Dopamine and caffeine

[Dimensional Transition]

I find it fascinating to find that after literally MONTHS of not being motivated to draw something, in 2 days I've already completed 5 drawings and I've never felt so energized. In a way it is really a bit scary, because this means the 'come down' will be pretty annoying, but damn it feels good. I just realized I've started drinking my first strong cups of black tea again after abstaining from caffeinated drinks for a few weeks because of panic attacks apparently increasing when I drank caffeine. The effect is stronger than expected... I started drinking it again because I have exams coming up, so I'd be able to focus more on studying. Instead, I want to do a lot of things except study now. Hm.

Would a new breakthrough in a theory you've come up with be able to cause an increased release of the 'happy chemicals'? Have you noticed too, that after abstaining from caffeine for a while, it feels really, REALLY good?

I should definitely not get into the 'real' stimulant drugs.

 

[wadlez]

I think you may be having a manic episode. Not severe enough to be labelled as true mania but rather that state of up which will be quickly contrasted with a state of down. I think this as I'm assuming you are experiencing something I go through periodically.
I could be diagnosed as having Cyclothymia disorder if I wanted to. I remember there has being previous discussions on this forum on INTP's and bipolar disorder.

Anyway, enjoy

 

[Dimensional Transition]

Yeah, I've been thinking about that for a while, but really, everybody has ups and downs right? I think I could be diagnosed with Cyclothymia as well probably. I'll feel a little bit glowing inside, make way more jokes, smile more often, and be more motivated to do stuff for 1-5 days, then I'll be down for quite a while. But it just doesn't feel like it's a part of me, and that it will not be something permanent. I think it's more that I'm really not doing what I want to be doing, I've always hated school, and have been looking up my own information ever since I was about 9 I think. And now I still have 2 years of school to do, it just seems like something that's in the way, and definitely NOT like something that is providing me with useful information. I often notice teachers give a lot of false information too(exaggerating numbers and percentages from studies, using old information that has been proven to be false a few years ago already, etc).
Oh, and right now I really do think caffeine has something to do with it.

 

[Solitaire U.]

I should definitely not get into the 'real' stimulant drugs.

Yeah, you don't want to know how overrated sleep really is...and I mean that sincerely, it's not just the meth talking.

Not sure though if you had a question or were just expressing sheer amazement. You mentioned theories...my own is that caffeine is what keeps the human world spinning.

 

[gruesomebrat]

Yeah, you don't want to know how overrated sleep really is...and I mean that sincerely, it's not just the meth talking.

Not sure though if you had a question or were just expressing sheer amazement. You mentioned theories...my own is that caffeine is what keeps the human world spinning.

Caffeine keeps the Western world running, at least. If you look at the rest of the world, though, caffeinated beverages aren't that big a deal. Anywhere that the British had a hand in the development of the area (think India, Australia, etc.), tea is relatively big. Canada and the States are coffee fiends. And the rest of the world looks at us and goes "What the hell is wrong with them?"

British-style tea, of course, is more off a social drink than a 'pick-me-up', seemingly on par with a bottle of Molson here in Canada. It only seems to be on the North American continent that caffeinated beverages are used in such large quantities to keep people awake and productive. I attribute this to the overwhelming attitude in North America that is best characterized by Lewis Carrol's White Rabbit. This attitude of 'I'm late, I'm late' permeates our society so completely that even our homeless live their life on a schedule, and always seem to be rushing from place to place. Because we're all so obsessed with the passage of time here in North America, getting addicted to caffeine is not only accepted, but encouraged, by the workplace. Why? Because the more caffeine addicts a company employs, the more productive the company can potentially be. On the other hand, with all the employees getting up for their coffee fix throughout the day, the real effect on productivity... is probably a decrease, instead.

 

[childish_intellect]

If you are looking for that “happy” feeling I suggest eating chocolate.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

Not sure though if you had a question or were just expressing sheer amazement. You mentioned theories...my own is that caffeine is what keeps the human world spinning.

I'm not even sure myself, I think a little of both. I was wondering about the effect of caffeine in general, and a little about brain dopamine and serotonin levels so I think this thread is going the right way.

 

[The Gopher]

About Cyclothymia I have been diagnosed with ADHD and I know I have a depressive disorder so I think my hyperactivity could be just Cyclothymia. That said I know nothing on the subject and should be ignored at all cost. However I was on a camp for 10 days and every night I would get hyperactive, manic ect. To the point where people knew I was strange. As in I was actually being that part of my myself.

 

[snafupants]

http://www.caffeineandmigraine.com/caffeine.html

Mother F@#$%&, who stripped me of forum sheep dash champion? I thought sheep dash, no one will notice that gone anyway. Today is a sad day indeed.

 

[Jackooboy]

Watch out for stimulants and all drugs... and what you put in your body (Temple).

Earlier research has implicated coffee drinking as a possible protective factor for suicide. We followed-up 43,166 subjects for the mean 14.6 years, and 213 suicides were committed. Daily coffee drinking had a J-shaped association with the risk of suicide. Using the Cox model we controlled for potential covariates, and found that among heavy coffee drinkers (

8 cups/day) the risk of suicide was 58% higher compared with more moderate drinkers.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/g81g237l164lg376/