Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?

In my experience, computer scientists tend toward self optimization. To this end, stimulant use in my circles is quite common.

I wouldn't say any of us need them, but they are useful tools, both for work and occasional recreation.

Like coffee? Three cups a day mate.

i will say that for the more enterprising individual, a lack of prescription is nowhere near the barricade one might be inclined to think of it as. and being a heavy user of mind altering substances, while I tend to be more expressive and open than other people, it's still hard to admit these things to other people because it typecasts you to a specific type of individual in their head and it just isn't always the most tactical decision that could be made.

Yeah, I'll break ranks and admit that yes, I do, and yes, it's necessary.

This is partly due to compensate for a medical condition.

Part of the reason it's dangerous, however, is because no one goes in prepared what to expect. The doctors' "do you have any questions?" line is a joke. And they usually don't take adderall anyway, so they can't tell you what to expect.

I think Elon takes/took adderall as well. Or at least I heard someone say that in a pretty convincing context, once. (So it must be true, right?)

The biggest thing to watch out for is the annoyance it imposes on your life. Get ready to spend every month going to the doctor, every single month, to get your script. Faxing/mailing adderall scripts isn't a thing, because controlled substance.

The second thing to watch out for is that it's easy to ruin your sleep schedule. But I don't know how true this is, because my medical condition is related to sleep issues in the first place.

That all begs the question: Is it worth it?

I remember sleeping through class. If I had been on it from age 12, I would probably have attained high marks.

The worst aspect is that you feel an urge to conceal it, because otherwise you feel classified into the same category as these guys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQVb6Cd-w8s

The other reason to conceal it is that people start to make fun of you or be dismissive of you.

It's a tough decision, and there's no clear right answer. There are pros and cons.For some people the cons outweigh the pros. One of my friends said that he felt like he was having a heart attack any time he took even a small amount. Another said he didn't want to take it because "he liked being able to think."

Both are true in certain contexts. If you need to plow through mundane work, there is no better way. But it comes at a price.

In 20 years in the industry, most spent in startups, much spent consulting with a pretty broad spectrum of other startups, I have never known anyone I've worked with to take modafanil.

That's just one data point. But: I don't think it's at all common.