First off: I am still undiagnosed. I’ve followed the ADHD topic for more than a year now since I seem to match a whole lot of symptoms and behavior patterns. An official diagnosis will most probably still take another year. I live in Germany.

One thing that got me wondering was caffeine. As I’ve heard, drinking coffee will make ADHD folks not feel any more awake, maybe even a little tired.

While it doesn’t make me feel awake as well, I very vividly remember my first coffee a long time ago that caused a massive outburst of productivity when all of the time I was known for being ‘lazy’ and distracted. However the effect quickly diminished with each subsequent coffee over the next year.

Isn’t this a contradiction though? If I actually had ADHD, why did coffee have this awakening effect on me back then?

  • HildegardeEnglish
    17•3 months ago

    Many people self medicate with caffeine. It helps with focus and productivity, which is why coffee is incredibly popular. Its not just for the neurodivergent, it helps most people focus, making it a staple of workplaces worldwide.

    I have only ever heard people with ADHD describe coffee as calming, but it helps with focus. The problem for those with ADHD is that the mind is too active, so being more calm helps focus.

    If coffee helps you do the things you want or need to do, you should use it. Avoid excess, proper dosage is essential for any drug even ones as benign as caffeine.

    • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘English
      6•3 months ago

      Caffeine poisoning is real, and I almost died from it. Granted, I had A LOT of very strong coffee that day (probably the equivalent of around 30 cups), so it’s relatively rare, but it can happen. Not a fun experience at all, but it almost codified my maximum tolerance levels. Basically, what you’re saying, but with a caveat: if it helps, use it, but be careful not to overdose.

      • HildegardeEnglish
        4•3 months ago

        How did you drink that much?!? Were you distilling your coffee?

        • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘English
          3•3 months ago

          Super fine ground, almost Turkish. Instead of one teaspoon for 6oz water, I put at least 4tsp per 6oz water, and just kept drinking them. I count my coffees now…

    • @resonate6279English
      2•3 months ago

      I function best at 750mg-1g of caffeine… actually lowers my reading heart rate.