[zobothehobo]

In high school, by accident really, I found that caffeine could be used to manage my ADHD. It makes sense, it's a stimulant like all the other ADHD drugs...

My psychiatrist at the time prescribed me caffeine pills to take when I really needed to focus on something, and those were so helpful.

I left that psychiatrist and environment and now I'm using diet coke and coffee, as I did before. I'm having some sleep issues currently so I'm thinking maybe my caffeine intake is messing with my sleep (although I have no idea why, I've actually been consuming less than I have been over the past 5 years)... but the problem is it's the only thing I've found helps me feel focused and in control of my attention.

[ZehR]

Ritalin really reduces my cravings for stimulation such as caffeine and sugar from 10x normal limit to zero.

I was thinking of caffeine pills but I don't think that they increase dopamine as much as methylphenidate and amphetamines do and you build tolerance to it realy quick.

But if it works for you then that's great because I think caffeine makes my concentration worse.

[zobothehobo]

the increase in dopamine is what i HATED about ritalin when i was on it as a child. it made me feel like i was constantly trapped inside my own body and i was constantly exhausted.

i'm just annoyed that every time i tell a doctor how much caffeine i drink, they don't take other concerns i have about things like sleep seriously because caffeine keeps people awake. But as you mentioned, you build tolerance to it really quick and when i do it right, it helps manage my adhd and i've been doing it like this for years

[-jimi-]

Caffeine pills are OTC here, not there?

I prefer them to coffee since coffee has other substances too with side effects and the pills are more pure.

Almost everyone with ADHD I know self medicates with coffee. One started at 5 years old drinking from forgotten half empty cold cups or a sip here and there when the adults look away.

My mom is possibly ADD and she has to have coffee, she can't function without. It makes her focused AND calms her so she drinks half a cup before sleep or she can't sleep.

[NWgirl2013]

Have you tried ginseng tea or in other forms?

[ZehR]

Ya I guess you're right (who ever said) that caffeine helps to manage the symptoms. I might get caffeine pills but the are OTC and my mom wont bother buying them because she's like "Well just drink some coffee..". No mom that takes too long..

Ya ritalin is a lot different from adderall or something because it really chills me out to the point where i don't want to do anything much. But when I mix it with caffeine, I get the feeling that a regular person would get from caffeine instead of just feeling no effect whats so ever so both really compliment each other but I wouldn't recommend if anyone has anxiety. I used to get instant coffee and put about 8 tea spoons in there for each cup so I'd take about 1600mg of caffeine in one day which would be like one cup of coffee for regular people that are sensitive to caffeine. My psychiatrist asked me how many tea spoons I put in each cup and I think I said about 4. He was very shocked so ya I wonder what he'd say if I told the truth.. Btw energy drinks don't effect me I really wish they did. I just like the taste.

[HeroScaper]

Coffee....yuck. I was forced to drink it BLACK after I was diagnosed with ADHD. To this day I cannot stand even the smell of it. I do drink Mountain Dew Code Red though. The first time I gave an energy drink a shot was some 'triple size, triple power' can. It was soo easy to drink, I downed the most of it and when I got home I was in high gear! I felt like The Flash! Woooo! After that I took it easy with that stuff. Although I find the 5 hour stuff just worthless. I was on Ritalin and yes, got use to it and it just made me feel depressed/trapped. Seems like anything I take has to be high dose or it doesn't work. And if I have to take it for a while, my body gets use to it and there goes the effectiveness.