I've known I've had ADHD now for sometime. Initially Ive self treated with caffeine, now I am being treated with stimulants. I am going through a vicious cycle and I need some solid advice.
I'm not sure why I didn't catch on the this pattern sooner. Maybe I was reluctant to change or ignorant to it. Regardless, when I am on Caffeine or Stimulants I go through a vicious cycle of over the top anger and irritability. This anger and irritability is not immediate or doesn't happen during the first few days or weeks of taking the meds or daily caffeine consumption. Its almost like a slow but steady build up and then boom I feel forever anger, irritable, rage, and and a don't give a damn attitude.
I fly off the handle and become literally verbally abusive to my autistic child. I exercise almost daily and that doesn't seem to help. It's like as soon as I treat my ADHD this see-saw effect happens and at times I turn into the most terrible Hulk
I am beyond concerned at this point and don't know where to go or what to do. At this point I'd settle for help coming up with an explanation into why this happens so I can prevent this pattern in the future. Any help is absolutely appreciated
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throwaway12356
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Caffeine is known to increase your body’s output of adrenaline and cortisol, which increases your heart rate and stress levels. So I would start to wean yourself off of caffeine, and talk to your doctor about what is happening.
Just to clarify, coffee alone can do this to you as well?
Or just coffee and the stimulant?
If you take the stimulants with zero coffee for a while does it still happen?
I learned very quickly that I can’t drink coffee with my stimulant. It didn’t increase my focus or concentration but definitely increased my anxiety, agitation and nervousness.
I’d like to give more advice once I understand better how you’re taking them.
Just to echo ChaiLover21 - caffeine has it's own addiction-circuit in the brain chemistry. How this then interacts with Med Stimulants I don't know. But it does sound like it may be either the caffeine-demand in the brain - either because your drinking less or because the Med Stimulant is affecting the absorption of the caffeine, causing a sort of withdrawal. The doctor will probably have an idea and some folks here may have had it specifically.
I agree with the other advice about speaking to your doctor certainly about this issue. An additional help to you might be to practice meditation in addition to excercise. Try doing it right before you work out and then again at the end for just a few minutes.
The ones I like on YouTube are the Mindful Movement. They have all sorts of different meditations, and can also help you change habits, etc..etc..
As the parent of an autistic child, you must be very worn out as well. Maybe your child could do the meditation with you?? I don't know, but he/she might like the calming music that normally accompanies it. Just an idea...
Also, since right now your child is challenged, maybe you could find some simple things that he/she could do to help (Specialist/ doctor could help).. With all of the COVID home confinement, I think we're all struggling to monitor our moods too...
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Confused about diagnosis!!
Dopamine and ADHD
What kind of symptoms and things do doctors use to invalidate or disqualify you for an ADHD diagnosis? What was your screening like?
Different Treatment 
Book on ADHD 
