OneStepAtATime Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 DH had to drive many hours in really bad weather overnight. He was with a colleague. He never drinks Red Bull but he bought several and was drinking them to stay awake (yes, not a bright idea and his mother and I were stressed all night). His comment when he got home was that they actually do work. He stayed awake all night. But he hated how he felt on them because it kept him only focusing on one thing...the road. He said it was frustrating because he couldn't think about 20 things at once like he usually does. :confused1: I know he is dyslexic, dysgraphic and possibly has other issues. He is also almost certainly gifted. Now I am wondering if he is ADD as well....Red Bull is a stimulant, right? And stimulants can be helpful to those with ADD/ADHD? I know he doesn't think the ability to only focus on the one rather boring thing was a good experience, but honestly, unless something is of extreme interest to him, he can't focus on it for very long, and that includes the kids. Being able to focus for a while on things that DON'T interest him might be a nice change of pace around here. :) ETA: I realize what I posted above makes it sound like DH doesn't have any interest in the kids. That isn't true. He loves the kids. But when they are rattling on about their latest History factoid or talking about Art supplies or whatever, it seems almost painful for him to sit and listen for terribly long at all without needing to do 10 other things, too. :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Lol! That's kind of a telling experience! I hope you can work that into some sort of strategy at home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Sounds like it! Stimulants wake up the executive functioning part of the brain so ironically people with ADD are calmer and more focussed on them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 So, this may explain why he sometimes drinks caffeinated sodas at night so he can go to sleep. I thought it was just a really lame excuse to drink a soda. :laugh: Maybe the soda helps him focus on just, you know, sleeping. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I have in-laws (ADHD rampant with them) that drink coffee to sleep, and benadryl makes them wakeful. It's a real thing! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Well, he certainly struggles to wind down at night. He frequently has his laptop, his smart phone and his radio all going at the same time, and sometimes the TV, too. Makes it a bit challenging for me to sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Oh my! I need my sleep. That would drive me nuts. We don't have electronics in the bedroom really, though we'd probably both tolerate the other using a tablet with no sound. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Sounds like it! Stimulants wake up the executive functioning part of the brain so ironically people with ADD are calmer and more focussed on them. Isn't that what stimulants are supposed to do? What do other people take stimulants for? He frequently has his laptop, his smart phone and his radio all going at the same time, and sometimes the TV, too. My sister and I both dealt with that in marriage and both won. That is extremely unhealthy for both of you. I usually have three electronics on at work (or more) on three screens, but in the bedroom? No. I am sorry you are facing that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Well, DH and I compromise on a lot of things. This is one of those things that we are still working on. I get up way earlier than he does so he has to deal with me moving around getting ready while he is trying to sleep in. Mayonnaise vs. Miracle Whip was easier. We buy both. :laugh: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Isn't that what stimulants are supposed to do? What do other people take stimulants for? Most people, when they drink large amounts of caffeine, get jittery and agitated - not calm and focused. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Most people, when they drink large amounts of caffeine, get jittery and agitated - not calm and focused. Well, that certainly describes me! :) Red Bull makes me shake... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 The "caffeine flip" (where it calms the consumer down rather than amping him/her up) is supposed to be a hallmark of ADHD. I give my little one a small amount of caffeine in the morning with her ADHD medication and it does seem to help. I never understood how my mom could use caffeinated tea at night to help her go to sleep until I heard about the "caffeine flip". She was diagnosed with ADD as an adult. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Definitely sounds like ADHD :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Yup, my morning coffee makes me sleepy and sometimes I have a cup to help me fall asleep at night. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 You dh has the same traits as my dh who has ADHD. Caffeine acts in the same manner as the adhd drugs do. Lots of people with ADHD self-medicate with lots of caffeine and use it to sleep as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minerva Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 If I can't sleep, I drink coffee. The only problem is that I usually have to wake up to go pee later and then can't fall back asleep... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaughingCat Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Interesting -- imo, caffeine makes my body wake up ( or jittery if too big a dose - which took a huge dose when I was younger, but less as I have gotten older) but I have always felt it does nothing to 'wake up' my mind. The very few times I tried to study while taking a caffeine jolt I just felt 'brain dead' However, it is interesting to think - was it really just that I felt that not going a mile a minute was 'brain dead'? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 If I can't sleep, I drink coffee. The only problem is that I usually have to wake up to go pee later and then can't fall back asleep... I hate having to wake up and go pee. I really, really do. But I get so dehydrated that I HAVE to drink something, usually water, before bedtime or I wake up with severe cotton mouth and a headache from lack of fluids. Either way, I have to get up in the middle of the night. I guess I'd rather go pee than wake up with a headache and cotton mouth... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Most people, when they drink large amounts of caffeine, get jittery and agitated - not calm and focused. Exactly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddavies Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 We've definitely experienced the "caffeine flip" in our house - a can of Pepsi picks up where the ADHD meds leave off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 So what is a good natural alternative to a soda? Because of family history of health issues, he'd be better off drinking something other than a soda. Although, thankfully, so far he's remained pretty healthy, unlike parents and siblings... And FWIW, I amended my first post. It made it seem like DH doesn't have any interest in the kids and that wasn't what I meant. I just mean that when anyone (not just the kids) is trying to share information or do something like play a board game or whatever and DH has to sit and focus on that one thing he seems almost in pain and has to do other things, too, or he gets frustrated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Does he like tea or coffee? I am assuming not from the question, but that is where I would start. You can also buy caffeine pills. If you do that, I'd start dosing like a cup of coffee and go from there. I get the multi-tasking, sitting still, focusing thing vs. not be interested in the kids. It can lead to over-competitiveness or off the wall behavior if it turns into hyperfocus during a game--at least at our house. I'll leave out why I know that, but lets just say some games are not ones the whole family plays together here. Scrabble slam (or any speed game) with certain family members...shudder! Someone in my family MUST move to think if agitated or the least bit stressed or overwhelmed. Having a drawing pad has helped a bit. Or laundry to fold. Playing an instrument is calming as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 BTW, it's good you recognize the look of pain for what it is. I have misinterpreted that kind of thing before (some people are really good at hiding their weaknesses for a long time or have other personality traits that could explain the ADHD angst), and I've taken it very personally. Still trying to get over that reaction when it happens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 So what is a good natural alternative to a soda? Because of family history of health issues, he'd be better off drinking something other than a soda. Although, thankfully, so far he's remained pretty healthy, unlike parents and siblings... And FWIW, I amended my first post. It made it seem like DH doesn't have any interest in the kids and that wasn't what I meant. I just mean that when anyone (not just the kids) is trying to share information or do something like play a board game or whatever and DH has to sit and focus on that one thing he seems almost in pain and has to do other things, too, or he gets frustrated. Trying to actually pay attention to someone who is talking to me is absolute torture. LOL People talk so slooooow! My mind just keeps jumping here and there. I do take medication and drink coffee now, so that helps. When I was younger I was just a fast thinker with the inability to have a conversation (except with other ADHD people-we all jump the convesation around). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine.more Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 My husband likely has ADHD and he drinks insane amounts of coffee. When he decreased the amount just because of being busy he gets irritable and distracted and very unproductive. He also drinks coffee to fall asleep, it calms and focuses him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Thanks so much for all the feedback and sharing, everyone. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 ETA: I realize what I posted above makes it sound like DH doesn't have any interest in the kids. That isn't true. He loves the kids. But when they are rattling on about their latest History factoid or talking about Art supplies or whatever, it seems almost painful for him to sit and listen for terribly long at all without needing to do 10 other things, too. :) Wait, are you talking about your husband, or mine?? :lol: :lol: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Wait, are you talking about your husband, or mine?? :lol: :lol: :smilielol5: Well, DH travels a LOT. He could easily be a two family guy and I would have no clue. Maybe we ARE talking about the same guy. :) If so, can you tell him he needs to go by his mom's house to help her with her computer? :laugh: 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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