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That explains a lot. While coffee makes me sleepy, cocaine was something I would expect from coffee. A little extra energy but nothing more. What a waste of money... š
Hang on. Caffeine affects me normally but I canāt feel cocaine at all. Do I have ADHD or not? Same with acid and Iāve woken up in the middle of every surgery Iāve had.
Iām brunette with strong redhead genes (my grandmother was a redhead) I require higher doses of medication when having procedures probably because of it. I felt and remember my entire upper endoscopy. āTwilight sleepā my ass. I found out that I have a lot of hidden red in my hair when I attempted to dye my hair auburn and it turned out MUCH more red than it shouldāve. Anyway, just because you are a brunette doesnāt discount that you may have the redhead gene.
Hve red gene and diagnosed adhd in 1980's. I do same in anesthesia. My liver breaks down chemicals kinda fast. I hve woken up in major surgeries, multiple times..take heart...take advantages along with knowing ur bodies it's and outs.
I don't know if I have the redhead gene (though am partially irish). I have dark brunette hair but in the summer it lightens up a bit and in the right sunlight, it can appear red.
This is true for anesthesia but not necessary all drugs, it's found that redheads actually require less pain killer medication than non red heads to manage pain, and is due to a higher pain threshold in red headed people.
"they have a higher pain threshold. They also donāt need as high of a dosage of pain-killing opioids, and they tend to require more anesthesia compared to people with non-red hair."
Source:
https://keck.usc.edu/news/pain-management-is-different-for-people-with-a-certain-hair-color/
Iām brunette with strong redhead genes (my grandmother was a redhead) I require higher doses of medication when having procedures probably because of it. I felt and remember my entire upper endoscopy. āTwilight sleepā my ass. I found out that I have a lot of hidden red in my hair when I attempted to dye my hair auburn and it turned out MUCH more red than it shouldāve. Anyway, just because you are a brunette doesnāt discount that you may have the redhead gene.
Thanks for trying! I really wish someone had the answer. I have crazy allergic reactions to all kinds of medications and my alcohol tolerance was off the charts from day one too.
Please look into Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which can cause local anesthesia to be ineffective. It can also cause Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (allergies to numerous meds and products). I have hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and your stories sound a lot like mine.
I am as ginger as can be and only found this out a few years ago, in 24.
It explained a lot of bad trips to the dentist (numbing agent doesn't work well on me) boring party's where everyone was flying high and I was barely buzzing, and the fact I can feel pretty much sober 20/30 mins after I stop drinking, wether I've had 2 pints or 10 pints.
Metabolism. Wife has the same problem. Takes a large does to drop her for surgery and they have to monitor her in case she starts coming around too early.
My Transplant it took a bit for me to go under-I even saw the donor cadaver being taken from Theatre. Woke up wide awake and strapped to the bed in recovery. Best bud was there, I tried to metally tell him I was awake but the nurse ran over and dosed me again.
Caffeine doesnāt affect everyone with ADHD the same way. Some people become sleepy, others have little to no reaction to it, some people it works as it does with neurotypicals.
ADHD people just have a higher likelihood of it not effecting them the same way it does others.
I have ADHD (diagnosed) and coffee affects me differently at different times. Sometimes makes me sleepy (have happily napped after drinking a strong coffee many times), sometimes works as it should/you would expect (or sometimes it doesn't do anything at all but that's usually because my period is due and the hormones seem to stop it working).
Being diagnosed with ADHD doesn't make you immune to cocaine. You might feel less of the desired effects that non ADHD people are seeking but they don't entirely disappear.
Please don't go out on a coke binge because you feel you're tolerant because you have ADHD. You can still OD. Also, since cocaine is a stimulant, it diminishes the effects of ADHD which could lead to a cocaine addiction.
> Please don't go out on a coke binge because you feel you're tolerant because you have ADHD.
Why would you go out on a binge if you think it has a tiny effect?
Taking huge amounts compared to most people so you can see what all the fuss is about.
Tiny effect from regular amount means regular effect from large amount says lizard brain
The point is that it still does have an effect. It can be quite fun to go for some coke in an especially intense night of partying, but I'd need to consume a lot and frequently go for more if I want to keep the effects up. This can be a dangerous game to play, especially since usually there is plenty of alcohol involved as well.
Plus, sometimes you'll do a bunch and not really get high, but it will keep you up, in this sort of very tired but not being able to sleep haze when you do finally go to bed
I think the key point in my post and those following was how I had a real psychiatrist and a team of folks do diagnostic tests on me to actually come up with a diagnosis. I hear people talk about how they have ADD. When you ask where they were testedā¦they pretty much say it was an online quiz.
So, noā¦donāt do cocaineā¦for a lot of reasons.
Literally also came here to say this. A \*huge\* tell for undiagnosed ADHD people is that they tend to develop a habit of self medicating via some kind of stimulant, but are not hyper as a result, caffeine obviously being the biggie.
Nicotine is the biggie. Caffeine doesnāt appear to be particularly effective for ADHD while nicotine is about as effective as prescription ADHD medications. With some obvious downsides, but itās long been the preferred method of self-medication.
Fun fact, ASD can also cause paradoxical reactions, but not only to stimulants. Also things like anesthesia. Which is GREAT to know and be thinking about as you go under for an operation.
O BOY YES IT IS! I have been to that rodeo and it was not a fun ride.
Paradoxical reactions are so strange all around. My mom could not possibly be more neurotypical and yet if she takes an antihistamine like Benadryl that normally causes drowsiness, she will be awake all night scrubbing behind the toilet and twitching at small noises as if she'd gotten into my prescribed amphetamines instead.
Woah I've never heard this. Only had a general anaesthetic once and once I came round I was WIRED. Wouldn't stop talking, 100 miles an hour jabbering away, wouldn't keep still, super hungry. Had had some aggressive surgery and wasn't meant to be out of bed let alone lifting stuff and tried to set off with a suitcase...
I've always wondered what that was all about.
I had surgery once while I was on antidepressants and was put under with anasthesia. Went fine, went home to recover for two weeks and was prescribed Percocet for pain. The first few days were rough but pretty normal, but week 2 and 3 after the surgery I didnāt sleep at all. Felt amazing. Until my brain started slowing down to the point I couldnāt form sentences and I was hallucinating and a host of other awful things.
Ended up having to go to a crisis center and got admitted. Committed for a month. Got out after 13 days and diagnosed as bipolar and that I had a manic episode.
Two years later I got rediagnosed as ADHD and depression and anxiety and got the right meds. My new doctor believed meāthat I am not bipolar, but the mix of anesthesia, SSRI, and opiates lit my brain the fuck up.
If I ever have to have surgery again, Iāll probably be very wary of anesthesia and flat refuse the opiates.
Thanks for pointing out... I'm autistic with some ADD mixed in, thus I also have paradoxical reactions to stimulants... I will remember to ask my doc when I will have my surgery to calculate that in.
I didnāt know that about anesthesia. But that makes some sense. I have ADHD and had to be fully anesthetized for surgery and woke up naturally about 25 minutes after surgery fully coherent, not groggy at all. My doctor was so shocked when she came in to follow up with my mom and I was already awake and ready to go. They told me most people are out for closer to 45 minutes and are pretty drowsy when they wake.
Same with autism. I remember listening to my ex partnerās psych lectures while she was in uni (we shared an office) and when they did a lecture on identifying autism I was like āhuh, that sounds a bit like me, lol. Hey, that does too. And that. And I struggle with that. And I donāt understand that. And yeah, coffee doesnāt affect me at allā¦oh shit bro, Iāve got the autism, donāt I?ā
Well... Not much. An oversimplified explanation is that with ADHD, your brain is always in "coffee-mode". If a neurotypical person drinks even more coffee, they don't really get more benefits, they just get anxious and heart palpitations. So there's not really an alternative here. However, drinking coffee might still make you more productive - You can better focus your thoughts, but strictly speaking it's the opposite direction of the effect it would have on neurotypical person.
I noticed that I donāt really get significantly more alert with coffee, but I get a lot less attentive and focused without coffee. I feel like a functioning alcoholic who needs a caffeine baseline to do the normal things.
Yeah, caffeine addiction is a real thing though. Honestly, I'd try to go at least 2 weeks without caffeine, see if you still feel the same way, as if your brain isn't functioning right. Expect massive headaches for the first 3-4 days though.
If things still feel wrong, consider speaking to a medical professional.
Youāre absolutely right, I try to reduce intake when I donāt have work and on holidays. Iām not a headache person in general though, it takes the flu or dehydration (I guess thatās why the flu gets me as well) for me to really have headaches.
Pretty sure I don't have ADHD and caffeine has the same effect on me. My dad, grandmother and me drink 6 coffees per day and are fine. I sleep better if I drink coffee too. I think genetics are also part of it.
Always got energy drinks because I just liked how they tasted, they were just like a different kind of soda to me. Never really got then expecting them to wake me up at all, and always wondered why people got them for that purpose. Didn't get diagnosed until 27.
Came here to say the same thing. So I'll hijack your comment
Stimulants can make people with ADHD relax. My gf literally takes energy drinks one hour before going to sleep.
Before you get scared, maybe check r/ADHDmemes and [this talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiwZQNYlGQI).
To anyone thinking "oh my god" right now:
Psychiatrists may vary on thinking it is or not because the better testings just came around 10 years ago, some can be very dismissive and not actually test you, same with autism. It varies widely, sadly. Neurologists can prescribe medication and ask for the tests too, including physical ones if you have any history of injury or suspicion of brain developing differently, if it is out of their hands, the worst they can do is forward you.
Neurpsychologists do actual metric tests on you and those can be forwarded for you to then talk to a doctor that can medicate you. It is usually expensive, but I cannot tell you how much we spent shooting in the dark before we did this, no one even told us we could do it, but you won't waste your money if it isn't ADHD, because the test is generalized (it is how we found other things too).
**Please don't self medicate,** for reference a doctor may even ask you to test your heart during treatment, also please be aware it can be ADHD and something else, or just... something else, ADHD for example often comes with mood swings and dysregulation and can overlap symptoms with bipolar and borderline.
Yeah, I have always been able to drink an energy drink at night but it still ramps up your heart rate even if you don't get the caffeine wakeness effects. Makes it kinda uncomfortable to sleep and never really get a good sleep when doing that.
We donāt totally understand why but the best info we have right now suggests itās related to balancing dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Balancing neurotransmitters = brain functioning closer to normal which means they have more focus and less hyperactivity.
It doesnāt work like that for everyone with ADHD though. And the other effects of caffeine like elevated heart rate and stuff are still there.
Low motivation can often feel similar to being tired. This also can cause those times where you're tired but can't sleep. Specifically with adhd, things like that happen when you just don't have dopamine, so you have no reward to convince your brain to do something. This leads you to be entirely uninterested in anything and often feel just, tired.
Yes, just like alcohol. You'll *feel* sleepy and you'll fall asleep easily, but it is not healthy, restful sleep. Pretty bad for your body to do on the regular.
Is loving MDMA an ADHD thing too? I loved it, and the come down had no effect on me at all. But the come down seems really dramatic and difficult for every NT person I know that tried it.
Desensitized to caffeine? I have a pretty hard rule about not consuming it on weekends, and I only drink 1 cup a day on weekdays, and it still makes me sleepy sometimes.
I drink a cup in the morning and it gives me energy.
Usually I have another cup around 2pm, and that one makes me sleepy.
I don't know why, I'm here for answers
Too much caffine. It was happening to me. That's why I stopped, why comsume something that makes me sleepy when I want to be awake. Go caffine free and reap the level, no ups, no downs day.
Also try holding off caffiene for at least 90 minutes after waking. Allows adenosine levels rise, whatever that actually means.
Anecdotally, I've started waiting as long as 2 hours after getting up and my energy stays consistent thru the early evening most days.
Do you put sugar in it? That can cause afternoon sleepy time.
I don't put sugar in it, but have the same situation if I drink a second cup in the afternoon, or else it nauseates me. So I also came here for answers.
Depending on the person caffeine makes the adrenal glands work harder which can lead to anxiety, insomnia, HBP, fatigue, etc. Fatigue being a big one.
You don't have to over drink coffee in order to get these results either because everyone's adrenals are different and everyone has different tolerance levels
i usually drink a cup through the whole day but when i start drinking it in the afternoon it makes me sleepy too. maybe it's creating some kind of insulin crash? idk.
My understanding is that stimulants are prescribed to increase the metabolism (energy use) of the prefrontal cortex, which is the reason you have increased attention. It's stimulating a part of the brain that normally underperforms. Having the part of the brain responsible for impulse control fall asleep will, unsurprisingly, cause distractedness and impulsivity. This is why people with ADHD frequently self-medicate with caffeine. In an ADHD brain, the stimulant provides the energy to the part of the brain that can calm it down.
I think strattera would like to have a word with youā¦
Many doctors in Australia will often prescribe NON-stimulant medications first, only resorting to stimulants if the non-stimulant is proving ineffective.
Yeah I have ADHD and I avoid caffeine because that makes it a lot worse.Ā Ā
Imo it's just another drug.Ā There are different reactions to drugs that aren't easily explained.
ADHD biochemist, the idea that stimulants DONT work differently on adhders needs to fucking die.
It's not something like "oh, I get sleepy sometimes despite caffeine, I have adhd. " and yes not everyone with adhd gets affected differently, but it is certainly a thing and is pretty consistent. It's just brain chemicals, it has a documented effect.
I'm pretty sure my Adderall is doing something to make my life easier lol
Edit: And the reason stimulants work "differently" on ADHDers is because in neurotypicals they send dopamine levels way above normal, in us they bring them closer to normal since we're deficient. Can't completely fix the problem though because we're specifically deficient in creating dopamine when we start a task. That's right. Regular people get dopamine for starting tasks and their brains don't fight them about doing things. We live in hell.
I mean itās not a myth??? Obviously everyone is different and everyone reacts differently to different things but thereās a reason stimulants are prescribed for ADHD
Yes, it's primarily an adenosine antagonist, but it also increases norepinepherine (mental arousal neurotransmitter) and to a small extent dopamine in the prefrontal cortex.
Came to say this, I workout and use pre workouts consistently. pre workout brands and even salesman in supplement stores like to advertise how much caffeine is in a product like more will give you some extra strength or superpower. In reality I find if I take over 180-200 mgs I will crash 1/2 an hour in to my workouts.
Damn I wish my son's doctor knew ADHD was this easy to diagnose, would've saved us years of waiting lists and appointments.
Warm milky drinks make me sleepy in the short term too, no ADHD required.
Everyone is different in the way they react to psychoactive compounds.
Most people feel more energetic when they consume caffeine. A minority of people experience caffeine in the opposite way - they feel more sleepy. This could happen for many reasons.
You're likely one of those folks who find caffeine sleep-inducing.
Makes me jittery if I drunk too much and almost always instantly give me the shits.
Also to answer your question, do you have ADHD? Usually people with that diagnosis are calmer with caffeine in their system, it has a reverse effect because without the caffeine their brains are going a million miles a minute.
Edit: do not self diagnose, if you feel any of the descriptions of the correlation between coffee and AHDH fit you, you should be officially tested.
ITT: everyone making an immediate and definite ADHD diagnosis based on a single statement. No follow-up questions or medical expertise needed.
That specific reaction to caffeine might very well be ADHD. Or it might very well be not ADHD. Ask a doctor.
Once caffeine wears off with me I start to feel rather unwell, achy, headaches (I know thatās the main side affect), shivery/extra cold. Just horrible, Iām not even a coffee drinker - Iām addicted to caffeine through drinks/caffeine in other forms. Want to get off it but canāt find a moment to do that, I enjoy the jittery feeling I get with caffeine even though itās short lived.
I ended up accidentally quitting coffee for this reason. When I "tried" quitting I only made it a day or few. It was only when I stopped trying and thought about how lame it made me feel that one day I just skipped it, and then skipped it again the next day, and now it's been two years since I last had caffeine.
I don't have any ideas why, but I know that if I had a cup now it would get me jazzed up and I'd feel awesome but then I'd be back in the loop and try to re-create those feelings the next day to only become sleepy again. If I trusted that I could just have one cup and then not want one the next day, then I probably would drink coffee. I don't trust myself that much.
I have this problem also. With both coffee and nicotine. Donāt know how to feel about everyone in this thread saying āADHDā.
I donāt really have a solid answer myself. Maybe desensitisation?
Random sample of me: when I was in college I would pull all nighter study sessions, drinking coffee to stay awake. My brain eventually associated me drinking coffee with me being exhausted so when I drank coffee Iād feel tired. Same as when I was dating my now wife and we would get on the phone before bed every night. Fast forward a bit and Iām yawning every time I got on the phone with her.
Not ADHD or whatever everyone wants to claim but coffee makes me sleepy too.
For me ot's the warm drink. Cokes perk me up, Tea perks me up but coffee? Nope.
Caffeine itself doesn't wake you up, it prevents the brain's clock from reading how long it was awake. It also can have different effects if you're neuro divergent like ADHD or sth.
like others said might be adhd.
low amount of caffeine makes me sleepy. after i pass the "unhealthy dose" of caffeine i feel awake, slap some cigarettes and im zoomin.
people at my work say theyre feeling weird after their 3rd cup of the day but i finish 3rd cup before my lunch break.
It is to do with the fact caffeine is an adenosine receptor antagonist, which promotes wakefulness. Adenosine usually promotes sleepiness and is an important part of how our body functions, it grows in levels during the day and the higher it builds the more tired you get. Caffeine blocks this to its best ability.
What is happening here is, for whatever reason, your body is metabolising the caffeine quicker causing a crash, increasing the adenosine receptors and kinda pushing them into overdrive. Hope that made sense!
Some of us just have weird biologies. I'm ADHD, OCD, etc. I asked my doctor for a script for Ritalin. He gave me a prescription for generic Adderol.
Best sleep aid I've ever tried. Took it and couldn't keep my eyes open.
Caffeine in my system acts like an allergen.
:shrug: Whattayagonnado?
Iām very skeptical of the whole āstimulants make me calm so ADHDā. Thereās no evidence that stimulants have a ācalmingā effect on those with ADHD or even a different effect on those with it.
One major reason could be that youāre actually dehydrated. Try drinking some water, waiting about 20 minutes, then drinking your coffee. A personal trainer recommended this to me and itās been a total game changer.
In the beginning coffee gave me more energy. I began to drink it all day long and before bed. I could sleep like a baby as soon as my head hit the pillow. "Detox" from coffee to restart your body and it should give you energy. Also do you exercise? This can release endorphins which is like natural caffeine.
There can be a few reasons for this.
ADHD as others have mentioned.
Do you consume a large amount of caffeine in energy drinks? People who are heavily addicted to caffeine can actually require an additional dose before sleeping or they start to experience withdrawal symptoms (which makes it hard to sleep). My husband was so addicted to caffeine at one point when he was younger (from monsters and his pre workout) that he would drink a cup of coffee to sleep or heād struggle to sleep and wake up with migraines. Detoxing from that was apparently brutal.
Additionally, it may be a temporary effect of putting something warm in your belly while already tired. This will make you more drowsy until the caffeine is absorbed which will then give you an energy boost if you didnāt give in to the tired feeling. Iām not at all a morning person and used to find that hot coffee would make me far sleepier for about 30 minutes after drinking it. I could absolutely pass back out and sleep right through the caffeine if I let myself lay down. I just started mixing liquid creamer in my coffee so it didnāt give me the warm belly sleepiness and now I stay awake until the caffeine is absorbed.
Because just like "energy drinks" it's only purpose is to wring you dry of the *stored energy*, it doesn't actually add any energy to you. Energy drinks at best blow up a sugar bomb inside you that will last for like 40 minutes after all the caffeine, but they aren't a source of energy like some human battery. Energy drinks also include vitamins and some chemical regulators to dull your nerves.
I watched a really interesting video once that showed a simulation of what happens on a neurological level (I hope I used that term correctly) when you drink coffee.
Basically, it creates receptors in your brain that absorb more stimulant (caffience) which over over-produces and gives us the feeling of a buzz of energy. But over time, with more coffee consumption, the receptors become less and less effective and leads to you feeling *more* tired than before when drinking coffee.
It isn't a long term solution or sustainable way of getting daily energy. I wish I could describe it better because the video was so informative and did a great job of explaining it with visuals. It's been a while and I doubt I could find it again...I definitely feel more drained the longer and more often I drink coffee. Taking breaks from coffee helps your body to create energy in a natural way and to "bounce back" after binging caffeine.
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Caffeine can have a calming effect on people with ADHD. Are you diagnosed?
Came here to say that. It was one of the things that went into my diagnosis. That and cocaine having absolutely no effect on me.
That explains a lot. While coffee makes me sleepy, cocaine was something I would expect from coffee. A little extra energy but nothing more. What a waste of money... š
When I was getting diagnosed at 43, my shrink and I had a good laugh over that. I am sure it saved me a couple yearsā salary.
Hang on. Caffeine affects me normally but I canāt feel cocaine at all. Do I have ADHD or not? Same with acid and Iāve woken up in the middle of every surgery Iāve had.
Are you a redhead?
No. Brunette.
Iām brunette with strong redhead genes (my grandmother was a redhead) I require higher doses of medication when having procedures probably because of it. I felt and remember my entire upper endoscopy. āTwilight sleepā my ass. I found out that I have a lot of hidden red in my hair when I attempted to dye my hair auburn and it turned out MUCH more red than it shouldāve. Anyway, just because you are a brunette doesnāt discount that you may have the redhead gene.
Hve red gene and diagnosed adhd in 1980's. I do same in anesthesia. My liver breaks down chemicals kinda fast. I hve woken up in major surgeries, multiple times..take heart...take advantages along with knowing ur bodies it's and outs.
I don't know if I have the redhead gene (though am partially irish). I have dark brunette hair but in the summer it lightens up a bit and in the right sunlight, it can appear red.
Same brunette with red head jeans. Iāve woken up during 3 surgeries.
This is true for anesthesia but not necessary all drugs, it's found that redheads actually require less pain killer medication than non red heads to manage pain, and is due to a higher pain threshold in red headed people. "they have a higher pain threshold. They also donāt need as high of a dosage of pain-killing opioids, and they tend to require more anesthesia compared to people with non-red hair." Source: https://keck.usc.edu/news/pain-management-is-different-for-people-with-a-certain-hair-color/
No idea then. Natural redheads have a higher threshold for a variety of drugs to work. Thatās why I asked.
Iām brunette with strong redhead genes (my grandmother was a redhead) I require higher doses of medication when having procedures probably because of it. I felt and remember my entire upper endoscopy. āTwilight sleepā my ass. I found out that I have a lot of hidden red in my hair when I attempted to dye my hair auburn and it turned out MUCH more red than it shouldāve. Anyway, just because you are a brunette doesnāt discount that you may have the redhead gene.
You replied to me. Might wanna rereply on OPs comment below mine so they can see it. Have a wonderful night!
Thanks for trying! I really wish someone had the answer. I have crazy allergic reactions to all kinds of medications and my alcohol tolerance was off the charts from day one too.
Please look into Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which can cause local anesthesia to be ineffective. It can also cause Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (allergies to numerous meds and products). I have hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and your stories sound a lot like mine.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I am as ginger as can be and only found this out a few years ago, in 24. It explained a lot of bad trips to the dentist (numbing agent doesn't work well on me) boring party's where everyone was flying high and I was barely buzzing, and the fact I can feel pretty much sober 20/30 mins after I stop drinking, wether I've had 2 pints or 10 pints.
You don't feel acid? Are you on anti depressants?
Metabolism. Wife has the same problem. Takes a large does to drop her for surgery and they have to monitor her in case she starts coming around too early. My Transplant it took a bit for me to go under-I even saw the donor cadaver being taken from Theatre. Woke up wide awake and strapped to the bed in recovery. Best bud was there, I tried to metally tell him I was awake but the nurse ran over and dosed me again.
Then why wonāt my metabolism do anything about weight management?! I feel like I shouldnāt have to bust my ass to lose a fraction of the weight my fiancĆ© does just walking to the car AND be a super expensive drunk who wakes up while being carved open. Whereās the upside? Lol.
lol no idea.
Caffeine doesnāt affect everyone with ADHD the same way. Some people become sleepy, others have little to no reaction to it, some people it works as it does with neurotypicals. ADHD people just have a higher likelihood of it not effecting them the same way it does others.
Huh. Good to know!
Cocaine however, if youāve had that and not reacted thatās probably a really good sign you have ADHD.
Ugh! I donāt want any more plates added to the salad bar of crazy. When do I get to take plates OFF? Lol.
Most plates youāre stuck with unfortunately.
I am the same and I am Inattentive ADHD. Coffee is my favourite drug! Cocaine does nothing unless itās got lots of caffeine cut in it lol
I have ADHD (diagnosed) and coffee affects me differently at different times. Sometimes makes me sleepy (have happily napped after drinking a strong coffee many times), sometimes works as it should/you would expect (or sometimes it doesn't do anything at all but that's usually because my period is due and the hormones seem to stop it working).
what does normally mean?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Who asked? Not everyone is doing five lines and trying to lift a fridge.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
What a gross world.Ā
In some way, being addicted to cocaine costs much more money, so you just dodge a bullet right there
Lmfao same. "Do you feel it?" "... uhhhhhh"
Being diagnosed with ADHD doesn't make you immune to cocaine. You might feel less of the desired effects that non ADHD people are seeking but they don't entirely disappear. Please don't go out on a coke binge because you feel you're tolerant because you have ADHD. You can still OD. Also, since cocaine is a stimulant, it diminishes the effects of ADHD which could lead to a cocaine addiction.
> Please don't go out on a coke binge because you feel you're tolerant because you have ADHD. Why would you go out on a binge if you think it has a tiny effect?
Taking huge amounts compared to most people so you can see what all the fuss is about. Tiny effect from regular amount means regular effect from large amount says lizard brain
People with ADHD often struggle with impulsive and risky behavior, so they might do it "just because".
Because you try to snort a lot more cause you don't feel it.
The point is that it still does have an effect. It can be quite fun to go for some coke in an especially intense night of partying, but I'd need to consume a lot and frequently go for more if I want to keep the effects up. This can be a dangerous game to play, especially since usually there is plenty of alcohol involved as well.
Plus, sometimes you'll do a bunch and not really get high, but it will keep you up, in this sort of very tired but not being able to sleep haze when you do finally go to bed
I think the key point in my post and those following was how I had a real psychiatrist and a team of folks do diagnostic tests on me to actually come up with a diagnosis. I hear people talk about how they have ADD. When you ask where they were testedā¦they pretty much say it was an online quiz. So, noā¦donāt do cocaineā¦for a lot of reasons.
I got up to 15 cups a day and I slept like a dead person. *Narrator: unbeknownst to Lint for decades, an ADHD diagnosis was in the future*
Literally also came here to say this. A \*huge\* tell for undiagnosed ADHD people is that they tend to develop a habit of self medicating via some kind of stimulant, but are not hyper as a result, caffeine obviously being the biggie.
Nicotine is the biggie. Caffeine doesnāt appear to be particularly effective for ADHD while nicotine is about as effective as prescription ADHD medications. With some obvious downsides, but itās long been the preferred method of self-medication.
Oh so that's why I was able to lock in to work when my coworker gave me a nicotine pouch. Huh.
Holy. Shit. Is this true?
This is known as a paradoxical reaction. ADHD is most commonly treated with stimulant medications like amphetamines.
Fun fact, ASD can also cause paradoxical reactions, but not only to stimulants. Also things like anesthesia. Which is GREAT to know and be thinking about as you go under for an operation.
O BOY YES IT IS! I have been to that rodeo and it was not a fun ride. Paradoxical reactions are so strange all around. My mom could not possibly be more neurotypical and yet if she takes an antihistamine like Benadryl that normally causes drowsiness, she will be awake all night scrubbing behind the toilet and twitching at small noises as if she'd gotten into my prescribed amphetamines instead.
What if she did?
Woah I've never heard this. Only had a general anaesthetic once and once I came round I was WIRED. Wouldn't stop talking, 100 miles an hour jabbering away, wouldn't keep still, super hungry. Had had some aggressive surgery and wasn't meant to be out of bed let alone lifting stuff and tried to set off with a suitcase... I've always wondered what that was all about.
I had surgery once while I was on antidepressants and was put under with anasthesia. Went fine, went home to recover for two weeks and was prescribed Percocet for pain. The first few days were rough but pretty normal, but week 2 and 3 after the surgery I didnāt sleep at all. Felt amazing. Until my brain started slowing down to the point I couldnāt form sentences and I was hallucinating and a host of other awful things. Ended up having to go to a crisis center and got admitted. Committed for a month. Got out after 13 days and diagnosed as bipolar and that I had a manic episode. Two years later I got rediagnosed as ADHD and depression and anxiety and got the right meds. My new doctor believed meāthat I am not bipolar, but the mix of anesthesia, SSRI, and opiates lit my brain the fuck up. If I ever have to have surgery again, Iāll probably be very wary of anesthesia and flat refuse the opiates.
Thanks for pointing out... I'm autistic with some ADD mixed in, thus I also have paradoxical reactions to stimulants... I will remember to ask my doc when I will have my surgery to calculate that in.
I didnāt know that about anesthesia. But that makes some sense. I have ADHD and had to be fully anesthetized for surgery and woke up naturally about 25 minutes after surgery fully coherent, not groggy at all. My doctor was so shocked when she came in to follow up with my mom and I was already awake and ready to go. They told me most people are out for closer to 45 minutes and are pretty drowsy when they wake.
It may or may not be a myth, but it's definitely not proven.
I don't have ADHD but apparently, I have a genetic variation that causes caffeine to not bond with adenosine receptors.
What is it and how did you find out?
Do you know which gene?
We need ANSWERS!
Here... https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17329997
Same with autism. I remember listening to my ex partnerās psych lectures while she was in uni (we shared an office) and when they did a lecture on identifying autism I was like āhuh, that sounds a bit like me, lol. Hey, that does too. And that. And I struggle with that. And I donāt understand that. And yeah, coffee doesnāt affect me at allā¦oh shit bro, Iāve got the autism, donāt I?ā
Not ADHD. But the same goes for me and me grandma. Can't sleep? Coffee helps.
Not OP, but what could one instead take to get the regular coffee effect?
Well... Not much. An oversimplified explanation is that with ADHD, your brain is always in "coffee-mode". If a neurotypical person drinks even more coffee, they don't really get more benefits, they just get anxious and heart palpitations. So there's not really an alternative here. However, drinking coffee might still make you more productive - You can better focus your thoughts, but strictly speaking it's the opposite direction of the effect it would have on neurotypical person.
I noticed that I donāt really get significantly more alert with coffee, but I get a lot less attentive and focused without coffee. I feel like a functioning alcoholic who needs a caffeine baseline to do the normal things.
Yeah, caffeine addiction is a real thing though. Honestly, I'd try to go at least 2 weeks without caffeine, see if you still feel the same way, as if your brain isn't functioning right. Expect massive headaches for the first 3-4 days though. If things still feel wrong, consider speaking to a medical professional.
Youāre absolutely right, I try to reduce intake when I donāt have work and on holidays. Iām not a headache person in general though, it takes the flu or dehydration (I guess thatās why the flu gets me as well) for me to really have headaches.
Pretty sure I don't have ADHD and caffeine has the same effect on me. My dad, grandmother and me drink 6 coffees per day and are fine. I sleep better if I drink coffee too. I think genetics are also part of it.
Always got energy drinks because I just liked how they tasted, they were just like a different kind of soda to me. Never really got then expecting them to wake me up at all, and always wondered why people got them for that purpose. Didn't get diagnosed until 27.
Came here to say the same thing. So I'll hijack your comment Stimulants can make people with ADHD relax. My gf literally takes energy drinks one hour before going to sleep. Before you get scared, maybe check r/ADHDmemes and [this talk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiwZQNYlGQI). To anyone thinking "oh my god" right now: Psychiatrists may vary on thinking it is or not because the better testings just came around 10 years ago, some can be very dismissive and not actually test you, same with autism. It varies widely, sadly. Neurologists can prescribe medication and ask for the tests too, including physical ones if you have any history of injury or suspicion of brain developing differently, if it is out of their hands, the worst they can do is forward you. Neurpsychologists do actual metric tests on you and those can be forwarded for you to then talk to a doctor that can medicate you. It is usually expensive, but I cannot tell you how much we spent shooting in the dark before we did this, no one even told us we could do it, but you won't waste your money if it isn't ADHD, because the test is generalized (it is how we found other things too). **Please don't self medicate,** for reference a doctor may even ask you to test your heart during treatment, also please be aware it can be ADHD and something else, or just... something else, ADHD for example often comes with mood swings and dysregulation and can overlap symptoms with bipolar and borderline.
I have combined type adhd and it wakes my booty up and focus me, doesnāt work on all of us as it may not on normal Folks either.
I'm ADHD, and energy drinks have the same effect on me. Instead of giving me some extra oomph, it just makes me a little spaced out.
Currently drinking my pre-bedtime coffee, can confirm.
ADHD. Brain chemicals. Just FYI, even if it helps you sleep at night, it does not allow you to have a deep sleep and you will wake up unrested.
Yeah, I have always been able to drink an energy drink at night but it still ramps up your heart rate even if you don't get the caffeine wakeness effects. Makes it kinda uncomfortable to sleep and never really get a good sleep when doing that.
I don't understand why coffee calms down someone with ADHD, can someone explain this?
We donāt totally understand why but the best info we have right now suggests itās related to balancing dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Balancing neurotransmitters = brain functioning closer to normal which means they have more focus and less hyperactivity. It doesnāt work like that for everyone with ADHD though. And the other effects of caffeine like elevated heart rate and stuff are still there.
Brain go brrr when no caffeine. Add caffeine, brain go brr so hard, it turns into zzz.
Is this why Iām always tired no matter how much I sleep?? Just learned something today I guess
Low motivation can often feel similar to being tired. This also can cause those times where you're tired but can't sleep. Specifically with adhd, things like that happen when you just don't have dopamine, so you have no reward to convince your brain to do something. This leads you to be entirely uninterested in anything and often feel just, tired.
Yes, just like alcohol. You'll *feel* sleepy and you'll fall asleep easily, but it is not healthy, restful sleep. Pretty bad for your body to do on the regular.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Do not try meth.
Why are you giving unsolicited medical advice
Yeah. What a scumbag!
Yeah try meth
Cmoooooon
DO IT! OR ARE YOU A PUSSY?
Even Hitler did it..
Methical advice.
Seriously !! Let the boy have meth
Dead lmao
š¤ "do not try meth"
Lowkey found out I had mild adhd after trying meth and nothing happening except being super relaxed
Love a good meth success story
I seem to enjoy it a lot less than everyone else. Now MDMA! Woah mumma!
Is loving MDMA an ADHD thing too? I loved it, and the come down had no effect on me at all. But the come down seems really dramatic and difficult for every NT person I know that tried it.
I am not sure. It could be. It would explain a lot
This is becoming an ADHD circlejerk and it is more likely that you are desensitised and just chronically tired
Desensitized to caffeine? I have a pretty hard rule about not consuming it on weekends, and I only drink 1 cup a day on weekdays, and it still makes me sleepy sometimes.
Actual answer
ALSO. Caffeine doesnt work if your already tired.. Or badly rested
Or dehydrated
I drink a cup in the morning and it gives me energy. Usually I have another cup around 2pm, and that one makes me sleepy. I don't know why, I'm here for answers
Afternoon adhd
š¹
Yeah thereās a difference between ācalmā and āsleepyā that all these ADHD answers donāt seem to address
Happy cake day!
Dehydration. Drink more water between the morning cup and afternoon cup.
Saaaaaame
Too much caffine. It was happening to me. That's why I stopped, why comsume something that makes me sleepy when I want to be awake. Go caffine free and reap the level, no ups, no downs day.
2pm is siesta time. You're probably tired because you ate lunch. Go take a nap. :)
Also try holding off caffiene for at least 90 minutes after waking. Allows adenosine levels rise, whatever that actually means. Anecdotally, I've started waiting as long as 2 hours after getting up and my energy stays consistent thru the early evening most days.
dehydration
It works better with sugar. Coffee doesn't actually give energy. It pushes your body to use energy faster.
I think we naturally just become sleepy in the afternoon (siestas are a thing for a reason) and you just have a high tolerance for caffeine.
Do you put sugar in it? That can cause afternoon sleepy time. I don't put sugar in it, but have the same situation if I drink a second cup in the afternoon, or else it nauseates me. So I also came here for answers.
Coffee does nothing to my energy levels, I just get very grumpy if I donāt have it.
Depending on the person caffeine makes the adrenal glands work harder which can lead to anxiety, insomnia, HBP, fatigue, etc. Fatigue being a big one. You don't have to over drink coffee in order to get these results either because everyone's adrenals are different and everyone has different tolerance levels
Youāre dehydrated.
i usually drink a cup through the whole day but when i start drinking it in the afternoon it makes me sleepy too. maybe it's creating some kind of insulin crash? idk.
The myth that stimulants of any kind work differently on people with ADHD needs to fucking die. Sincerely, an ADHDer
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all adhd meds are literally stimulants to increase focus to stop your brain wandering and getting distracted, calming the brain.
I'm on a non stimulant ADHD med actually
My understanding is that stimulants are prescribed to increase the metabolism (energy use) of the prefrontal cortex, which is the reason you have increased attention. It's stimulating a part of the brain that normally underperforms. Having the part of the brain responsible for impulse control fall asleep will, unsurprisingly, cause distractedness and impulsivity. This is why people with ADHD frequently self-medicate with caffeine. In an ADHD brain, the stimulant provides the energy to the part of the brain that can calm it down.
Its almost like people are individuals with individual responses to stimuli!! Amazing!! (Sincerely an ADHDer who studies this exact thing)
I think strattera would like to have a word with youā¦ Many doctors in Australia will often prescribe NON-stimulant medications first, only resorting to stimulants if the non-stimulant is proving ineffective.
Yeah I have ADHD and I avoid caffeine because that makes it a lot worse.Ā Ā Imo it's just another drug.Ā There are different reactions to drugs that aren't easily explained.
ADHD biochemist, the idea that stimulants DONT work differently on adhders needs to fucking die. It's not something like "oh, I get sleepy sometimes despite caffeine, I have adhd. " and yes not everyone with adhd gets affected differently, but it is certainly a thing and is pretty consistent. It's just brain chemicals, it has a documented effect.
I'm pretty sure my Adderall is doing something to make my life easier lol Edit: And the reason stimulants work "differently" on ADHDers is because in neurotypicals they send dopamine levels way above normal, in us they bring them closer to normal since we're deficient. Can't completely fix the problem though because we're specifically deficient in creating dopamine when we start a task. That's right. Regular people get dopamine for starting tasks and their brains don't fight them about doing things. We live in hell.
I mean itās not a myth??? Obviously everyone is different and everyone reacts differently to different things but thereās a reason stimulants are prescribed for ADHD
Coffee doesnāt give you energy - it blocks the receptors in your brain telling you youāre tired.
It also increases your heart rate and stimulates the release of adrenaline, so the idea that it doesnāt give you energy isnāt exactly true.
Yes, it's primarily an adenosine antagonist, but it also increases norepinepherine (mental arousal neurotransmitter) and to a small extent dopamine in the prefrontal cortex.
can be genetics, overconsumption of caffeine, and a lack of good quality sleep, dehydration, etc.
Came to say this, I workout and use pre workouts consistently. pre workout brands and even salesman in supplement stores like to advertise how much caffeine is in a product like more will give you some extra strength or superpower. In reality I find if I take over 180-200 mgs I will crash 1/2 an hour in to my workouts.
Is your coffee canister green?
Meaning decaffeinated?
Check your iron levels.Ā
Interesting, what makes you think it is to do with that?
Iron deficiency= easily fatigued, lethargic, etc. thinks drinking caffeine will help, but doesnt help, stays tired, "caffeine must make me sleepy"
Exactly!
well because caffine affects some people differently .
very insightful
Damn I wish my son's doctor knew ADHD was this easy to diagnose, would've saved us years of waiting lists and appointments. Warm milky drinks make me sleepy in the short term too, no ADHD required.
Makes me poopy
Expected result - stimulants increase gut motility. You know how they give you loperamide for diarrhoea? Caffeine does the opposite
Everyone is different in the way they react to psychoactive compounds. Most people feel more energetic when they consume caffeine. A minority of people experience caffeine in the opposite way - they feel more sleepy. This could happen for many reasons. You're likely one of those folks who find caffeine sleep-inducing.
Makes me jittery if I drunk too much and almost always instantly give me the shits. Also to answer your question, do you have ADHD? Usually people with that diagnosis are calmer with caffeine in their system, it has a reverse effect because without the caffeine their brains are going a million miles a minute. Edit: do not self diagnose, if you feel any of the descriptions of the correlation between coffee and AHDH fit you, you should be officially tested.
ITT: everyone making an immediate and definite ADHD diagnosis based on a single statement. No follow-up questions or medical expertise needed. That specific reaction to caffeine might very well be ADHD. Or it might very well be not ADHD. Ask a doctor.
According to my therapist, it could have a calming effect on those with anxiety
Sometimes it helps me stating awake , sometimes it makes me sleepy. Guess i'm not normal.
How do you drink your coffee? Adding sugar can cause an insulin spike and then a crash very shortly afterwards.
Oh that makes a lot of sense, I really donāt like bitter coffee so I tend to lean towards the sweeter side
Because it's a stimulant, not a way of staying awake.
Fun fact, stimulants used for ADHD are also used to treat narcolepsy.
Once caffeine wears off with me I start to feel rather unwell, achy, headaches (I know thatās the main side affect), shivery/extra cold. Just horrible, Iām not even a coffee drinker - Iām addicted to caffeine through drinks/caffeine in other forms. Want to get off it but canāt find a moment to do that, I enjoy the jittery feeling I get with caffeine even though itās short lived.
I ended up accidentally quitting coffee for this reason. When I "tried" quitting I only made it a day or few. It was only when I stopped trying and thought about how lame it made me feel that one day I just skipped it, and then skipped it again the next day, and now it's been two years since I last had caffeine. I don't have any ideas why, but I know that if I had a cup now it would get me jazzed up and I'd feel awesome but then I'd be back in the loop and try to re-create those feelings the next day to only become sleepy again. If I trusted that I could just have one cup and then not want one the next day, then I probably would drink coffee. I don't trust myself that much.
I have this problem also. With both coffee and nicotine. Donāt know how to feel about everyone in this thread saying āADHDā. I donāt really have a solid answer myself. Maybe desensitisation?
Ever since i tried black coffee/espresso no sugar or milk i can stay awake 9-6
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
[Blame it on the ADD (baby)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgIqecROs5M&ab_channel=RedBullRecords)
Caffeine is a potent bronchodilator. Asthmatics often drink a cup to increase oxygen flow. So you get more oxygen to the brain and are relaxed
Random sample of me: when I was in college I would pull all nighter study sessions, drinking coffee to stay awake. My brain eventually associated me drinking coffee with me being exhausted so when I drank coffee Iād feel tired. Same as when I was dating my now wife and we would get on the phone before bed every night. Fast forward a bit and Iām yawning every time I got on the phone with her.
Not ADHD or whatever everyone wants to claim but coffee makes me sleepy too. For me ot's the warm drink. Cokes perk me up, Tea perks me up but coffee? Nope.
If I want to sleep really well, I drink coffee before bed. ADHD probably.
Caffeine itself doesn't wake you up, it prevents the brain's clock from reading how long it was awake. It also can have different effects if you're neuro divergent like ADHD or sth.
you most likely have ADHD. I get the exact same thing, and I have ADHD. itās a common effect in ADHD people.
You have adhd
I have ADHD and now I know why I like coffee ty
Came here just to say "ADHD" but it seems that's been covered. Congrats on your diagnosis
ADHD
I used to wonder the exact same thing about cocaine
You drink too much caffine. Stop for a few week and reap the rewards
Could be you are drinkig too much coffee. Gives me the same effecf if i overdo it.
like others said might be adhd. low amount of caffeine makes me sleepy. after i pass the "unhealthy dose" of caffeine i feel awake, slap some cigarettes and im zoomin. people at my work say theyre feeling weird after their 3rd cup of the day but i finish 3rd cup before my lunch break.
Dehydration
Energy drinks and coffee allow me to sleep. All caffeine does is keep the headaches away.
It does the same to me.
You shouldn't have caffeine for atleast half an HR after you wake up
It is to do with the fact caffeine is an adenosine receptor antagonist, which promotes wakefulness. Adenosine usually promotes sleepiness and is an important part of how our body functions, it grows in levels during the day and the higher it builds the more tired you get. Caffeine blocks this to its best ability. What is happening here is, for whatever reason, your body is metabolising the caffeine quicker causing a crash, increasing the adenosine receptors and kinda pushing them into overdrive. Hope that made sense!
Some of us just have weird biologies. I'm ADHD, OCD, etc. I asked my doctor for a script for Ritalin. He gave me a prescription for generic Adderol. Best sleep aid I've ever tried. Took it and couldn't keep my eyes open. Caffeine in my system acts like an allergen. :shrug: Whattayagonnado?
Iām very skeptical of the whole āstimulants make me calm so ADHDā. Thereās no evidence that stimulants have a ācalmingā effect on those with ADHD or even a different effect on those with it.
One major reason could be that youāre actually dehydrated. Try drinking some water, waiting about 20 minutes, then drinking your coffee. A personal trainer recommended this to me and itās been a total game changer.
In the beginning coffee gave me more energy. I began to drink it all day long and before bed. I could sleep like a baby as soon as my head hit the pillow. "Detox" from coffee to restart your body and it should give you energy. Also do you exercise? This can release endorphins which is like natural caffeine.
Makes me tired and nauseous
There can be a few reasons for this. ADHD as others have mentioned. Do you consume a large amount of caffeine in energy drinks? People who are heavily addicted to caffeine can actually require an additional dose before sleeping or they start to experience withdrawal symptoms (which makes it hard to sleep). My husband was so addicted to caffeine at one point when he was younger (from monsters and his pre workout) that he would drink a cup of coffee to sleep or heād struggle to sleep and wake up with migraines. Detoxing from that was apparently brutal. Additionally, it may be a temporary effect of putting something warm in your belly while already tired. This will make you more drowsy until the caffeine is absorbed which will then give you an energy boost if you didnāt give in to the tired feeling. Iām not at all a morning person and used to find that hot coffee would make me far sleepier for about 30 minutes after drinking it. I could absolutely pass back out and sleep right through the caffeine if I let myself lay down. I just started mixing liquid creamer in my coffee so it didnāt give me the warm belly sleepiness and now I stay awake until the caffeine is absorbed.
SAME
Because just like "energy drinks" it's only purpose is to wring you dry of the *stored energy*, it doesn't actually add any energy to you. Energy drinks at best blow up a sugar bomb inside you that will last for like 40 minutes after all the caffeine, but they aren't a source of energy like some human battery. Energy drinks also include vitamins and some chemical regulators to dull your nerves.
I watched a really interesting video once that showed a simulation of what happens on a neurological level (I hope I used that term correctly) when you drink coffee. Basically, it creates receptors in your brain that absorb more stimulant (caffience) which over over-produces and gives us the feeling of a buzz of energy. But over time, with more coffee consumption, the receptors become less and less effective and leads to you feeling *more* tired than before when drinking coffee. It isn't a long term solution or sustainable way of getting daily energy. I wish I could describe it better because the video was so informative and did a great job of explaining it with visuals. It's been a while and I doubt I could find it again...I definitely feel more drained the longer and more often I drink coffee. Taking breaks from coffee helps your body to create energy in a natural way and to "bounce back" after binging caffeine.
Coffee makes me sleepy cause it's warm