this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2024
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ADHD

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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?

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[โ€“] Hildegarde 17 points 3 months ago (4 children)

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.

[โ€“] resonate6279 2 points 3 months ago

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

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