Its really common to use caffeine to self medicate for ADHD. I do it and my oldest does it. I drink coffee -- she drinks Monster because she doesn't like coffee.

We've had a lot of conversations about the amount of monster that is safe, and we've compared the total caffeine to coffee. I drink 2-4 cups of coffee throughout the day. One Monster is equivalent to two cups of coffee. She tries to stick with one Monster per day (or less) and generally does not drink it all at once. I do wish they sold it in smaller bottles, and I think it's generally a disgusting beverage, but I don't think that having a half a monster in the mornign and a half of monster in the afternoon is dangerous.

I do think it's a bad idea to chug one or more monsters right after taking your ADHD medication (particularly if it's not slow release medication).

Does your kid have an apple watch? You might have them track their heart rate through the day, and compare it to when they are having hte monster drinks. That may be more convincing than your just generally telling them that the drink is bad.

Anonymous wrote:PP here - better to be addicted to ADHD meds than energy drinks.....

False

Technically caffeine is what the adhd brain needs to feel normal. You could try explaining that to your child and note that they can talk to a doctor to get what their brain needs without the detrimental sugars and other things in the drink. Maybe acknowledging that you understand why he is attracted to the energy drink (because his brain is craving stimulants) is a good start.

I am an adult with adhd and I find energy drinks do help me. The caffeine plus taurine and whatever else they add are stimulants and caffeine is a known adhd ‘treatment’. I self medicated with high doses of caffeine for years and still do sometimes as the prescribed meds give me a headache. I use it on days I am not taking meds. The effect of caffeine feels very similar to me as the effect of my prescribed meds. The meds work a little better but not substantially better than caffeine.

PP here - better to be addicted to ADHD meds than energy drinks.....

If he needs the drinks to focus and feel better, he should take medication. Meds are better regulated than energy drinks and a doctor can help with dosage etc.

My ADHD kid takes meds and it helps - occasionally or if he forgets, caffeine does work, but those drinks are filled with sugar and other crap so it's making other stuff work.

Maybe see a doctor and/or offer to him coffee or even regular soda or tea which provides caffeine but without the crap.

Anonymous wrote:Have you asked him why he's self-medicating with Monster drinks? Is he willing to try ADHD meds? Some ADHD meds increase agitation more than others, but none do so as much as an energy drink.

Because "he likes it." And a bunch of random stuff about vitamins. Personally, I think he likes feeling amped up. He can't see that he outwardly appears to be out of control and literally on a drug when he drinks that crap.

What I don't know about ADHD meds is how often -- or if -- kids from a family with a history of addiction get addicted to and start abusing the meds.

Anonymous wrote:Is monster a metaphor here or is this about the drink?

It is about the actual drink.

Ugh. I absolutely am not a fan of these drinks. My DS, now 19, has ADHD, is on meds and will drink these despite my spouse and I asking him to lay off them.

Same thing with preworkout drinks and other such stuff. Just not a good combo for a young kid, especially on meds.

My DD and her friends all drink the Alani energy drinks. She and a few of them are also on ADHD meds. I've had her MD tell her this isn't safe for teens and I refuse to buy them for her, but she makes her own money and makes her own choices. Its frustrating and I feel you.

Is the caffeine making him feel happier? Or just rewarded?

I will admit that a Coke from the vending machine is a small ray of light in my sad day.

https://science.howstuffworks.com/caffeine5.htm#:~:text=The%20dopamine%2Daffecting%20caffeine%20in,its%20effect%20on%20your%20sleep.

Caffeine is a stimulant like amphetamines for ADHD. But Monster is bad for heart and expensive and not carefully designed for token released dosage.

Have you asked him why he's self-medicating with Monster drinks? Is he willing to try ADHD meds? Some ADHD meds increase agitation more than others, but none do so as much as an energy drink.

Is monster a metaphor here or is this about the drink?

No adhd meds involved, but I can see that monster makes inattention as well as anxiety and agitation about 100x worse.

Kid thinks it "helps" him and is in high school. I can't control every minute of every day, as much as I would like to sometimes!

Anyone else had to address this? Would love suggestions here for helping him learn to self regulate (not sure if that is the right word, but really I'd like to just forbid it).