Ask HN: Do you do drugs while coding? - stonedthrow
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trelliscoded
No, unless the code is nonsensical or really inconsistent, then I wish I knew
how to do drugs.

Oh wait, except Javascript. I don't know how frontend people manage to get
anything done in that carnival funhouse ecosystem if they're _not_ on drugs.
Now that I think about it, the main frontend guy who did our coffeescript
deprecation is kind of a pothead...

~~~
wildrhythms
On the contrary, I think Javascript on its own isn't all that unwieldy;
however, the monolithic toolchain that developers insist on wrapping their
otherwise simple code in is what drives me up the wall.

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medsatwork
Cannabis: Between 6AM - 10PM are Sativas/Hybrids only (aka, a head buzz).
Indicas/Hybrids after 10PM - 5AM (aka, a body buzz). Adderall: 80-120mg per
day over 3 dosings 40mg on wake, 40mg 2pm, and 40mg at 5-7pm. Never drink,
just not my thing. I use to shroom or roll with friends a handful of times per
year (spring cleaning for the mind). We all stopped, but then I got
depression, so I have been sorting out a shroom (or xtc or lsd or k or
whatever seems right) to replace the 6 month on anti-depressants that I forced
myself and doctor off of. Harsher on my system than any drug I've ever taken.
That and Adderall would/will have worst long term effects to organs I assume
and I've tried almost all common and some not-so except heroin and crack nor
would I smoke meth -- those felt and sounded like alice and the rabbit hole
with no return. Never had a problem quitting any drug on a moments notice,
except for the weed. I know, odd, but that is the only one I might never give
up. It calms the anger and frustrations that builds at myself internally
suffering due to my LD (learning disabilities) over the day.

To underscore my point on how harsh the anti-depressants for a few months
were. 10 years or so back, I got MRSA from a dirty beach blanket in an in-grow
calf leg hair (or only thing I can assume). I ended up at emergency room. They
had to give "Drug of Last Resort" Vancomycin
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_of_last_resort](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_of_last_resort)
which 100% wiped out my microbiomes and then some. Still, with no gut bacteria
no food nor illicit drug had even close to harshest ever those effects of that
antidepressant. Never had skin problems, major ones. Never had a day every 45
days or so randomly where I was more depressed than ever while properly taking
it.

~~~
tuesdayrain
There's truly nothing in my life as deeply satisfying as coding on 60mgs of
adderall and a small bowl or two of cannabis. Unfortunately I've gotten
spoiled by looking at code in a state of euphoria, and now I'm completely
unproductive while sober. I can't even bear to spend 20 minutes looking at the
code I was obsessively writing for 18 hours yesterday. It's just too boring
and complex in my normal state of mind. I hope that's just a psychological
thing and not because of any permanent damage. I would love to erase all drugs
from my life but the code I write in 1 day under the influence is easily
better than what I would produce in a month of sobriety.

~~~
medsatwork
I could see others conclude, yes, that is damage or will be from drugs. Which
I disagree, but it could then be argued, that of course due to damage
affecting my thinking and reasons to think otherwise, not true either. But I
don't need to be right, just need to say I know that is one valid angle.

Psychological, your neuro pathways are getting a strong message to build one
of the strongest connections between cannabis and addy. That can be reversed
or reeducated. I think our brains still need majorly heavy hours of liberal
arts, day dreaming, reading books per day or per week + sleep. I use a sleep
calculator too, changed my life way more than I assumed.

~~~
yuppp
What sleep calculator do you use? How has it changed your life?

~~~
medsatwork
I 98.7% (close to 100% is my point) never wake up in REM anymore which is the
"feel tired all day" state you would feel. I get thru at least one or two full
sleep cycles relative to my ability to be percise-ish. I didn't know it was
REM that screwed me. I thought, it was an, "at least 4 hours or you are
screwed" type rule of thumb. The key is to get thru the full 90 minute (avg) 5
stage sleep cycle and then either wake up or commit to 2 cycles, etc. One or
two still has you tired compared to a refreshing 4-5 (low end) or higher. But
I was amazed that waking up in REM in the 5th cycle hurts worse sometimes,
that getting only 90 cycle or two, egress before next round and surprisingly
refresh I can get thru a day. I'm sure a non-layman in the field could turn my
Dr. Suess version of an explanation to a more accurate and nuanced version.
Tried others, more complex, this is perfect for my needs never looked back:

[https://sleepcalculator.com/](https://sleepcalculator.com/)

~~~
ddorian43
Did you also buy a fancy alarm clock or just use the calculator ?

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eecks
not the same, but I use a fitbit to track sleep

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elvecinodeabajo
I smoke cannabis. But sometimes I get so high that finding a coding error may
be frustrating and a long job.

I like cannabis and coding, but I feel I code faster and better (harder,
stronger...) when I'm totally sober.

~~~
atrilumen
I like your honesty.

A little seems to help, especially when you're getting older and it's getting
more painful to stare at text all day.

Too much though, and you might as well take a nap and then get some coffee.
(But if you're an obsessive retard like me, you skip the nap and double the
coffee. The battle waits for no one. To war!)

I _do_ like to brainstorm super high, though. The best ideas seem to
repeatedly emerge from the fog, while dead ends drift away.

But yeah, for getting things done, better to go easy on it.

I say use it if it helps you, but don't fool yourself. Keep it real.

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Dowwie
Coffee. I drink a strong black cup of coffee within my first hour awake and
then have another after lunch.

I am against other forms of performance-enhancing drugs (other than caffeine).
They create a doping culture that is no different from that displayed in
professional sports.

If you have a professionally diagnosed learning disorder, you may find help
from meds. If you have a learning disability, avoid a job that requires you to
program all day . You will be trudging against a perpetual, strong counter-
current that will compound your challenges.

~~~
monadgonad
> I am against other forms of performance-enhancing drugs (other than
> caffeine). They create a doping culture that is no different from that
> displayed in professional sports.

It is different because programmers aren’t directly competing with each other
under controlled conditions. If caffeine were illegal, would you still be in
favour of it?

> If you have a serious, professionally diagnosed learning disability, maybe
> you shouldn't try programming all day?

If someone can program effectively with a prescribed drug, why on earth
shouldn’t they? Not allowing a disabled person to do a job that they can with
some reasonable adjustments made by the employer is legal discrimination.

Between those two comments, it just sounds like you’re afraid of being
outperformed by people who are prescribed drugs you can’t get legally.

~~~
Dowwie
Oh, _I_ can easily be outperformed by people not on drugs.

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stuaxo
No, it would be a waste of drugs.

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edoceo
Weed only. Only when working on rough-draft/poc code. Oh, and making
architecture diagram.

I can either see the big picture clearly, draw.

Or I see the narrow problem in detail. Crank that Boston+Rush playlist and
code one component complete but rough.

Also, sometimes I've got to grind through managerial paperwork, so reefer
there too.

When I moved to Seattle I learned of a "Northwest speedball" \- espresso+weed.

Oh and I use alcohol at nearly every sales/networking function.

~~~
tim44
I like your seeing the big picture remark. I've felt before like I best
understood a system, high. Mostly for me it makes for half refactored code.
It's better to smoke and browse documentation/learn.

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cultus
I sometimes smoke a small bowl of cannabis if it's getting late in the day and
I'm becoming frustrated over a problem. It helps me continue working without
throwing my laptop out the window. It can also aid my creativity, which can be
useful.

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raidicy
If I am learning something brand new I prefer to be sober. But if I'm doing
something I know or iterating on previous concepts I like to be high. I am
definitely slower while high, however. And after a couple bowls over the day
my brain gets too fogged to do anything complex. I've got RSI and that makes
things slow anyway but when I'm high I'm less frustrated by it. Especially
when WSR doesn't recognize what I say 5+ times in a row.

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kyaltada
Modafinil a few times a week, until I get headaches. And then I stop for a
couple of days. Been meaning to get hold of some Adderall. Other than that,
caffeine via drink (coffee/energy drink). Weed isn't a drug I'd pair with
coding. I'm only an occasional smoker anyway. And I don't drink alcohol very
often. Only really drink as part of social obligation.

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neverminder
Modafinil can (sometimes literally) save your life when you're sleep deprived
or during a crunch time. Not to be abused, obviously. Everything else just
fails in at least one of 3 ways: tolerance build up, side effects or just not
enough impact.

~~~
ParanoidShroom
I've seen it being abused by people who are creeping into a burnout. Making
the burn in deeper.

Like any stim, especially in our community, be careful.

It sure is fun, but pretty much wasted if doing on a day to day job.

~~~
cultus
I've never used it, but it does have far, far lower abuse potential than
traditional stims such adderall or other amphetamines. I could definitely buy
that psychological dependence could occur pretty easily, though.

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throwaway080383
Coffee. If I need to slog through something tedious I'll drink a beer or two.

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xfitm3
Yes. I’d rather not say what exactly but it’s common in my circles.

~~~
CringeExpert
please tell us

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xbjxjej
I feel like I'm on drugs (amphetamine specifically) while coding.

edit: and it is annoying, addictive and inefficient, I would've preferred to
have a clear head.

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work_is_play
Caffeine. I've tried to code while high, but it didn't work well. I got
stumped trying to name variables.

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CringeExpert
Cannabis makes it harder to focus.

Caffeine works top notch tho.

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Findeton
Just coffee.

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jononor
Only sugar.

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maceurt
Coffee and energy drinks.

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shapiro92
never tried

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thisone
no

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Cypher
no

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baybal2
no

