Earlier quoted context omitted.
Maybe you find caffeine 2/3 as good because it's not as addictive as nicotine.
Nicotine isn't any more addictive than caffeine when you control for route of administration.
Sure but GGP said he used chewing tobacco.
Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
31–40 of 105 posts
Re: Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
#32The definition of nootropics used here excludes them (too many adverse health effects), but I wonder how the drugs on this list compare to e.g. amphetamines in terms of pro-productivity effects.
Amphetamines are certainly more dangerous. They actually make you feel good/euphoric. Modafinil just makes you feel awake. I've heard people complain that amphetamines increase focus at the expense of creativity.
Another related danger of amphetamines: because they make you feel good, they create a dopaminergic illusion of proficiency. Whether or not they are actually improving your proficiency can be difficult to judge.
Re: Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
#33What I find interesting is the fact that modafinil and caffeine ranked almost the same. I've always thought it would be interesting to try modafinil because of the widely claimed cognitive benefits and how it has less drawbacks than caffeine, but if it ranks essentially the same as caffeine, there's really no point to trying it that I can see. Caffeine doesn't really do that much to be honest. It seems as though none…
I'm a little skeptical about that. I wonder about having two considerations (benefits/drawbacks) apparently boiled down to one number.
I'd hazard a guess that the level of enhancement both bring are about the same for many people... but that the drawbacks of caffeine are more or less something that everybody's used to.
For me, using adrafinil to get by on less sleep was considerably more desirable than using caffeine.
Then again, the drawbacks of caffeine are strong enough for me that I generally don't use it, so I might be an outlier.
Re: Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
#34What I find interesting is the fact that modafinil and caffeine ranked almost the same. I've always thought it would be interesting to try modafinil because of the widely claimed cognitive benefits and how it has less drawbacks than caffeine, but if it ranks essentially the same as caffeine, there's really no point to trying it that I can see. Caffeine doesn't really do that much to be honest. It seems as though none…
The difference between caffeine and modafinil come down to two things for me - - length of effect (caffeine seems to pick me up for had ran hour to an hour with a 30 min lead time - vs 12 hours with modafinil with a 45-1hr lead time) - side effects (if I am really tired and have to get a big day out, I might end up havering somewhere between 6-12 'doses' of coffee. Cf. 200 mg modafinil- by 3/4 through the day on the…
Be careful with regards to the jaw clenching. I used modafinil extensively several years ago as part of a clinical trial/research study participant. I now have stress fractures in two of my lower teeth from the jaw clenching, and will either need to eventually replace those two teeth with implants or (hopefully) stem-cell derived replacement teeth.
The body is not built for constant stressing, in many ways.
Re: Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
#35I'm quite surprised to see caffeine ranked so close to modafinil. I've never used modafinil but from what I've read, for some people it's almost a wonder-drug. Caffeine gets me "high" but if anything, it can even be counter-productive at times. I wouldn't rate it anywhere near life-changing.
Well. I have tried modafanil from two different sources (both were modalert iirc) and noticed absolutely nothing. I tried various doses. I tried taking it before staying up all night and after. Each time was a complete disappointment. So it could be hype, me being unlucky with fake pills or differences in physiology.
I've used modafinil in concert with tDCS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcranial_direct-current_sti...) and have found it very beneficial except for some slight side effects (as someone else had mentioned in the thread, jaw clenching).
Re: Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
#36What I find interesting is the fact that modafinil and caffeine ranked almost the same. I've always thought it would be interesting to try modafinil because of the widely claimed cognitive benefits and how it has less drawbacks than caffeine, but if it ranks essentially the same as caffeine, there's really no point to trying it that I can see. Caffeine doesn't really do that much to be honest. It seems as though none…
Some people are less sensitive to caffeine. Maybe you're one of those.
Personally I'd like to try it, but it's prescription-only where I live...
Re: Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
#37I used truBrain (Piracetam) religiously for a 1 month and felt zero effects whatsoever.
Re: Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
#38I'm quite surprised to see caffeine ranked so close to modafinil. I've never used modafinil but from what I've read, for some people it's almost a wonder-drug. Caffeine gets me "high" but if anything, it can even be counter-productive at times. I wouldn't rate it anywhere near life-changing.
I took modafinil in the form of Provigil. Wasn't very similar to caffeine. It's more akin to Adderall. However, I still rank caffeine as more productive for me than either Provigil or Adderall. Provigil was weird, seemed to increase my hearing, and put me on edge. I was certainly more alert, but to an extent that was just excessive. I'd pay attention to so many trivial details that it was mentally and physically exha…
I have always had issues that are consistent with low-to-moderate ADD (never bothered getting diagnosed) and caffeine provides a noticeable, but not drastic, improvement for me. I've never tried any other drugs.
It is probably safe to say the effectiveness of caffeine/modafinil/adderall depends on your unique personality, brain chemistry, etc.
Re: Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
#39The definition of nootropics used here excludes them (too many adverse health effects), but I wonder how the drugs on this list compare to e.g. amphetamines in terms of pro-productivity effects.
Gwern has a great write-up on this: http://www.gwern.net/Nootropics#adderall
Of course it's only one data point, but a high quality one imo.
edit: Just saw him linked below, should've read first -_-
Re: Nootropics Survey Results And Analysis
#40Interesting idea. Some pretty wild comments in the XLS file too. e.g.
>In a tiny blind self trial I could easily tell this from placebo
>I've forgotten what doses I tried.
>Long lasting panic attack
>Most vile substance I have tasted
This guy wins though:
>1.5 tsp brewed grounds, rectally [caffeine]