There are some people with a form of autism, especially ADHD, who cannot have coffee because it reacts badly with the HD- that is the Hyperactivity- in the ADHD.
At least that's what a quick Google search seemed to show me.
But for many people with autism, especially if there is no ADHD element in it, coffee is manna from Heaven.
I have even seen people with autism (Asperger's, which is high-functioning autism) who wonder if they are immune to coffee.
Yeah. I get that.
For me, coffee does affect me- but in a quiet, gentle way and in a completely different way from non-Autistics.
It calms me down, while still waking me up.
It does not wind me up. It winds me down. While still making me more awake.
And its effect is smaller with the same amount of coffee. I can have much larger amounts of coffee than most people and be effected less than a normal cup of coffee.
But still it winds me down, sooths me, while waking me up.
Most people with autism- including Asperger's and ADD and full-blown autism- who do not have ADHD will most likely see the same effects.
It's worth trying, with a modest amount of coffee, just once to see, if you don't have ADHD, because I suspect that those with the HD, or Hyperactive, element might react differently.
If you are like me, coffee and caffeine- tea works just fine- could be manna from Heaven for you, like it already is for many people on the autism spectrum!
Just wanted to throw that out there, so you can learn from my experience, and so that you know that no, caffeine is not bad for most people on the autism spectrum!
God loves you!
Sincerely,
David S. Annderson
*Asperger's Syndrome, which I have, is the part of the Autism spectrum that is more severe than ADD, does not necessarily contain the hyperactivity of ADHD, but still allows one to be free to use the full range of their intelligence, unlike full-blown autism, for I suspect that people with full-blown autism might be as smart as a normal person if their autism did not distract them. Basically autism more severe than ADD which still leaves you free to be smart.
The brain, by sacrificing some abilities by developing autism, leaves itself free to more easily develop high intelligence everywhere else. Dyslexia can work the same way- there are an awful lot of geniuses with dyslexia! In addition, the main effect of autism is hypersensitivity. But you are also hypersensitive to the good things! So as a person with Asperger's, I am basically the classic sensitive artist type- if you are hypersensitive, than you are sensitive to the good things too, and you can feel them vividly and describe and point out their beauty to those without the gift of hypersensitivity! This is the main effect of autism, and its main negative effect. You are hypersensitive- but you're hypersensitive to the good things too!