Any caffeine addicts here?

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Hi, I'm new to this forum and to web forums in general. So forgive me if I don't know the etiquette.

I'm an adult with Asperger's, but I wasn't diagnosed until a few weeks ago. I've suspected it for only a few months, but all my life I thought something was different about me. I stumbled into the world of autism spectrum disorders with my son, who is 5 years old and displayed ASD symptoms since he was an infant. He was finally diagnosed with Asperger's in July and the child psychologist who did the eval wondered aloud whether I might share a similar diagnosis after hearing the family history. After that, I read everything I could on the subject and became convinced I am also Aspie. A psychiatrist agreed.

The diagnosis makes sense out of a lot of struggles in my life. I am good at writing and generally viewed as intelligent, but I have difficulties with close interpersonal relationships. I really stink at what I now know is called "executive function." I just figured my life was disorderly because I was lazy. I'm also not too hot at making good decisions, although I do excel at impulsive ones.

I am a rapacious reader and I gather knowledge on a variety of subjects -- whatever interests me at a given moment. I can be gregarious and funny, so acquaintances often like me. But when I'm distracted, I can be withdrawn and aloof, which people interpret as rude and contemptuous. I talk too much. It wasn't until my ex-wife (we were married then) pointed out that people were bored to tears with my monologues that I noticed non-verbal cues. They still require effort for me to decipher.

I'm also a former print journalist and currently a law student on a leave of absence. And I am an unrepentant caffeine addict. Are there any Aspies in the house with a similar proclivity? Or is that just my addictive behavior?

Thanks for reading. I hope to learn more about Asperger's and contribute to the discussion here.

Welcome

I'm not an addict! I can quit any time I want! I, uh, just don't want to...

Welcome!

I was addicted to caffeine for a long time. Had to have my daily quad shot latte..sometimes twice a day. Next I got the equipment to make my own espresso at home! Whee!

It all ended rather abruptly with a visit to the emergency room. I'd had heart problems for years, and apparently many of them (but probably not all) were due to the caffeine. Having serious chest pain, difficulty breathing, and nearly passing out was incentive enough for me to give up my beloved caffeine (but not the coffee- I drink decaf now). I've tried having a little regular coffee again when I run out of the decaf, and the symptoms reappear with frightening clarity, so I guess I'll have to continue to abstain.

To WrongPlanet!! !

As for caffeine.....I have intravenous tubes hooked up to my coffee maker.....

Welcome to Wrong Planet, fellow-traveler tayne_gheel.

I have to have my coffee every morning or I can't function. I'll have a headache by afternoon, too.

Every morning without fail I brew a four-cup pot of coffee (I don't usually drink it all, though). Sometimes I need more at work later to pick me up.

Caffeine and heart problems? Interesting. I can feel my heart beating sometimes but I just figured it was normal.

I used to be very into coffee but I realized that I actually don't care for the taste. I enjoyed the caffeine and the sugar (yes, I heavily dosed my drinks with honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, etc... not all together... well, except this one time...). Also, coffee tended to make me grumpy, very grumpy, when I overindulged.

My current drink of choice is tea. Most often I drink assam but also drink pu-er on special occasions (i.e. when I feel like it). Sometimes I spike my assam with a bit of lapsang souchong and that makes it really smoky-tasting.

Nice to meet you, tayne_gheel.

Other than the occasional cola, I could never get into another beverage with caffeine in it besides coffee.

Welcome to WP!

I am a fellow caffeine addict myself.