Drugs, alcohol, and now coffee! I’ve used a variety of substances to self medicate while in a depressed mood. A few years ago I cut out cannabis, and I stay away from using alcohol when I’m down, but I have no limits with coffee. It seems like I can drink as much as I want whenever I want and it doesn’t create the same problems it does when my mood is better.
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Mind your sleep schedule, otherwise enjoy…
It doesn’t seem to affect me in the way it normally does. I can drink coffee at 6 and sleep at 1130.
Paradoxical stimulant response and substance abuse disorder points to ADHD, often misdiagnosed in adults as anxiety and depression.
I was misdiagnosed for 10 years with no effect from the meds for anxiety and depression. Stimulant meds work well for me. Not for everyone tho.
How did you end up getting diagnosed?
Asked my therapist to refer me to a psychiatrist that could do ADHD testing. They did an interview and 2 different IQ tests. Now I see my psychiatrist every 30 days to get my controlled substance prescription.
If you’re in Canada, there’s an online service called Frida https://www.talkwithfrida.com/
I was personally diagnosed by a psychiatrist who I was referred to by my family doctor. I think you have to go through a psychiatrist at least while you’re titrating your dose but then your family doctor may be able to take over once you’re about where you need to be.
The half-time of caffeine in our bodies is pretty long, like 6 hours IIRC. Might affect the quality of sleep even if you manage to fall asleep
I feel like my sleep is better than normal, nothing is compounding.
I’m feeling better today finally. Woke up at 8am, energy is good, thinking clearly. Ready to take a break from social media for a while.
That’s good then. I also love coffee and drink absurd amounts during the day :-)
People who drink lots of coffee often get stomach/intestine problems after many years. Cola also has long term side effects (from sugar or sweeteners). I therefore suggest you look into caffeinated water and/or guarana to mitigate any health problems by not overusing one source of caffeine.
It’s only when I’m deep in depression, the vast majority of the time I only drink 1-2 cups a day.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, American Heart Association, etc recommend a 400mg daily limit for caffiene. It may be affecting you in more ways than you know.
400mg
I’m still under that or about there. I had 3 french presses and a moka pot yesterday, that’s a bit above 400mg but represents peak consumption.
Also, I don’t think I care. Better than the alternatives I have access to.
Woopsie. Thanks for the heads up
Recently I’ve found green tea to be amazing and without the jitteryness of coffee. There are many kinds to try, all quite different!
Adding onto this, I didn’t enjoy green tea until I started brewing it gong fu style with loose leaves. Teabags are acceptable for black tea but completely ruin green imo.
It’s also worth noting that there’s a noticable flavor and taste difference between different types of green (for example, I dislike the popular dragonwell, but love maofeng/mountain green tips). There’s also a gulf of difference between Chinese and Japanese green teas, due to the processing. Usually Chinese tea is pan/wok/hot air fried, leading to a more nutty and complex profile, whereas Japanese greens tend to be steamed, leading to a more vegetal taste.
I also really like matcha, if you can afford the initial investment. It’s definitely unique and can be an acquired taste. I really like the ippodo Sayaka/Horai, since it doesn’t have a very strong umami taste, which can be off putting for people new to matcha.
Edit: and yes, there is actual science backing up your interpretation of green tea being less jittery. The L-theanine, an amino acid unique to green tea and a few mushroom varieties, has a balancing effect when paired with caffeine.
Me too. I started smoking cannabis and drinking alcohol until I got sick with schizophrenia; it was then that I had to stop using cannabis. Now I occasionally drink beer; but above all, I consume a lot of caffeine, in my case in the form of energy drinks.
