Unrelated, but I couldn't help but think about this tweet I saw recently https://twitter.com/ChloeCondon/status/988942270891085827
Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?
21–30 of 82 posts
Re: Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?
#22You're not going to get much meaningful data, this kind of thing is often kept hidden.
Re: Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?
#23There is a documentary on Netflix called "Take your pills" about Aderall (and it's cousin Ritalin). According to it a lot of people under 25 take it, they feature a student, a software developer, a financial analyst. After watching it my understanding of Aderall is that it makes you capable of intense focus (a sort of anti-procrastinator). It doesn't make you smarter or capable of solving stuff that you couldn't befo…
That caught my eye while scrolling through Netflix last, but I didn't watch it. Anecdotally, I took adderral 5 or so times in college to help me study. It helped a lot but wasn't habit forming at all. I have considered taking it for interview prep.
Re: Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?
#24I consider myself relatively well connected, and chat regularly with hundreds of different founders, both inside and out of YC. I’ve never met anyone that takes those. I have certainly met many founders that could be prescribed them.
Most people will never admit it to someone they aren't extremely close with, especially if it pertains to work/business. I certainly wouldn't.
Re: Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?
#25There is a documentary on Netflix called "Take your pills" about Aderall (and it's cousin Ritalin). According to it a lot of people under 25 take it, they feature a student, a software developer, a financial analyst. After watching it my understanding of Aderall is that it makes you capable of intense focus (a sort of anti-procrastinator). It doesn't make you smarter or capable of solving stuff that you couldn't befo…
I take ritalin (methylphenidate).
It makes me capable of merely ordinary adult focus (and I still need other tactics in addition). I read these anecdotes about superhuman laser-beam focus and it kinda irks me because I just come up to "able to hold a job" levels.
Re: Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?
#26There is a documentary on Netflix called "Take your pills" about Aderall (and it's cousin Ritalin). According to it a lot of people under 25 take it, they feature a student, a software developer, a financial analyst. After watching it my understanding of Aderall is that it makes you capable of intense focus (a sort of anti-procrastinator). It doesn't make you smarter or capable of solving stuff that you couldn't befo…
> It doesn't make you smarter or capable of solving stuff that you couldn't before.
Probably the biggest surprise for me since starting my own company has been how little "hard stuff" I've done. I've learned a whole lot of new skills but the hard part is keeping nose to grindstone, not emitting flashes of brilliance. Versatility and average engineering skills applied persistently are more than adequate (in my experience) so something like modafinil would probably be a significant win for me - too bad I can't risk trying it since I'm probably not diagnosably ADHD and my work involves semi-regular drug tests.
Re: Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?
#27There is a documentary on Netflix called "Take your pills" about Aderall (and it's cousin Ritalin). According to it a lot of people under 25 take it, they feature a student, a software developer, a financial analyst. After watching it my understanding of Aderall is that it makes you capable of intense focus (a sort of anti-procrastinator). It doesn't make you smarter or capable of solving stuff that you couldn't befo…
I was prescribed Aderall for ADHD growing up; 14-25yo. Towards the end doctors were loath to continue my prescription, until finally a doctor refused and I couldn't get it since. Their story has always been: it's an amphetamine, and comes with all those risks and health concerns. Particularly around heart health.
When I took it, it felt like that movie "Limitless". Superpower concentration. I took their word on the health bit though, no free lunch, so I stayed away. I developed A-fib (Atrial Fibrillation) at age 30, which is very rare at that young. Could be any number of things, most notably genetics (though I'd be my family's first); but doctors to whom I mention Aderall all have this "ahhhhh" reaction. "Could be something else, but if I were a betting man..."
Frankly, I've always figured the way Aderall abusers abuse - here and there, for finals or work deadlines - couldn't be that dangerous, unless you get into the habit. I (and many others) was prescribed 1x/d for ~10 years. Seems to have caught up to me, but that's some relative heavy usage. I certainly don't condone, just brain-dumping experience.
Re: Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?
#28Modafinil has weak affinity for the dopamine transporter. Don't take advice from Dave Asprey, Tim Ferriss, or other pseudoscience practitioners. See a doctor if you have problems at work.
Re: Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?
#29I take modafinil daily to counteract the exhaustion and lethargy of obstructive sleep apnea. I only take 50mg (so I split the pill in quarters) but some days take another 50mg after lunch time.
It's greatly affected my work in a positive way and will continue doing so until I get used to my CPAP and actually get a real night's sleep.
Re: Ask HN: How true is it that most founders are taking drugs like Modafanil?
#30Here's a better question: How many people at founder level actually have to take drug tests? People at the bottom piss in cups all the time. I have a sneaking suspicion the top rarely does.
Bottom of what company? I took a drug test for a summer job, once, when I was building cardboard displays and moving boxes of chips for Frito-Lay. That's it, period, in 20+ years of work.