If you have ADHD, get an espresso machine

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I am 39M and realized in my mid 30s that I have ADHD and its a serious problem. I am also ASD. I feel like ASD was a bigger problem until my mid 20s and after that, ADHD was a more serious issue. I am perpetually worried about losing my job because of it.

I started drinking coffee in my 30s but drip coffee (what most people make at home) wasn't doing it for me anymore. I could drink a strong cup of coffee in the afternoon and fall asleep.

First I started going to Starbucks in the afternoon to prevent myself from losing productivity (I work from home). I got my own espresso machine to replace drip coffee as well. Since making that a regular part of my work routine, my productivity has went from near last on my team to near top.

I'm telling ya, that stuff is powerful. You can work it so that it makes some really strong coffee. I basically self medicate ADHD with it. I am wary about going to a doctor because every doctor I have went to tried to get me on anti depressants, and the treatment for adult ADHD is amphetamines. I don't want to be on those drugs.

Fun little thing about espresso machines - there is an internet "hobby club" of sorts around them and some people spend 1000s of dollars on their set up. Mine was $130 and I don't grind my own beans. I did get a grinder but I have a brand of ground coffee I like a lot so why mess with that.

I'm ADHD and I sometimes drink energy drinks for similar affect. A regular ol cup of coffee does nothing for me.

I've got caffeine pills and prescription stimulants. I think I'll manage.

do people with adhd not feel effects of caffeine is that part of the disorder?

I drink energy drinks or espresso to get through my work day w/ ADHD (combined type), too. I'm on medication, but it's also that atypical anti-depressant crap like Wellbutrin and Strattera. They help a little bit, but caffeine helps way more and I did really well on Ritalin when I was a kid.

Caffeine has a lot of downsides though and I basically can't function without it now. It makes my hyperactivity way worse because I drink a lot of it (which is good for my productivity and for doing strenuous things at work, but I'm already very classically hyperactive and dont need help with that lmao), and I may have heart issues so it messes w/ my heart rhythm and blood pressure. I would much rather take a lower, more controlled dose of a stimulant medication.

It's somewhat more complicated than that. Stimulants within a reasonable dose range will typically result in being calm, even though logic would suggest that stimulants make people anxious and irritable. The first few times it was a really strong experience where I kind of felt like my body didn't exist because the twitching and stuff had just stopped and I could focus on what I was thinking. Normally, my body is constantly twitching and fidgeting internally, it's become part of how I know I haven't lost my body.

Personally, I've definitely got ADHD and OCD and from the looks of the DSM 5, I'm from possibly autistic to almost certainly. These things can vary a bit as depending upon which condition is creating the system a medication can make it better or worse.

I've been on Ritalin and it didn't help much and the doctors weren't happy with my blood pressure so I stopped it.

Drink this stuff now, several strong cups a day plus lots of tea in the morning:

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/pro ... lsrc=aw.ds

Last edited by Rossall on 30 Mar 2023, 1:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Espresso isn't stronger, its just concentrated. Espresso is usually made from a very dark roast and the darker the roast, the less caffeine there is. I can drink espresso to get my caffeine fix without needing to pee anywhere near as often though. I tend to drink single shots so I can micro-dose throughout the day too.

If you want a strong, highly caffeinated cup of something, try a light roast, pour-over

And to the OP: there are non-stimulant meds for ADHD so you're not stuck with amphetamines.

[as an aside once I reach a certain point, all caffeine does is make me sleepy. So I try to stay at a good level that works for me.]

I couldn't drink coffee for most of my life because even one sip gave me intense shakes that lasted the entire day. I felt nauseated and dizzy from it, like it was alcohol. My auntie passes out from just a sip of tea. We must have a weird caffeine issue in the family.

At one point about ten years ago I was able to have one coffee per day although I didn't usually finish it. I found out in 2020 that I have severe combined ADHD and I started meds. Since the meds I can't touch coffee again or I get sick. Tea has never been a problem. I've never had or wanted an energy drink and the idea is revolting.

Caffeine is known to help kids with ADHD. Some schools / parents give bottled water that is made with a tiny bit of caffeine and it helps kids concentrate. I can't remember the brand name. Mountain Dew is also considered a good one for some reason.

I drink coffee from the moment I wake till just before bed, just normal instant coffee. I can't do Espresso, it gives me the shakes.

As DanielW said ^ there are non-stimulant drugs for ADHD , I'm on Strattera.

Some people are very hypersensitive to caffeine. It depends on how quickly your body metabolizes it. Some people do get an immediate adrenaline rush, followed by a hard crash. It can also rapidly lower blood sugar levels in some people. If you've ever experienced hypoglycemia the side-effects can be very unpleasant indeed.

Me too!

Has it helped? What does are you on?

I'm on 100 mg, and it hasn't made a huge difference if any, I can't actually tell I have a med review in July.

It also might help a bit more if I remembered to take it when I get up, it's usually late afternoon and I go feck I forgot my meds

25 mg, probably the smallest dose. After some time I have noticed that my attention span for tv and reading seems better.

Caffeine is a mild stimulant.

ADHD is believed to be a shortage of dopamine and another chemical (forget which) in the brain, and stimulants bring dopamine up to baseline - at the right dosage. For someone who already has a normal baseline of dopamine, a strong stimulant is going to give them a "high", which is why non-ADHD people sometimes abuse ADHD stimulant meds.

Caffeine makes me dizzy and jittery, but my ADHD meds don't do anything. I don't even feel the normal "peak and subside" that most people report. I'd swear they're placebos but if I don't take them I'm so tired I can't even stand up.