Out Of Focus - A Month Without Smart Drugs

in #modafinil7 years ago

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It is no massive secret that I am a Modafinil user. I saw the film Limitless once, and did a search to see if there was a drug like the one portrayed in the film and the rest as they say, is history.

For those of you who aren't aware, Modafinil is a smart drug that has the unique distinction of having been passed safe by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

When you take Modafinil, you are able to concentrate on the most boring subjects for hours on end. In other words, it gives you laser like focus, and an energy that is not derived from a speedy-type amphetamine high.

I love it; and am a big advocate of it, I have introduced it to quite a few friends, and many strangers via affiliate links I used to run.

As far as frequency is concerned, I tend to take it between 3-5 days per week, depending on what sorts of tasks I have to do, and time pressures I'm under. Basically working 18 hour days under the influence of Modafinil seem fun!

However about six weeks ago, I was running out of my supply, and so I decided on a whim, that I was not going to restock for around 30 days.

I decided this in order to answer two questions:

  • Am I addicted to Modafinil? I mean, I know I'm not physically addicted. It's not like I get withdrawal symptoms or cravings, or get irritable if I don't take it. However I wanted to know if I was addicted, in the sense that I couldn't function without it.

  • Can I self motivate and maintain focus without it? Clearly the reason I got into Modafinil in the first place, was because of a lack of focus within me. I felt like my dedication didn't match my motivation, and it annoyed me. However after taking Modafinil for so long, I wondered if it would leave a residual effect on me.

So thus begun the 30 Days Without Modafinil.

Week 1 - The Sky's The Limit

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I have noticed before that the residual effects of Modafinil are quite powerful. That is to say, if I take it for 4 days straight, on the 5th day without it, I feel just as motivated and focused as I do when I'm on it.

So seeing as my last pill was on a Tuesday, for a few days my work output didn't really change at all. In fact I started wondering whether Modafinil had changed my brain chemistry for the better; forever!

This was exciting to me, because I always envied people who seemed to be able to focus without much effort at all.

I remember at school watching my fellow students revise for their exams, and I'd think; why can't I do that? Why can't I just sit down and study? It's not like I don't want to.

So the thought of suddenly being; one of those ultra-focused people was really quite exciting to me.

So far so good . . .

Week 2 - Early To Bed

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A massive benefit of Modafinil, is that you can survive on a hell of a lot less sleep than you can without it. For the last two and a half years, I have woken up at 5 a.m. on almost every single week day.

I started this early morning routine way back in 2014, around 8 months before I ever took any Modafinil. So I was quite used to it; however I found that taking the drug made early rising a lot easier. So somewhere along the line, it became the drug that was getting me up at five in the morning and not my own motivation.

Another enormous benefit is, that it just cuts through any hangover or grogginess you might be feeling. So even if I had a drink the night before, I could get up at five and be up to speed shortly after popping a wee pill.

So that was a rather roundabout and verbose way to tell you, by the end of week 2 without Modafinil, I was no longer waking up at 5 a.m.

Week 3 - Motivation Starts The Journey Focus Keeps You Going

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As I said earlier, for at least the past eight years or so, my motivation has been spot on. I have no problem in gearing myself up to start a project.

However without the necessary ingredient of focus, then the best of intentions just end up getting spread all over the place, with no aim and no purpose.

So before Modafinil, in order to stay focused I used a combination of the techniques that I have espoused in my Incredible You! series.

Through a combination of meditation, exercise and self-hypnosis, I moulded my mind into that of a calm and focused individual.

I found that even though I kept on doing all of that stuff, the Modafinil gave me a turbo boost that I missed. Add to that the fact that I was no longer getting up at five, so I had less time to meditate and exercise in the mornings; the feeling of losing focus was compounded.

Week 4 - Enough Already!

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At the beginning of this whole period of abstinence, I didn't necessarily set out to make it 30 days. In fact, now I think about it, it was more like a month and a week, or maybe even 40 days (insert Biblical reference here).

So I didn't really start the week thinking; great, only one more week to go before I can get back on my beloved Modafinil. Rather I just realised that my work rate and overall focus had fallen drastically in the last month or so.

This realisation made me swap some SBD for Bitcoin and then swap that for some Modafinil, and here we are.

I probably got the most done in this final week; although there were a lot of things I really needed to do, and I started getting that, not-enough-hours-in-the-day type feeling. As mentioned above, 18 hour days followed by 5 hours of sleep are nothing on Modafinil. This is why I ordered a fresh batch, because in the next month or two I need to get some serious 18 hour days in.

Supplementing Modafinil Naturally

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As you can see from reading above, I really missed Modafinil, or rather, I missed the super productivity that comes from taking it.

So during my Modafinil fast, I decided to try and find ways of getting back that * focus burn* that I so love and enjoy.

Meditation If I'm going to be completely honest, my levels of meditation dropped severely. I went from a minimum 20 minutes a day to 10, and I haven't meditated in around 2 weeks now. So I can't really say what effect this had on my focus. Suffice to say, that before Modafinil came along, it helped tremendously and I'm going to get back into it from tomorrow.

Brain Training As you may know from previous posts, I'm trying to become a software developer and am taking in a lot of new information.

I have tried to supplement this by creating a learning pair by studying Mandarin Chinese at the same time. I figured learning an impenetrable human language would help me learn the language of the machines.

As you'd expect, learning to code takes an extreme amount of patience. It also requires an aptitude for recognising and organising (somewhat abstract) symbols.

Modafinil is great for coding, so I felt that a good replacement might be a decent brain training app.

After a short search on the Google Play store, I found Left vs Right Brain Training app. It is quite expensive at around £16 (circa $20), however you can lease it for £0.99 per week.

So I did that, and boy! Am I happy I did, it is a brilliant app and I definitely felt my focus increase using this.

Every morning I turn it on and do my training and play some of the extra games. I also use it just before I start coding, using specific games that are particularly good for training your pattern recognition and patience.

Binaural Beats In the past I had tried experimenting with music to increase focus. At that time I discovered binaural beats.

These pieces of "music", claim to increase alpha wave activity in the brain, leading to increased focus and intelligence.

Well; I'm not too sure about those claims, and I didn't actually research them beyond Youtube.

However there's a reason I didn't, the fact is, they seem to work for me, and I'm quite aware that it could be the placebo effect. If it is down to placebo, I don't want to ruin it by finding out it's all a load of mumbo jumbo.

So please, if you know it's bullshit, don't tell me; as my rational mind will reject any previous benefits I may have got from it.

Exercise I'm ashamed to say that I haven't done any proper exercise in about 2 months now, since my gym membership ran out and I haven't been able to afford a new one.

Ultimately you don't need a gym to keep fit, however in order for me to haul my ass down to the park, I need time and time comes from being super focused and efficient at your other tasks, which of course . . . excuses, excuses; ach I hate excuses.

Conclusion

I will carry on with the brain training, and the binaural beats. Also meditation and exercise will work its way back into my life, along with early morning rising.

As far as addiction is concerned, I am not physically or even mentally addicted to the drug Modafinil. However I do love what I can achieve on it, and I'm addicted to being hyper-productive, so if I'm honest, that does constitute some kind of dependency.

The best thing about Modafinil, is even though you do get tied to how productive you're being. You can stop at anytime you want without feeling any adverse effects.

Though I will say it is kind of like having a bike that you are suddenly trying to ride without any air in the tyres. You can still do it, it's just harder that's all.

Which brings us to the answer to my second question; can I still maintain and keep focus without it?

Yes; but not to the same levels, and it is way harder for me, so I'd rather have it than not.

So I'm back on the Modafinil, and as before I'll try and limit it to a 3 x week dosage, but will happily go more than that when I need to GSD (Get Shit Done)!

WHAT ABOUT YOU GUYS; HAVE YOU EXPERIMENTED WITH SMART DRUGS, OR ARE YOU TOTALLY AGAINST THE IDEA OF CHEMICALLY ENHANCING YOUR COGNITION? AS EVER, LET ME KNOW BELOW!

Cg

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I personally have a passion for dance, music, fashion, writing, learning, acting, and teaching. I also saw limitless and knew there was a substance as being an acting you know movies scripts usaully come from a persons real life experience or someone they screen wrtiting knew as a result of the film concept & storyline. This would be a hiccup to an an individual who does have an addicting personality. So you most face your fears with creating a chemical balance between you and the substance based off YOUR DNA!
Experimenting from a safe distance is the BEST way to go IMO. Research, research, research!!!!! Internet is free and so is knowledge* DMT

I think you're right, when I watched Limitless again after trying Modafinil, it did seem like the writer or the director had tried it before, and then enhanced it for entertainment purposes.

I think it may actually help someone with an addictive personality, the reason being is that it is not a physically addictive substance, and you can lose yourself in whatever you're doing at the time.

So you end up forgetting about your other cravings, be they cigarettes, hash, or whatever. But as you properly pointed out, the key is research, research, and more research :-)

Thank you for your comments!

Cg

Nyc Comment!!

Great read

Thanks :-)

Cg

This is something I've particularly been interested in ever since I had an opportunity to take Adderall. Unfortunately, I hated the way it made me feel after taking it because it's an amphetamine. So my question is, have you noticed any change in heart rate or rhythm after taking Modafinil? I'm seeing some of this stuff available in different places - where do you recommend buying from?

Yes I've heard Adderall is very speedy; even though I've never taken it, I believe Modafinil has all the benefits of Adderall, without the amphetamine high.

I have not noticed any kind of heart rate increase, and if there is one, it is not significant, and this is coming from someone who has taken amphetamine substances for recreational purposes, so I understand how they make you feel.

Where to get depends on your country of origin; I have used Modup.net for the past few years, however lately they have been a bit slack on their rush delivery service. It's meant to be 7 business days, however it can often take 10-14, which sucks if you've run out.

They are honest though, and have a good product, so I would recommend them, however I would say to order before Thursday. Ordering on, or near the weekend seems to screw up their delivery process. If you order on a Monday, you should have by the following Wednesday.

Start with half a pill (buy a pill splitter for a few dollars/pounds/euros) and see how you get on with that. I think I took half for about a month or so, then moved onto one.

I tried two once, and that was the closest I got to feeling speedy, though it still isn't what I'd describe as an amphetamine high.

If you do research other places other than Modup.net, make sure you always read the supplier reviews before purchasing.

Modup do have the best Bitcoin discount though! (33%) :-)

Cg

Fantastic. I'll take a look around to see what the best deals are, and I'll also double/triple-check the source for quality. Hopefully it's not terrible expensive!

You shouldn't pay more than about $1.20 per pill for a small order and as low as around $0.79-89 for a large one. If you're getting Modafinil make sure strength is at least 150 mg, preferably 200 mg.

However for Armodafinil, 150 mg is more than adequate :-)

Cg

Well, nevermind. It looks like Modafinil is a Schedule IV drug in the US. This means I have to have a prescription, which can be filled up to 5 times in 6 months.

Hmm, if you check the various forums and such, I think you'll find that there are plenty of Americans who have circumvented this red tape, keep at it!

Cg

Great post. I have been interested in macrodosing other substances for years but have not due to the increased risk of heart issues. I wonder if if Modafinil has any down side. Any thoughts?

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I have been curious about this for a while now, so that stuff is legit? I have a suggestion to help with the energy and motivation. Kratom in a moderate dose of 5-6 grams will give you more energy than a pot of coffee and more motivation than a high school football coach. As for focus caffine and L-theanine helps with that. https://nootriment.com/l-theanine-caffeine-stack/
BTW I upped and Followed, thanks for posting.

Yes the stuff is indeed legit :-)

I've heard about Kratom, although I've heard it's hard to get the right strain, and to get the dosage right. Also I hear it tastes like old sweaty feet or something!

I was going to get some through the Bold And Determined website, as that seems to be the best source for reliable info on these things; Victor Pride who runs it has a no-bullshit kind of attitude, in fact it was his affiliate link that I first used to get Modafinil.

Thanks for the link, I will check it out, I have been interested in creating a stack for a while now even though I'm happy with Modafinil.

Hmmm, we'll see :-)

I've followed you back, thanks for the info! :-)

Cg

Well, the supplier that is great for Kratom is SoCal Herbal Remedies. Yeah it does not taste great, kind of like Tea but more bitter. Mixing it in a bender bottle with some juice makes it decent.

I first heard about modafinil when I started researching narcolepsy, wondering if there was any treatment for the way I fall asleep several times a day. It came up as an option with a lot of great side effects.

As an American with no health insurance, though, going to a doctor, getting assigned to a sleep study, and obtaining a prescription is just prohibitively expensive.

Oh man that's a shame, you are indeed who the drug was original synthesised for :-(

How about Canada? Is that an option? I don't really know too much about it as I'm in the UK.

Cg

There probably is a way I could track some down. I've read that a lot of narcolepsy sufferers, even with legitimate prescriptions, order from Canada because the pills are so much less expensive there. But I'm kind of a pussy when it comes to bending the rules, and I know that shipping drugs across the border can lead to some pretty serious consequences - not to mention the risk of buying from an unknown source.

I'm also very hesitant about altering my brain chemistry. But the more I hear about this drug the more I'm entertaining the idea of making an exception. Focus is becoming a huge issue for me.

Interesting! I’ve been a pharmacy tech for 9 years and I’ve never heard of modafinil referred to as a “smart drug”. Guess I’ve been missing out! ;) I can only think of a small number of our patients that take it and it’s prescribed for narcolepsy. No wonder it causes the average individual to be focused and productive!

You're totally correct, it was and is a narcolepsy drug. The story is similar to the Viagra story, which of course was originally meant to be heart medicine.

However during trials, students were pilfering them, and after investigation Viagra was found to, well as they say the rest is history :-)

I heard that the effects of Modafinil were found in a similarly accidental manner. There are a hell of a lot of students who take it to help cram for exams.

I'm a big fan :-)

Cg

Well now you’ve definitely piqued my curiousity! Another thing that I find interesting is how it made you successful with mediation. I’ve tried and failed to meditate so many times and I blame it on my restless mind. Seems odd that a stimulant would aid in a relaxation technique but I’m intrigued! I’ll be doing some research now. Thanks for sharing your experience!

I'm glad I've turned you on to something new :-)

Although I would say that I'm not sure if it is technically a stimulant; I believe it works by blocking certain neurotransmitters that cause drowsiness and at the same time, woolly thinking.

As far as meditation is concerned, yes it does help, though I was into meditation before Modafinil, and I learned various tricks and techniques to stop my wondering mind.

Check out my article on flow state https://steemit.com/incredibleyou/@cryptogee/incredible-you-finding-your-flow-state-superpower and the Incredible You! series as a whole.

In that series I talk a lot about using meditation to get you into a state whereby everything flows for you. I give lots of tips for how to meditate.

The main thing to remember is that meditation is a test of will; your mind is supposed to wander. It is about how you react to the wandering.

Meditation doesn't stop the voices in your head; it just helps you ignore them :-)

Cg

Excellent! I will definitely check that out! Thanks :)

This is interesting... I haven't heard about smart drugs like modafinil before even though I've gathered a lot of knowledge about illegal substances, like psychedelics. I'm a little hesitant to the idea of enhancing focus with drugs because they usually affect the brain's reward system which can cause it becoming dependent on the given substance. But if you take a "tolerance break", as it is said with some drugs, the addiction potential should be less likely.

It's always great to read other people experiences with different substances; the more you know the better, and safer.

Edit. I actually knew about "smart drugs" except modafinil, only the term for them I wasn't familiar with.

Very wise words; like I've said in the post and to a few commenters, it's weird, I definitely don't feel like I'm affecting my reward centre. I don't crave it, I'm not dying to get on it, and some days, if I don't take it first thing in the morning, I forget and then don't bother because it gets too late and will keep me up.

Like you said, it's always good to read about other people's experiences and do as much research as you can before taking anything, and starting off with small doses.

Cg

good post

Thanks; what did you like about it in particular? Are you an advocate of smart drugs?

Cg

nice post

Man Ive been looking for something like NZT since I FIRST saw Limitless too.. Is this legal in the US!?

I believe it is legal and is not controlled when coming from most countries, so you should be good to go. In fact I think there are a couple of American suppliers who ship directly from and to the US.

Cg

I am quite intrigued, I ha ve always fancied the thought of something like this but was never aware yhat their were any that were deemed safe

Yes, it was earlier this year that it was generally accepted to be safe, up until then I hadn't been aware that it had been around for 20 years. So there have been a lot of studies on its effects.

I would have recommended the place I get mine, however they are getting to be a bit unreliable and so I'm looking for a new supplier. If you like, I'll let you know when I find one :-)

Cg

I think I would like that very much if you don't mind!

Do you buy Modafinil online or do you need to visit a pharmacy/apothecary?

Online; I use Modup.net, but they are getting less and less reliable with their delivery times. So I'm going to search for new suppliers.

Just make sure you always read supplier reviews, if you can't find info on them, don't buy from them. Most suppliers are based in India, some in the US.

Also check that your country of origin accepts Modafinil, or you could find your pills being stopped at customs.

Cg

Good information. It looks to be hard to get in Canada, there are lots of blog posts about seized shipments.

Will need to investigate more.

Darn it; check out Modup.net, because they claim to have a solution if you live in a controlled country. Like I said they can be unreliable when it comes to delivery times; especially if you order on, or near the weekend.

However they are very honest and they do have a great product, so worth checking out.

There is a little chat box on the bottom right hand corner of the site; or you can mail them.

Good luck, let me know how it turns out.

Cg

I haven't tried modafinil, but I have tied a few nootropics, the first being version 1 of Alpha Brain by Onnit. Then Version 2, and then another one I found on the internet with good reviews.

I personally found near zero effect, even if I started double or triple dosing on them. I think a lot of that has to do with your current diet health and response to external stimulus such as caffeine. It might also have something to do with your previous drug use as well.

I would safely say that I have attention issues as well, but I think we all do to a certain degree. I find it difficult to stay on task and complete my projects due to a lack of motivation, but I've been focused on creating the tasks a habit rather than relying on pure motivation to get things done. Its a lot tougher to do it this way as compared to being on some drugs such as Ritalin or Adderall, both which are the pinnacle of helping you have laser focus.

Say it is a placebo effect, if you keep on the habbit enough, you'll atleast come off Modafinil and then realize you have a nasty habbit of getting work done. you would have come to the same final conclusion/effect.

How much is Modafinil, I'm willing to perform the exact experiment as you to double check your findings.

For what its worth, I dont drink coffee, wake up at 6AM daily and sleep at Midnight to 1AM. I have no issue waking up and I wake up early on the weekends as well. I exercise about 3x a week, and I eat a massive variety of food. I dont shy away from carbs or fats and overall have a healthy spectrum of nutrients.

I can fall asleep on Ritalin pretty easily too cause it shuts off my thoughts, which is primarily what keeps me up at night. I am on zero supplements and drugs right now, so I've got a clean slate to test!

Thank you so much for your detailed comments and your information on the Alpha smart drugs. I'll do my best to answer your concerns and give you some info.

First of all let me say that habit forming is definitely the best way to go; before Modafinil this was my main weapon. However I found that it didn't help me when I was a few hours into a task, sometimes less, I just wanted to drift off and do something else.

This is the main thing Modafinil helps with; although you still need your self-motivation to start the task.

For instance; if I take Modafinil and then start messing about on Facebook, I can look up at the clock and see that I've wasted 3-4 hours doing nothing.

Modafinil is originally a narcolepsy drug, so I've never taken it after 4 p.m. and that is super late. Usually I take between 5.30-9.00 a.m. and the effects last around 12-14 hours.

Like I said, I've taken it as late as four in the arvo, however this was after fairly prolonged use, and I definitely wouldn't recommend a new user taking some any less than 12 hours before bedtime.

As far as price, expect to pay between $0.89-$1.20 per pill, depending on the quantity and of course where you get it from. Most places do some kind of discount if you pay with Bitcoin and sometimes Litecoin.

Okay as far as sources are concerned, I use Modup.net, I find they are best if you order at the beginning of the week, ordering on a Thu/Fri seems to spin out their delivery service.

I usually use the 7 day rush and pay with Bitcoin, though I'm looking for someone a bit more reliable when it comes to delivery times.

I was recently recommended another couple of sites which I gave a cursory check; however I can't remember them now and can't find the post. I will find it and get back to you.

Cheers
Cg

Well this is some @originalworks right here.

I'm another who had no idea of the presence of these 'safe' limitless style drugs.

I don't think i'll be going for a supply just yet, but your story and diary were well worth a read.

Cheers!

Thanks @abh12345! Yes I remember when I first discovered them; I watched the film, and then put into Google; Is there a drug like the ... and it finished the sentence for me; ...in the film Limitless

Then I spent about 6 months doing various bits of intermittent research before finally taking the plunge :-)

Cg

The @OriginalWorks bot has determined this post by @cryptogee to be original material and upvoted(2%) it!

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To call @OriginalWorks, simply reply to any post with @originalworks or !originalworks in your message!

I also whached Limitless some years ago. And I made some research and Modafinil pop out. It has controversial and strange side effects. I never tried it. I read your post very carefully. I think you are addicted because you are trying very hard to convince yourself that you are not.

Yes I've heard about some people getting side effects, and perhaps I should have put those in there, though I didn't want this to be a post purely on the effects of Modafinil, as I've done that before.

This was more about how I felt without it, after taking it for so long; I was genuinely interested how I'd feel.

I think you are addicted because you are trying very hard to convince yourself that you are not.

You'd be surprised how honest I am with myself; I am not trying to convince myself that I'm not addicted, as I'd rather know. For instance I know I'm addicted to hashish, if I have it in the house, I have to smoke it until it has gone.

With Modafinil, as I mentioned right at the end of the post, I am not physically addicted to the drug itself; rather the results, I love being productive and I can't reach those productive "highs" without Modafinil.

It's a strange one, if I don't have it, I kind of forget about it, but then lately I've been longing for those days where I just work for 18 or so hours, stopping only to drink water occasionally eat :-)

Cg

OK I am addicted to chocolate and coffee and you are addicted to super productivity or so called God mode...

Hahaha, yes, yes!! Godmode, indeed I am :-)))))

Cg

I am in the opinion that we should not take any drugs unless we make sure % 100 that is natural and harmless. By the way you already found a lot of alternatives like sport, meditation and music with alfa waves. I recommend you to keep using these methods instead of this drug.

I respect your opinion, and share some of your thoughts, which is why I decided to stop taking it for a month (also if I go on holiday, I never take it).

As I mentioned, the sport, meditation and music help, however they don't completely solve the problem, and it is not through lack of trying.

I will keep on using these methods as you suggest, however i will supplement with Modafinil, especially as the World Health Organisation has said it is the first totally safe nootropic drug they've tested (mainly because of the time period it has been available for).

Thanks again for your kind words.

Cg

A great article on a very interesting topic. My major issue with smart drugs, is that you (probably) can't trick nature that easy. Running on 5 hours of sleep may work for some people, but there is a reason why most people need 7-9 hours of rest.
As with any substance use, i am very much concerned about potential damage that could be done on the long term. There has never been an enhancing substance in the history of mankind, that did not have sideeffects on the long (or very long) run.
In my personal opinion there is a reason evolution has not come up with a "working solution" for a permanent rise of concentration and focus -> Your body and brain needs rest.
Still i maybe will give it a try, just to see what it does to my productivity.

Thank you very much @icountedzero, you are right in your concerns about long term effects.

I took the potential risks very seriously when I first decided I wanted to give Modafinil a go. I read about 2 or maybe 3 dozen articles over the course of about 6 months.

Finally, I took the plunge, I started with half a pill at first, and then onto a whole one.

As I mentioned in the post, Modafinil is the first one that appears to be completely safe. They have studied 20 year users and found no discernible ill effects. I think what worried me the most, is the effect that pharmaceutical drugs can have on your liver, but it seems Modafinil has little to no effect.

As far as sleep is concerned, whether I'm on the drug or not, 6 hours is fine for me, and I feel lazy if I have any more. I do like a Sunday lie in, however the only way I can actually sleep is to have a huge joint and then go back to bed.

I think evolution has sorted the focus issue for some people; that's the way it works, is it never effects everyone at once. Like I mentioned above, I used to envy the sorts of people who could just sit down and study for hours on end.

Even today, sometimes I'll go and work in the library, and I'll see a 16ish year old student, in a study trance; and I think, *wow, I wish I could be like you (without Modafinil).

One thing you're spot on about though, is your body and brain need rest. I find that if I do say 4 or 5 days on 5 hours or less, then it's pretty easy to have my weekend lie-in.

So yeah, give it a go, but make sure you actually have something lined up to do; otherwise you'll waste all that focus on Youtube, Steemit, or Facebook lolz :-)

Cg

I have experimented with all these things and I have found that all of them work best after a good sleep. And the funny thing is that all the smart drugs seem to cause you to have less sleep.

I will definitely vouch for that; if I have four hours sleep (about 2 hours below my optimum) and I take Modafinil, it just brings me up to 'normal(ish)', although it still works. When I have a full night's sleep, it's like a full on turbo charge.

Which smart drugs in particular have you tried, and how do you rate your experiences?

Cg

Nootropic stacks are a personalized medicine, but I think the goal should always be to slow the appearance of time.

Anything that gives us more time is all good in my books :-)

Cg

I take huperzine as a cognitive enhancer.
I'll focus myself by memorizing a sudoku puzzle, and then completing it in my head.

Interesting, I'll check that out, I've never heard of that before. Is it similar to Modafinil you think?

I like that focusing technique, I don't play sudoku, however I will try and transpose it onto something I do regularly, maybe chess or even scrabble (Words With Friends).

Thanks for the info! :-)

Cg

Great post. I had not heard of Modafinil before, and this has motivated me to really look into trying this for myself. As someone who seems very interested in maximizing output, have you tried microdosing psilocybin or LSD? I have also been considering going down this route, as I have been having a lot of creative ideas I want to pursue, but , like you, I often time lack the focus and energy needed to see projects through.

Thank you @phillipg :-) Yes just make sure when you're looking for a supplier, read the reviews on their service. By and large people who deal in this seem to be honest, but as with every industry there are always the scammers.

As someone who seems very interested in maximizing output, have you tried microdosing psilocybin or LSD?

When I was younger (I'm 45) I did a lot of acid and a lot of shrooms; obviously those were for recreational purposes. However recently I have heard about the benefits of microdosing and am very interested to try.

I think I'd like to find some good psilocybin as I always preferred that to acid. Though I was very intrigued to hear that some CEOs of massive corporations have been microdosing LSD!

I would definitely highly recommend Modafinil, when I first started taking it I tried half at a time, which was great. I soon moved onto one; I once tried two, however it was too much for me and I felt like I couldn't sit still :-)

Cg

wow this is very nice

"Wow! This is a real thing huh!" My exact phrase while reading your content. I'm so interested now on getting that smart drug, I researched about how to get it here in Philippines. I saw one that cost $100 for 150 tablets. I might get that one but its a weaker version of that. This is a fantastic information you posted. I can't wait to try it because I really need it to do the things i should. Because now, I can't focus on thinking, I think too much and it bothers me.

Yes, that was the first thing I thought as well! That price seems very good; especially if they have low shipping fees.

Just make sure they are the real thing (read reviews) and that each pill is at least 150mg.

When I first started taking it, I bought a pill splitter from my pharmacy and would take just half per day. If you are sensitive, first try this before taking a whole one. :-)

Cg

Yeah, Im gonna research more about it before getting it. I heard that the pill I was talking about is from the same company of that pill your taking. I'll try some first, I hope it will go well to me, if its good for me, Im gonna buy a fuck ton. LOL. I'll update you when Im taking it already. Thanks for the infos again. Cheers. Exciting!

Awesome, please do keep me informed, I wish you luck on your journey! :-)

Cg

now it really gets my curiosity.. searching now limitless movie.

Yes! I didn't really get into it, but it's a fantastic movie, very entertaining :-)

Cg

That sounds deeply amazing. I have long struggled with chronic pathological procrastination and an inability to focus until the very last minute; a drug that can do what you describe? Very attractive concept.

For now though, I have found that joining Steemit seems to inspire focus and productivity in me to a degree that nothing has before it.

Yes Steemit is a good tool to use to inspire productivity and focus, do some research, and make sure it's right for you. However once you do, I'm sure you'll be very pleased with the results :-)

Cg

I simply love your articles, what great content and quality of posting you offer the community here on Steemit and abroad.

Thanks a lot :)

Thanks for your kind words

Cg

I really appreciate the honest look at your use, behaviors and reliance on Modafinil - I believe this self-honesty is essential to keeping a clear head about these things!

Something I've used twice when I've had to perform especially well is called "unfair advantage", I'll put the info in below. You feel like you have the bionic brain and body and can perform at your very best, but it's also actually good for you and supports your mitochondrial health.

https://www.bulletproof.com/unfair-advantage-30-ampules-net-contents-120-ml

Thank you, and you're right, self-honesty is the best policy, that way it is harder to fool yourself about a given situation.

Thank you so much for the link; I've been wondering about the whole bullet proof thing, I will 100% check this out and try some.

Cheers! :-)

Cg

I've been living more or less Bulletproof for about a year and a half and have come to respect Dave Asprey. He really knows his stuff and is transparent. I think you'd appreciate his incredible commitment to super-powered performance! One should take his precepts and adapt them to oneself to the degree that one wants - he recommends this actually because not everyone's bodies and goals are the same.

Awesome, I'm going to go onto the site today and see what I can pick up.

I have also been interested in Kratom, however I've heard so many conflicting reports; plus I heard it tastes like a fart did a fart and made it into tea :-)

So Dave Asprey is the guy and not Tim Ferris; or are they somehow linked?

Thanks for this info, it's pure gold :-)

Cg

"Fart did a fart and made it into tea"- great description of shit tea!!!

Dave Asprey is the Bulletproof guy who used his own body for 10 years to step outside of medical guidance since it wasn't doing him any good. He saved his own life, lost 150 lbs and created the Bulletproof diet centered around Bulletproof coffee (I'm a devoted drinker of this). He has created marvelous formulas and systems of information that are absolutely invaluable, I've been so impressed by him as I've learned more and more over the past 2 years.

I know less about Tim Ferris except that he is a motivational speaker and also interested in performance.

Enjoy!

 7 years ago (edited) Reveal Comment

Firstly, I like your idea of using all of these spices in capsules and yes so so affordable! I'm also a huge fan of turmeric and ginger and try to use the fresh roots regularly in cooking as well as the powders but take turmeric powder in capsule form because it's not as easy to eat in the quantity we need. This stuff IS totally golden in value, I completely agree!

And thanks so very much for you generous mention, really feels great :-)

 7 years ago  Reveal Comment

I'm not a vote for vote kind of steemit user so don't worry about your 5 cent vote :-), our connection is more valuable