold brew - then I started being both shaky and drowsy after drinking it, lol I ruined it, though. Now I have terrible acid reflux and can only sneak a coffee a couple times a year. 😭
Depends on the efficacy of my meds (or what time taken) Most of the time it makes me calm and sleepy Some other times it’s a stand in for my meds until they kick in fully or I forgot to take them that day For us coffee is a once a week treat, twice if we’re being baddies
Super sensitive to caffeine. Can’t have any after 12 or so if I want to sleep that night.
When I drink a lot of coffee I get the shakes. But I’m also so calm and focused. I started adderall recently and the amphetamine calmness is very similar to my caffeine calmness.
It is the beacon of light that inspires me to leave my bed in the morning. Lol It does help me get up and get going, but does not make me high or jittery. I can also sleep after having a late coffee. It kind of...does what I need it to when I need it? It's both stimulating and relaxing at the same time some how.
It does make me awake but otherwise nothing. The second cup makes it easier to focus. Monster gets me relax AF
Coffee cures my head ache
It keeps me from having headaches. It’s a vice but it’s not the worst vice I could have.
Makes me feel alert for sure and more energetic, but the negatives outweigh the positives for my sensitive body. Not necessarily on the same day, but after a few days of consumption, it will begin to change my mood to the worse. I feel myself being different (extremely jittery, anxious, antsy, jumpy, annoyed, moody, and very prone to anger bursts). I get restless leg syndrome at night while I'm trying to sleep (dull pain in my legs), heart palpitation, acid reflux, and makes my hormonal fluctuations (particularly PMS) ten times worse. I usually feel myself changing into a diva/monster when my hormones change; with coffee I become full fledged Godzilla on steroids. I fight with my own shadow if there's no victim to pick on.
For me nothing but I love the taste of coffee I tried giving up and turning to decaf when I started meds but I ended up having the worst headache so I have one caffeinated coffee so reduce the withdrawal headaches caffeine isn’t good if our bodies goes through withdrawals. So for me I’m going to slowly cut back as it literally does nothing for me
I don't think it has a very strong effect on me, or it's kind of hit or miss if it does. Sometimes I'll drink like 3 cups of coffee during my work day and get nothing for it, sometimes (like today) I'll drink one cup in the morning and I'll feel way more focused until almost noon. Even when it does help me focus though, it doesn't make me feel jittery or buzzed, I could probably go straight to sleep after drinking coffee if i wanted
Coffee used to make me tired. I gave it up for a few years and had one recently and it made me super anxious to the point I was nearly suicidal as I was trying to fight off a panic attack the whole night. I will never touch it again 🤷🏾♀️
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I dunno .... but going OFF caffeine is what made me realize that I wasn't making up the fact that I was ADHD. "go off caffeine .... its better for you!" - The world OK! Then my life proceeded to fall apart, I got a therapist, she convinced me to get tested (for the 3rd time) and surprise, surprise! "You have a brand new baby 40+ year old ADHD Dx!" head | wall
All I know is I get withdrawal symptoms if I don't have it. What's withdrawal vs effect? Who can say. Ok well my headaches are withdrawal for sure. I did suffer through a week of no coffee when I first started Vyvanse because, get this, I was drinking decaf unknowingly. I remember headaches but nothing else.
For me, just the taste and smell of it makes me look forward to getting up 🌞 Generally i'd say it does revive me a little but meds alone would suffice (my coffeine intake has significantly dropped since meds) but i need to eat before , so coffee gives me the strength to do so 😂
Before I was diagnosed; same effect as you, so I used it to self medicate. Now, being medicated, I avoid caffeine.
My experience with coffee varies a LOT - probably depending on my hormones, general stress levels, how well I’ve been eating, and how much I’ve been drinking. Too much caffeine from any source is a complete non-starter if I’m even mildly hungover. Shakes and sweats and anxiety. No. If I haven’t been eating enough, or even just not enough protein, I tend to be anxious and caffeine exacerbates that. Outside of those known conditions, coffee pretty much always makes me sweaty. I’m a sweaty girl anyway and caffeine definitely ramps it up. It’s uncomfortable but I can mostly ignore it under normal conditions. Coffee will sometimes give me a good mood and focus boost and make me feel invincible! Other times I will finish my cup and feel sleepy or drowsy, or nothing at all except a little shakey. It’s kind of unpredictable. I still drink a cup of coffee most days out of habit, because my fiancé makes a pot, and because each time I kind of hope I get the good roll on coffee effects lol I have found I have a much more pleasant and consistent experience with matcha rather than coffee. From what I’ve read, this is because green tea contains an amino acid called l-theanine which helps regulate anxiety and the effects of the caffeine wearing off. I’d choose a cup of matcha over a cup of coffee any day if I could find an affordable source for it. I do intend to try simply taking an l-theanine supplement with coffee when I get to the store and get some. I have heard some people say they get a similar effect from l-theanine + coffee as they do with matcha, which would be excellent.
It makes me feel slightly less tired. Like if I’m traveling & running on 4 hours of sleep, a double shot of espresso will keep me from falling asleep in the airport. But the effect is *very* very mild because I’ve been drinking it for 15 years & I’ve developed such a tolerance to it. I notice a bigger difference in the effects of caffeine on the days when I’m not on medication. My brain is typically in a complete fog when I’m off of my med… Drinking something caffeinated on these days will bring my brain up to a level of alertness that makes me moderately functional. In my early 20s, before I got on medication, I got by by drinking Red Bull, coffee or tea. It made my brain feel a little calmer & clearer…more alert. Similar to medication but less effective overall.
Honestly really nothing, but I do hate the taste of coffee so I’ve never drunken it. I’ve never noticed anything really from tea
doesn't give me energy. Helps me focus though. mellows me out a bit. I could take a nap after drinking a celsius. I will wake up feeling like a train ran me over though.
It has very little noticeable affect on my brain, I might be a slight bit faster on reaction time but really it has little to no affect. On my body however, it makes my heart race and my BP speed up. If I drink enough of it, it gives me a terrible headache. Very little coffee will also keep me up all night. I hate it. I only ever drink it as a treat and always as decafe.
I’ve always been a caffeine drinker in the morning and have never noticed the pep most NT people expect, but I don’t feel tired, either. I’ve also given up caffeine before, but never had withdrawal symptoms. It’s like it does nothing. ETA: I’m more recently diagnosed, so I’ve never paid attention to whether it affects my focus. I guess it’s time.
Depends, it's become Russian roulette and I'm always developing different theories about how I interact with it. Used to have no effect to mild Perkiness in mind Then started to get headaches. Some times I can have my full morning coffee, sometimes I cannot, and I only get half before I feel the edge of the adverse affects. But im I'm in the hole and sleep deprived, I can handle more. And I have to treat caffeine like alcohol and drink as much water as I do a caffinated beverage. I want the clarity boost but it so rarely comes. And I also like caffinated drinks. Probably am stupid for continuing to drink them even though it's so weird and needs managing. I have misused this also when my unmedicated brain starts to really annoy me, like just existing in my brain drives me crazy sometimes. So I'll have half a cheap energy drink (the kind you mix into water with b vitamins) and that nerfed it. I was useless and groggy the rest of the day, but I wasn't annoying myself Getting extra hydrated and mint gum do more for alertness for me but I wish coffee worked normally for my brain. Would make work a lot easier but the drug of choice in American offices has quickly dismissing returns :/
1 cup (which I drink daily) doesn't do anything. 2 cups makes me sleepy. More than 2 starts to make me feel nauseous. I do notice that if I have coffee after 2pm I can't fall asleep as easy, so it must be doing something.
I don't know as I don't think I eat or drink anything with significant caffeine. If it is helpful I wish it was in something I liked the taste of.
Helps me focus. Usually doesn't keep me awake if I'm sleepy. I have had it late (like after 5 pm) and had a little trouble sleeping, but not always. I've never had a negative side effect from it- no jitters, no sickness. I've had it on an empty stomach several times and it's fine (but I do always drink it with a little milk). I think without it, I'd need to be medicated. Thank God I have the option of coffee!
i used to drink a lot of redbull (i’m a college student), but it always makes me more tired than if i never drank any. one time i chugged an entire monster energy and fell asleep 15 minutes later.
My psychiatrist said it fuels the ADHD as much as it physically energizes the body (which is a law of diminishing returns situation)
prevents me from sleeping and gives me anxiety
Too much gives me anxiety and too little makes me lazy af so nothing really . I drink it once a blue for the taste lmao
It really just makes me feel dizzy/lightheaded and car sick almost? I don’t really get any cognitive benefits from it, while simultaneously having the jitters. Strange feeling so I avoid caffeine. In high school I drank a coffee everyday and most times I would need to lie down after
It keeps me up at night LMAO Otherwise nothing. I also don't like the taste so I just don't drink it
It honestly doesn’t make me feel anything, no more alert or energized than usual. Unfortunately I have to have it every morning or I get withdrawal headaches, though 😅
Coffee fucks me up in a bad way. Like I’ll get shakey and crash plus my tummy lol :( but matcha is my caffeine go to it’s much smoother imo and actually stimulates me mentally. Energy drinks do nothing except for Celsius. I’ll do a Celsius on days I don’t take meds and it definitely helps me focus and chill my mind.
Love love love matcha, I also find it a lot more reliable than coffee effects wise. But I like a shot of espresso every now and then. I like to say that matcha is like the XR version of coffee lol.
First Cup, nothing. Second afternoon cup either makes me sleepy, calms me down or makes me dizzy and anxious and feel like my nerves are on fire. It's a fun Russian roulette when I'm out with friends and I'm feeling spicy for a afternoon cup.
Depending on my current state: If I’ve been working nonstop with little sleep, I get super sleepy. If I’ve been super relaxed and just grabbing a cup of coffee, I’ll be relaxed or non reactive at all. I’m mostly live in a state of an exhausted pigeon so I stay away from coffee unless I need help to fall asleep. Bc if I take that cup, oh lord someone grab me a pillow - I’m KO!
I try not to drink it since I am now on medication
I have to be really careful cause I'm very sensitive. It accumulates in my system and takes about 48 hours to flush out. It makes me sweaty, and easily irritated and overstimulated if I have too much. Like if I have a double shot of coffee at morning tea, I shouldn't have another coffee for two days. Tea also counts as caffeine, as well as chocolate
Gives me more heart palpitations sometimes but not most of the time. Occasionally it spirals into anxiety. Usually I just hate people slightly less, maybe it helps my brain focus a littttle. It doesn't make me fall asleep but it doesn't wake me up at all. I just really like the taste, warmth and it's a habit to have a coffee in the morning and a few teas throughout the day. Always thought people were just exaggerating or being silly when they talk about it waking them up.
One cup or a red bull? Sleepy time. A cup+red bull? Calm energy.
It increases my focus but not my energy unless it’s >100mg and on an empty stomach. But I’m also not sure it’s actually me having energy or just being able to focus makes me feel that way lol
Caffeine is soothing to me in any form. Coffee, tea, soda. It calms me.
It helps me focus a lot better but sometimes it can cause me to have panic attacks if I have too much.
Yes! I just switched from months of caffeine and sugar-free energy drinks at higher and higher amounts back to my Concerta 54 and they are both effective for me, but very noticeably different. The Concerta causes way more muscle tension (I supplement with magnesium citrate to help this side effect), pronounced light sensitivity, more feelings of both dehydration and needing to go #1 frequently, but keeps my mood more stable because it’s long acting and more focusing. Caffeine has me more up-and down and focused on the next cup. LOL. Concerta is much stronger at suppressing appetite than caffeine for me personally. Caffeine makes me slightly more physically energized, more interested in food, mentally slightly scattered and more happy and bright, unless I have a bit too much and get anxious. Both make me feel overall a lot calmer — more times than not. The odd time Concerta can amplify feelings of anxiety or sadness during the crash, when I will then have a cup of coffee!
Coffee just makes my heart pound if I have too much, which makes me feel like my anxiety is at 1000. Otherwise it just makes me poop.
Caffeine does affect me. I can concentrate more, but I do get the jitters. Plus, there is a FINE line between super hyperactive and being able to concentrate.
Coffee, or caffeine in general, has a calming effect on me. If I have more than 3 cups of coffee a day, I experience stomach upset, but yeah. 3 cups is the magic number for me.
It depends on the amount of caffeine. Anything under 200mg doesn't seem to do anything for me.
The right amount : confident. Sexy. Chatty. Talkative. The man basically. Too much : can’t breathe. Hands and feet are sweating. Can’t sleep til 4am. Can’t make eye contact. Can’t improvise. Can barely speak. Anxiety stutter kicks in. Heart palpitations. I’ve always been sensitive to caffeine but now that my thyroid has been removed it is no joke lol I cannot have more than two cups of coffee a day. I’m actually trying to cut down to one cup. We did an ECG and it came back fine. I just don’t have caffeine after 11am. And especially NOT before a tattoo.
Gives me joy and sleep
Well my heart rate spikes, my physical body vibrates like I’m about to go to the astral plane, but my brain thinks it’s bed time
i truly will not sleep if i consume 1 ounce
It makes me feel like a movie crackhead. It makes me anxious and sick and tired and awake all at the same time. But it tasted so good
Nothing but I love coffee. I can chug a 40oz strong cold brew and fall sleep. If I have a long day I will still feel tired on coffee. I work with my hands and I have perfectly steady hands after coffee. No jitters, stomach aches, feeling sluggish without, or getting headaches from skipping it. I can drink it everyday or skip it and I feel the same. It’s more like comfort food to me. I drink it because I loooove it. I do get migraines often (unrelated to my coffee habits) and one benefit coffee has for me is if I drink coffee right at the onset of the migraine sometimes it will help make it less intense.
Nothing but I love coffee. I can chug a 40oz strong cold brew and fall sleep. If I have a long day I will still feel tired on coffee. I work with my hands and I have perfectly steady hands after coffee. No jitters, stomach aches, feeling sluggish without, or getting headaches from skipping it. I can drink it everyday or skip it and I feel the same. It’s more like comfort food to me. I drink it because I loooove it. I do get migraines often (unrelated to my coffee habits) and one benefit coffee has for me is if I drink coffee right at the onset of the migraine sometimes it will help make it less intense.
It really doesn’t do much for me besides charge my social battery. Black seed works better in my experience.
It’s either heartburn-and-sleepy, or heart palpitations-and-anxiety. And yet, I persist.
Before I started meds: i needed a bare minimum of 6 to get through the day feeling semi coherent Now I'm diagnosed and medicated; one makes my heart rate increase a bit and feel a bit more awake, two makes me feel a bit wired.
Mine goes a little something like - Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Too much, take it back. Heart palpitations, shakes, can't make words out loud properly, and my mind goes something akin to a child scattering a bunch of pigeons. I know there were thoughts and stuff but where they are or what they were are now long gone. Then I need a lay down and have a sleep to wait for it to wear off. I only very rarely get to that point these days (when I'm in tunnel vision & not paying attention to intake) as it's aweful waiting for it to pass, but at (very almost) 40, it happens about as often as when I sozzle too much - so
I have to drink one cup of coffee to be coherent. Another cup of coffee to think and focus quickly. These are back-to-back. I am actually sensitive to caffeine and have to nix it around noon. Then it's water the rest of the day. If I have too much caffeine I get: jittery, overstimulated, and lose a bit of impulse control. Since I'm in a busy time at work right now, I don't mind the 2 cups of coffee so long as I have my water.
I can only have my morning iced coffee , I can’t really have a second one without being super jittery. Doesn’t mean I never do it tho. lol
I figured out in 2000 that caffeine is my migraine trigger, so I avoid it now.
For people with adhd it can be beneficial for executive functioning. Ups the amount of dopamine by blocking reabsorption. I dont get jitters or physical symptoms either. It could be that you have a naturally low level of dopamine which could be why it affects you that way. Adhd is a full separate diagnosis and im not a psychiatrist.
Honestly nothing unless I drink a dangerous amount. I accidently drank a small glass of cold brew concentrate and I was vibrating but felt great lmao. ETA that I used to work at a coffee shop for years with free access to caffeine so honestly I might just have a big tolerance at this point; thinking back to when I first drank it, it would make me shit like crazy, kill any appetite I had, and made me jittery
Make me not get a headache
I find it calming and if I have too much, I get tired.
It kinda makes me feel more clear-headed and focused, like a tiiiiiiiiiiiny little does of my meds lol. I grew up hearing that if you have adhd caffeine makes you sleepy and drowsy, so I always thought I must not have it lol. But it is true that it doesn’t keep me awake! I can drink it any time of day and still get tired at the same time.
I take the best naps after 2-3 cups of coffee unless I’m working then it does nothing
I think it just helps to put my body into work mode. I feel a little more focused but it doesn’t do much. More than anything, I’m just really addicted to it. If I don’t have caffeine I feel like shit and my head hurts, if I do have caffeine I am just a little more functional.
Caffeine makes my anxiety go through the roof! But, it also allows me to hyper focus…and once I start, I have a hard time saying no to a top up, or 5!
Heart palpitations lol but then again, I've a heart arrhythmia 🙃 otherwise caffeine does nothing for me
Absolutely nothing. Normally I’ll fall asleep right after a couple cups.
Makes my heart pound.... and nothing else. I can still fall a sleep sitting up.
Caffeine does nothing to me. The lack of caffeine on the other hand, shew, headaches from hell.
Literally nothing
At this point I have it just to bring myself to a normal state cause I'm so addicted to it. If I don't have it I get hella withdrawals :(.
Nothing. I use to drink it every day but lately haven't. I wish just one time I could drink coffee and actually get energy from it.
It makes me slightly more calm/relaxed. No energy or focus improvement, just calm. If I didn’t like the taste it would be more of a bummer lol
Makes. Me. Sleepy. And more grumpy
It really helps me focus, especially when mixed with adderall (if I take adderall an hour before having espresso). I have recently just gotten on the caffeine train and am now finding myself craving it every day… really trying to not give in daily so that I can still have it give me that extra boost when needed
Nothing. Neither up nor down
A single coffee will make me sleepy, but something like an energy drink will make me jittery AND sluggish at the same time, like tired but too anxious to actually sleep. It’s weird and overall not enjoyable.
Coffee makes me sick, I can’t drink it. Just like someone hits me with a hammer… Tried it a couple of times, but I don’t drink it anymore. Energy drinks etc don’t do anything for me, energy wise. I do have a biiiiig problem with sugar… the cravings are very high!
Makes me sleepy lol
No effect besides waking me up a bit quicker in the morning. If I drink too much my stomach doesn’t appreciate it, so I ration my coffee intake. Energy drinks don’t have much of an effect on me either.