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Modafinil Is Wall Street’s New Drug of Choice

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Re: Modafinil Is Wall Street’s New Drug of Choice

#11

Post by danneu »

mathattack wrote: post #3

I am very interested of opinions on these boards for it. My intuition is there is no free lunch - if this were the optimal brain wiring, we'd be there already. Is it the inevitable crash or sleep deprivation? I haven't done any hard research on the topic, so I am interested in first hand observations. We are the target audience of the article, even if the link title doesn't suggest it.

The brain didn't evolve to address the struggles of today. My ancestors weren't trying to stay mentally engaged to a computer screen for eight hours at a time.

Re: Modafinil Is Wall Street’s New Drug of Choice

#12

Post by Elgabacho »

ollysb wrote: post #9
Elgabacho wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depression for me. I've used it multiple times in law school and afterwards. I stopped because for a couple days afterwards I would get seriously depressed.

Were you sleeping less when using the pills?

Yes, but not all the time. It depended on the situation. Sometimes I would go to bed at 10:30pm and wake at 3:00am and take some. I would do that for a couple days in a row (that didn't last long). Or I would stay up late then wake up at a normal time and take some. Most of the time I would sleep 8 hours and I would just take some because I would stay alert and focused all day (this most likely occurred on a Friday).

Re: Modafinil Is Wall Street’s New Drug of Choice

#16

Post by tapp »

sdoowpilihp wrote: post #14

As I read this, I can't help but be reminded of the old adage, "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch".

Slightly OT:

I am surprised to hear this sentiment on HN as often as I do. It seems to imply a somewhat Luddite-like fear of technological advancement, versus the generally positive interest I would expect from hackers. Am I off base?

I'm not talking about modafinil specifically (no opinion there) but more generally.

Re: Modafinil Is Wall Street’s New Drug of Choice

#18

Post by duaneb »

tapp wrote: post #16
sdoowpilihp wrote: post #14

As I read this, I can't help but be reminded of the old adage, "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch".

Slightly OT: I am surprised to hear this sentiment on HN as often as I do. It seems to imply a somewhat Luddite-like fear of technological advancement, versus the generally positive interest I would expect from hackers. Am I off base? I'm not talking about modafinil specifically (no opinion there) but more generally.

I think it's more about caution when dealing with your body than actually believing some law about having a bad side.

Re: Modafinil Is Wall Street’s New Drug of Choice

#20

Post by manicdee »

aaron695 wrote: post #10
mathattack wrote: post #3

I am very interested of opinions on these boards for it. My intuition is there is no free lunch - if this were the optimal brain wiring, we'd be there already. Is it the inevitable crash or sleep deprivation? I haven't done any hard research on the topic, so I am interested in first hand observations. We are the target audience of the article, even if the link title doesn't suggest it.

Well the no free lunch theory is I think wrong, we are vastly better off with modern medicines. We are already getting free lunches of longer and heather lives. My experience, obviously not scientific, with modafinil is mild mania, grumpiness/quick to anger (What I think is the tiredness coming through), increase concentration and attentiveness to a task. My intelligence goes down. Mixed with alcohol it can cause bla…

The "free lunches of longer and healthier lives" are due mostly to clean water and covered sewers, with the rest of medical science not mattering to the vast majority of people who don't suffer from life-limiting medical problems.

Along with clean water and covered sewers we have improved working conditions (which medical science has contributed to without making everyone take medication), and a range of other quality-of-life changes that have occurred in society.

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