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An Experience with Modafinil

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181–190 of 363 posts

Re: An Experience with Modafinil

#181
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Have to", maybe not. Will perform better if they do, probably. Will be outcompeted by others if they don't, many of whom only did better because they used drugs, yes. It took me half a lifetime to really come to grips with it, but fact is, winners absolutely do use drugs. William S. Sessions' anti-drug arcade game ads lied to me.

Maybe school shouldn't be a competition with winners and losers.

Capitalist life is a competition with winners and losers. The losers are basically debt-slaves, and the winners are modern royalty.

Re: An Experience with Modafinil

#182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's possible but unlikely. You physically cannot sleep on these drugs without something like clonazepam. So I have no doubt a series of bad decisions could lead to someone being up that long. However, psychosis usually sets in around ~96 hours of sleep deprivation. It is however possible that this individual is unique or resistant, or maybe just his youth helped him. When I was 16 and MTV still played music-- I coul…

I'm sorry, this is rubbish. One of the reasons Modafinil is useful is that it will help you stay awake and alert for long periods AND when you want to sleep you still can do. It isn't like speed.

It is categorically impossible (for me) to sleep on Modafinil, or it is at least significantly harder than on amphetamines (which I'll grant you can sleep on... Sometimes).

Re: An Experience with Modafinil

#183
post #49

What's remarkable to me is that modafinil is less toxic than caffeine[0], and possibly even less addictive[1], but we all know which is illegal for recreational use and which is coffee. Regulations are sticky. The FDA follows the precautionary principle. Political game theory incentivizes restricting what the electorate can do rather than giving them more freedoms, and being blamed for whatever harm may fall upon the…

Caffeine would be illegal to possess, if it were invented yesterday. 80% of people couldn't distinguish I.V. cocaine from I.V. caffeine in some study I am unable to locate at the moment, which I think involved Nora Volkow from NIH, either as PI or collaborator.

If that’s a thing why aren’t more people doing I.v. Caffeine ?

Re: An Experience with Modafinil

#184
post #49

What's remarkable to me is that modafinil is less toxic than caffeine[0], and possibly even less addictive[1], but we all know which is illegal for recreational use and which is coffee. Regulations are sticky. The FDA follows the precautionary principle. Political game theory incentivizes restricting what the electorate can do rather than giving them more freedoms, and being blamed for whatever harm may fall upon the…

> less toxic than caffeine[0], and possibly even less addictive[1]

That might be true but Modafinil is very dangerous compared to coffee.

It does cause accidents for instance.

If you take it medically, it can reduce accidents.

Off script you play with fire using it with heavy machinery.

Throw in alcohol that scene in Limitless becomes quite true.

Being less toxic and less addictive is meaningless comparing to something like coffee.

Re: An Experience with Modafinil

#186

Mostly all true. I have taken modafinil quite a bit. You can buy it in India from a chemist for next to nothing. If you take it every day for a couple of weeks in small amounts the efficacy does get less. If you increase the dose you don't get more returns. Used sparingly for study or concentrating it is nice. It is also good if you are tired and have to do some long task that requires little but constant attention -…

This echoes my experience as well. I take 100mg modafinil on an empty stomach around 10am 2-3 times / week and I feel alert and focused most of the day with no problem falling asleep at night around 10pm. I often "stack" it with 200mg L-theanine and normal amounts of caffeine in the form of tea or coffee. The key for me is taking 7-14 days off completely every few weeks. I don't feel the tired / hangover feeling others have described upon stopping unless I'm really pushing it for some reason taking it every day for a week or more. IMO modafinil is way better than the ADHD drugs which make me feel super stimulated and awake but jittery and less productive overall.

Re: An Experience with Modafinil

#187
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Have to", maybe not. Will perform better if they do, probably. Will be outcompeted by others if they don't, many of whom only did better because they used drugs, yes. It took me half a lifetime to really come to grips with it, but fact is, winners absolutely do use drugs. William S. Sessions' anti-drug arcade game ads lied to me.

Be careful with this line of thinking. It can lead you to justify some extremely unhealthy habits. You'll justify it by saying it's fine, you're getting things done. But the cost will always be there, either physical or mental.

Agreed and note that 3 of 4 paragraphs in ei8htyfi5e's post were describing the costs:

> Anyway, it took 2 days in bed for me to recover after. Brutal.

> my brain stopped processing information in the 30 degrees at the edge of my peripheral vision on either side.

> makes your pee smell

Re: An Experience with Modafinil

#188
post #158
post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly I don’t know how prevalent murdering for drug money is at all. My belief that this happens with some regularity for cocaine is based on suspect info now that I think about it. The DARE program told me that definitely 100% of illegal drug users eventually turn to murder to acquire more, but that might have been an exaggeration.

i too think its more about the economics of it. Territory and business with in the criminal element is cut throat.

This. Drug industry has to settle disputes outside the law because it can't use the courts (and by proxy, threat of state violence) to deal with business disputes. So it's necessarily more violent because there aren't state level resources around to fund expensive stuff like due process. Being inherently criminal probably also ups the violence just from selection bias.

Someone rips you off in the drug industry you and your buddies go beat them up and take their stuff of value. Someone rips you off in above the table business you sue them.

Re: An Experience with Modafinil

#189
post #49

What's remarkable to me is that modafinil is less toxic than caffeine[0], and possibly even less addictive[1], but we all know which is illegal for recreational use and which is coffee. Regulations are sticky. The FDA follows the precautionary principle. Political game theory incentivizes restricting what the electorate can do rather than giving them more freedoms, and being blamed for whatever harm may fall upon the…

Caffeine would be illegal to possess, if it were invented yesterday. 80% of people couldn't distinguish I.V. cocaine from I.V. caffeine in some study I am unable to locate at the moment, which I think involved Nora Volkow from NIH, either as PI or collaborator.

This is a really good example of why relying solely on "peer reviewed study" is a great way to lose sight of the forest for the trees.

If you think cocaine and caffeine are even remotely comparable in their effects, then, well, spring chicken, let me introduce you to the world.....

Re: An Experience with Modafinil

#190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Caffeine would be illegal to possess, if it were invented yesterday. 80% of people couldn't distinguish I.V. cocaine from I.V. caffeine in some study I am unable to locate at the moment, which I think involved Nora Volkow from NIH, either as PI or collaborator.

As someone who has done a lot of IV cocaine and coffee I find this hard to believe. IV cocaine is one of the most euphoric highs in the world

I've had cocaine a few times now and while everyone is saying it's euphoric, I keep saying it's the most normal I've ever felt. Not "euphoric", I've done other stuff that felt suuuuper good (in an actual euphoria sense) so I believe can compare.

But normal. The cloud of thoughts gone, I am able to make myself do anything with one thought, I have energy, the aches are gone, the tinnitus is gone, I don't second guess, I don't overthink. I just am and I do. It's amazing. This is what people like Bezos and Musk must be like lol

Amphetamine probably feels like this, too, although many say it's actually quite distinct. The price, (un)availability, very short duration and the comedown are big negatives, sadly.

But yeah, comparing it to caffeine... nah. Can't comment on IV, but I can compare it to insufflated caffeine. It has some similarities, but the important parts are missing. Or maybe I'm just desensitized to caffeine. At least I'm a good fake coke detector lol

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