Caffine and ADD - ADD / ADHD Message Board

mr.d · 02-14-2005, 06:41 PM

I was diagnosed with ADD when I was very young. I am now 17 and haven’t been medicated for quite some time. Just over half a year ago I read something about how caffeine, being a stimulant, can have the same effect as any other AD(H)D medication. I tried coffee while doing an attention-requiring task, and was surprised as to how much it worked. I almost crave it whenever I go to read the paper or do my homework now. Has anyone else found this? I hate the idea of self-medicating, but I also hate taking medication (whenever I do my mom won’t stop asking questions about it). I’m sure medication is much more effective, but I thought I’d throw this out there to what others have to say about it.

Blue102 · 02-15-2005, 07:02 AM

I haven't been officially diagnosed with ADD yet, and I haven't tried the meds. However, I know that I have inattentive ADD. And I know that I absolutely CANNOT function without my coffee. I drink it strong, black, all day long. If I don't, my brain fog is horrendous. What's funny is, I've been a coffee addict for a long time, even before I realized that I have ADD. I didn't understand why I needed it so badly until recently!

linkj57 · 02-15-2005, 08:59 AM

I have always been a heavy coffee drinker. In college about an hour before a exam I would have two large coffees. It would help my mind think clearer and stay more focused. I did not know at the time I was ADD. It's funny how the mind knows what it needs. I found out several years ago while I was in my last semester in college that I have initentive type ADD. I didn't start meds until about 3 months ago. Now that I'm on meds I don't crave the coffee so much. I think the reason I crave it less is because I don't need it to help me think clearer. I hope this makes sence.

vintagegas · 02-15-2005, 06:26 PM

Finally, a topic I can give some input: I was only diagnoised with ADHD two months ago, but I have been addicted to Caffine several times. In the form of "Excederin" aspirin. Lot's of caffine in those little babies! I'd pop a couple within minutes after I got up, a couple hours later at work, I'd pop a couple more, by the end of the day when I realized that something was really, really wrong, I was taking up to 12 a day. I woke up with a headache, and "needed" the Excederin to get rid of it. I ended up with an ulcer. I was self medicating and didn't even know it. This happened several times, each time I tried to get off of it, I actually went through some type of mini-withdrawls. Yes, you can get addicted to caffine.

suzy_Q · 02-18-2005, 11:13 AM

My son has mild to moderate adhd. He has tried Strattera, which worked for about a year and a half. Now he doesn't take meds, but if we need to be somewhere where I really need him to be quiet and focus I let him have a caffeinated soda beforehand. It really works! it just kinda takes the edge off of him. People look at me like I'm crazy because he has a reputation as being a little high strung and then they see me giving him a Mountain Dew

I wouldn't give him caffeine on a regular basis because I know that it is addictive but every once in a while it's nice to have it around.