I realised this feeling is why I have such an issue avoiding caffeine, even more after starting on ritalin.
It’s that, “I’m really starting to feel awake and capable now” feeling, sometimes a light tenseness in the back of the neck.
What is going on here, neuronically?
Also a time when I really crave nicotine. I’m trying to quit the nicotine so if I can understand this feeling, I can make a strategy to avoid it.
From what I recall it’s related to dopamine in a certain part of the brain, those drugs are all dopaminergic.