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No, it’s not. However, you might notice that you develop a dependency faster than others, and to a greater extent. I can’t really drink coffee as it will make me slightly more alert, help with concentration and general energy levels, until after 3 days, the effects have diminished so far that I’m at 14 cups to even remotely stay awake.
Given that you can’t up your caffeine intake to arbitrarily high levels, what follows is a fast crash and constant exhaustion, while still drinking a shitload of coffee.
I got diagnosed late in life (in my 50s) and I have stopped consuming caffeine at all due to having access to medication. That resulted in a totally different (read: fixed) sleep cycle and regular energy levels over the course of the day.
Honestly, fuck caffeine.
For me, something similar works - I queue up 6 to 9 hours of podcasts, ideally some that are basically just someone narrating, not a lot of sound effects etc. and stories that don’t grab my attention, or rather, just then right amount, e. g. stories I already know.
I actually wake up in total silence. When sleeping next to someone else, I wear a flat headband with built-in speakers.
The podcast Nothing much happens helps me find sleep, but I personally like to listen to Acephale, Knifepoint Horror. I think the cadence people typically read horror at, and the general atmosphere with the occasional synth drone really does it for me.
I’m really not surprised that apparently, some part of the ADHD brain has to be kept distracted at night to let the other parts relax. Also, to some it might feel paradoxical since medication is typically a stimulant, but ever since getting medicated, my sleep cycle got a lot more regular.
Similar story, except I’m a bit older. I got diagnosed later in life due to the amount of energy the coping mechanisms you mentioned cost me, and I came to a point in life where I could no longer afford that.
If you feel you’re at maybe 70% capacity, you can probably go on, even if something in your life will change. If you’re scraping by with the occasional malfunction / mishap, you might want to reconsider getting help.
Just a thought.