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My experiment with smart drugs (2008)

johannhari.com

61–70 of 139 posts

Re: My experiment with smart drugs (2008)

#61
I have a prescription for Provigil for jetlag, but like the author, I'd found non-prescription channels for it before.

I've found it excellent for combatting tiredness, and it can improve my focus, but nothing like the Limitless-esque drug the author talks about. Admittedly I've only taken 100mg at a time, but still - about 5 hours after I take it, I tend to become cranky. I get obsessive about things, rather than focus, and if my obsession falls on the wrong thing, I find myself having wasted 6 hours on writing up or investigating some hare-brained business scheme, rather than my work.

I have easy, legal access to it, and I only take it these days if my sleep is majorly disrupted. If I was getting the benefits the author was, I'd take it every day.

Re: My experiment with smart drugs (2008)

#63
post #56

In the past I mostly used modafinil for driving long distances, which it was exceptional for. Now, I simply sip Yerba Mate the whole time and get a very similar effect.

I can definitely recommend yerba mate to anyone trying to stop drinking coffee or just people in need of a longer lasting stimulant with no crash afterwards.

Re: My experiment with smart drugs (2008)

#64
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is this related to the original article? Are you saying he might be lying about his experiences ?

It's the same author. There's a pretty big overlap between plagiarists and fabulists, so it's hard to put much stock into a subjective article like this.

Perhaps the drug made him a more prolific plagiarist.

Re: My experiment with smart drugs (2008)

#65
Modafinil has actually been shown to have negative effects in high performers. It is a wakefulness agent that promotes alertness and not necessary memory formation. For the ladies out there regarding modafinil, provigil, and adrafinil (an upstream analogue that requires no prescription in the us) watch out as it can interfere with birth control.

I think what most healthy individuals looking into substances like this actually want, are nootropics. I want to draw a line here between cognitive enhancers and nootropics though. All nootropics are cognitive enhancers, but not all cognitive enhancers are nootropics. Nootropics have to enhance learning and memory, while being extremely safe and actually neuroprotective (from the disruption of memory formation from chemical and physical damage). Nootropics are generally safe and beneficial for everyday use and with the racetams, Rhett actually have a better effect overtime.

Re: My experiment with smart drugs (2008)

#66
Modafinil has actually been shown to have negative effects in high performers. It is a wakefulness agent that promotes alertness and not necessary memory formation. For the ladies out there regarding modafinil, provigil, and adrafinil (an upstream analogue that requires no prescription in the us) watch out as it can interfere with birth control.

I think what most healthy individuals looking into substances like this actually want, are nootropics. I want to draw a line here between cognitive enhancers and nootropics though. All nootropics are cognitive enhancers, but not all cognitive enhancers are nootropics. Nootropics have to enhance learning and memory, while being extremely safe and actually neuroprotective (from the disruption of memory formation from chemical and physical damage). Nootropics are generally safe and beneficial for everyday use and with the racetams, Rhett actually have a better effect overtime.

Re: My experiment with smart drugs (2008)

#68

I've been taking 200mg of Modafinil probably on average of 3 times a week for the best part of 4 years now and it has certainly changed my life for the better. It is very effective at raising my mood and motivation. I disagree that it doesn't have a stimulant-like effect though. Before taking Modafinil, I had a very high caffeine tolerance (I could drink as many cokes or coffees as I liked and not even notice the eff…

[deleted]

Re: My experiment with smart drugs (2008)

#69
post #2

On so many levels I am so tempted to try this, but I just can't bring myself to - but I am in constant envy of co-workers who 'juice' and watch their productivity soar.

If so, Modafinil probably shouldn't be your first choice, but that's just me. I would recommend Piracetam or something similar.

/r/nootropics has a lot of useful information in their wiki [1] and the community is pretty friendly and helpful to newcomers.

[1] http://www.reddit.com/r/nootropics/wiki/beginners

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