
Ask HN: Thoughts on performance-enhancing drugs? - clicks
I'm 21 years old, an electrical engineering student, and feeling a little defeated--because I haven't been doing very well in my classes (and other things in general). I've isolated the problem to be with my will power - I never take initiatives, and I keep procrastinating on doing homework. I also have a hunch that I don't get as much out of the lectures as my peers do.<p>Yesterday my older brother approached me and proposed the idea of taking performance-enhancing drugs (I forget the names, but I assume he named the more prominent drugs for attention-deficit disorder, 'confidence-heightening' and all that that you've probably heard of). Naturally, for my convictions, I ran the other way. I myself used to be the one who would vociferously debate against these drugs (on the line that if I'm unhappy, then it's for a reason - something happened to me, a certain natural chain of events... getting at the problem with chemical changes to the body sounds like a terrifically frightening idea; likewise, in school, I always thought that ADHD was ... well, nothing, that the kids were simply spoiled and just not trying hard enough). Alas, things have changed quite a bit.<p>I would greatly appreciate if any of you could voice your thoughts on performance-enhancing drugs.<p>(Lastly, I'm sorry if my asking isn't appropriate/on-topic for this place, but I thought for my own good I best ask the question to the community I esteem most highly :))
======
silentbicycle
This question seems to come up periodically here.

I wouldn't even consider nootropics until you're already getting plenty of
sleep, eating well, exercising regularly, and not using too much caffeine or
alcohol. Those things have a much bigger impact on your state of mind.
Nootropics are attractive in part because they represent the dream of
sharpening your focus _without all that boring lifestyle stuff_.

Piracetam is cheap, studied (at least compared to the rest...), and doesn't
have any particularly bad side effects. If you're going to take _anything_ ,
that might be a better place to start than amphetamines (!) such as adderall.
Of course, I'm not a doctor, but I doubt you are, either.

I've had the best results with green tea (which includes l-theanine) and
getting enough sleep, FWIW. (Also, meditation helps.)

~~~
clicks
Then it's settled. Just having read all of the comments made, I'm happy to see
that there is somewhat of a consensus here- along the lines of what you
yourself said: "I wouldn't even consider nootropics until you're already
getting plenty of sleep, eating well, exercising regularly, and not using too
much caffeine or alcohol" - I don't get a lot of sleep (haven't been getting
it for the last 6 or so years, averaging in at 5-6 hours/day), my eating
habits have been unhealthy since my childhood, I never exercise (I'm extremely
thin despite of that), and I have been drinking British/Indian tea (with lots
of sugar and milk) probably in what's considered an 'excess amount' since my
earliest memory (but no alcohol, weed, or Halo :)).

I'll try my darnedest in the forthcoming semester to have better
sleeping/eating/exercising habits. Thank you everyone for taking the time to
reply. (I was thinking to add a few more details to my questions and replies
that I think are unique in my case, i.e., I hail from a third-world country,
the first time I attended school was in America at the age of 12, and I have
severe social anxiety, which, very strangely, I trace back to having conflicts
in living in a multi-cultural family - but I decided not to add these details,
since it would make for a disheveled, disorderly discussion). Thanks again
everyone. :)

~~~
enedi
Good luck to you! It wasn't until this past semester that I developed much
better sleeping/study habits. Trying to be a superstar with 5 hours of sleep
is dumb (unless that's enough for you =P .) Actually _being_ a superstar with
as much as sleep as you need is much, much smarter.

Also, this made me chuckle a little bit, just because, coincidentally, this is
on the front page: <http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=660720>.

------
maukdaddy
I'm not trying to sound like an ass - but really?! Why do we (mostly
Americans) always want to turn to drugs to solve problems? Too lazy to eat
well and exercise - pop a cholesterol drug! Too lazy to motivate yourself and
study - pop some "performance enhancing" drug.

Here's an amazing thing I learned in college - there is always someone who is
smarter than you. A lot smarter than you. The sooner you learn this, the
sooner you can stop worrying so much about getting as much from the lectures
as peers, doing as well on tests, etc. You have to learn to be comfortable
with your abilities. The even more amazing thing is that you don't have to be
the smartest person to do well in life and achieve success.

~~~
asciilifeform
> Too lazy to eat well and exercise - pop a cholesterol drug! Too lazy to
> motivate yourself and study...

<http://yarchive.net/med/lifestyle_drugs.html>

------
greengirl512
I've used Adderall for "performance enhancement"-usually writing essays and/or
studying all night in college. Used occasionally, I'll admit it was helpful.
Loved it. But if you don't have ADHD and you use it all the time, it can hurt
you. These drugs are pretty powerful stimulants and can cause some pretty
serious problems if you abuse them with any frequency. Also, Adderall won't
give you willpower. If your problem is that you can't focus and get
distracted, it might help you remain focused and be more productive. But if
your problem is just that you'd rather play Halo, you're just going to become
a more focused Halo player.

Before you try performance-enhancing drugs, I think you need to examine why
you're having problems studying. Are you just not interested in the material?
Maybe you need to be studying something that captures your imagination. Are
you depressed? In that case, if you can't find an underlying cause, you may
need antidepressants or therapy or both.

~~~
bretthoerner
> But if you don't have ADHD and you use it all the time, it can hurt you.

How so? I don't think taking Adderall with or without ADHD has any different
effect on the body. The doctor needs to monitor your heart rate and blood
pressure closely either way.

edit: Down voted... for what? I'm asking for a citation. FWIW, I have first
hand experience and am (legitimately/legally) on Adderall.

~~~
FluidDjango
As I understand it, there _is_ a very different way these meds work in folks
with/without ADHD. With kids at least: it is paradoxical how "hyper" kids are
_calmed_ by the use of stimulants - unlike the effects of stimulants on the
rest of us.

There are other threads here on hackers' experience with ritalin / adderal /
their benefits, addiction potential, and side effects. There has also been an
item in news in last couple days about a cardiac death for a teen prescribed
one of these stimulants. Buyer (and patient) be ware: especially if your doc
has not checked you out for contraindications.

~~~
jules
> With kids at least: it is paradoxical how "hyper" kids are calmed by the use
> of stimulants - unlike the effects of stimulants on the rest of us.

I doubt it's that simple. ADHD isn't one disease. It's a lot of things lumped
together under one name.

~~~
blueben
What "things lumped together"? Please substantiate. Having ADD, and having
kept up on research for years, I find your assertion that it isn't a disease
new and surprising.

~~~
jules
I'm not saying that you don't have a disease if you have ADD, I'm saying that
ADD is not ONE disease. But I've experienced before that people who have ADD
are sensitive to claims that it's not a disease (but note that I didn't say
that).

Here's an excerpt from wikipedia:

> DSM-IV criteria > I. Either A or B:[32] A. Six or more of the following
> symptoms of inattention have been present for at least 6 months to a point
> that is disruptive and inappropriate for developmental level: > Often does
> not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in
> schoolwork, work, or other activities. Often has trouble keeping attention
> on tasks or play activities. > Often does not seem to listen when spoken to
> directly. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork,
> chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or
> failure to understand instructions). > Often has trouble organizing
> activities. > Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take
> a lot of mental effort for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or
> homework). > Often loses things needed for tasks and activities (e.g. toys,
> school assignments, pencils, books, or tools). > Is often easily distracted.
> > Often forgetful in daily activities.

Note that these vague criteria don't mention physical causes, making it highly
unlikely that there's one clear physical cause for ADD in different people.

That brings me to what I don't believe:

> With kids at least: it is paradoxical how "hyper" kids are calmed by the use
> of stimulants - unlike the effects of stimulants on the rest of us.

If there is no clear physical cause, then how likely is this?

~~~
blueben
The clear physical cause is something of a misleading question. What matters
more in this context is that whatever multiple causes most likely result in a
similar systemic behavior (or failure). With ADD that seems to be pre-frontal
cortex impairment and is backed up by statistical analysis of various types of
neural imaging studies.

In short, though the causes may be as varied as genetic in origin to pre-
frontal cortex injury in a collision (injuries sustained in front-end crashes
which significantly damage the PFC can lead to ADHD-like symptoms), they all
lead to similar systemic failures. These similar failures appear to respond
quite similarly to stimulant treatment. The key here is that we're treating a
systemic problem rather than addressing a specific origin.

------
aarongough
My first question would be:

Do you enjoy what you're doing?

I've noticed that most people who complain about having trouble with
motivation, willpower and procrastination when it comes to their job (or
'occupation' in the case of a student like yourself) actually hate what they
are doing.

If you don't enjoy the things you should be spending your time on then
obviously it's going to be hard to get the motivation to do them.

My first point of recourse in this situation would be to examine exactly what
your motivations are behind taking this course. Is it because you love it or
because your parents told you to, or because you couldn't think of anything
else to do? If the answer is anything other than "Because I enjoy it" then you
probably need to re-examine your decision.

~~~
pj
The thought that everything we do must be enjoyable is the wrong attitude. I
think that is the attitude that has gotten us in trouble. There are a lot of
things in life that we have to do that we don't enjoy doing. Taking certain
pre-requisite courses is an example. I didn't _like_ organic chemistry, but I
did _like_ the idea of being a doctor some day, so I _had_ to take Organic
Chemistry.

The converse is also true, you can't have something just because you _want_
it. Sometimes you have to work for things. You have to practice and try hard.

The simple fact of the matter is, if you don't have the will power to say, "I
will do these hard things I don't like doing because I want these other things
later in life." Then you are probably on the wrong course or simply _not cut
out for it_.

We do have to make sacrifices and it sounds like that sacrifice for the OP is
going to class, studying the material, and doing well -- even if he doesn't
_want_ to take that particular course.

~~~
aarongough
I don't think that there's anything wrong with wanting to do only the things
you enjoy. I would strongly disagree with the idea that doing so has gotten
anyone in trouble.

Granted that sometimes the things you enjoy entail doing additional things
that you may not enjoy so much, but if you really enjoy what you are doing
then mostly you will be able to justify this as part of the big picture.

Personally I think that the idea that we all need to do things that make us
money rather than the things we enjoy is what has made a lot of people over
the years very unhappy.

Imagine working a job you hate for your entire life because you think, or have
been told, that it's all you can do. We live in a society that allows us to
surpass squandering our lives this way, we should endeavor to do so whenever
we can.

------
htsh
Be careful. I had a nightmare of a time with Adderall, which led to a manic
episode and a year of my life lost to recovery. Whatever you do, don't ask us,
ask your doctor.

Its a rare side effect but it happens for folks who are susceptible to
depression or bipolar stuff..

~~~
fiaz
Absolutely correct - please consult with your doctor before you take any
advice off of the internet. Messing around with your neural circuitry may
cause more harm than good.

~~~
Zak
I feel the need to caution the OP that the average doctor can't be counted on
to know more about messing around with neural circuitry than random people you
find on the Internet. We simply don't have the scientific knowledge at this
point to make reliable predictions about the effect of drugs like adderall on
a given person.

From what I've been able to tell, all drugs that act as neurotransmitter
reuptake inhibitors (including amphetamines like adderall) have a strong
potential to cause unpredictable and undesirable side effects. It seems wise
to use such drugs only as a last resort to treat a debilitating condition.
Lack of motivation suggests you might want to find something more compelling
to work on.

------
Adlai
I've had a bit of personal experience with Ritalin. I focus very well on
things which interest me, but I have a much harder time focusing on anything
less interesting. I tried Ritalin very briefly (for a few weeks). As far as I
could tell, it just made everything equally "interesting", and I could focus
on whatever I chose to.

Definitely consult with a doctor, preferably one who specializes in this type
of medication. Keep in mind that everything has a side-effect, and that mixing
various drugs (illegal _or not_ ) can have unexpected results. In other words,
learn as much as you can about anything you might use, and decide whether to
use it based on that.

I'm also about whether AD(H)D is a real condition in the sense that some
people have it, and others don't. However, I definitely agree with the
sentiment in one of the other replies below, of how it's like vision --
everybody has a different preciseness of vision. If your vision is bad enough,
you get glasses. If you believe that your attention problems are bad enough
(they seem to be, from your post), then consult with a doctor.

I hope you find a good treatment.

~~~
rntz
As an ADHD-affected person myself, the above resonates strongly with me as a
description of its symptoms, and indeed of my thoughts regarding ADHD itself.
I have been on ADHD medication (first Ritalin, then Concerta; both use
methylphenidate as their active ingredient, as opposed to Adderall) for over a
decade now, and have suffered negligible ill effects.

One thing in particular I'd like to note is that my dosage has steadily
decreased over the years, not just because my symptoms have become less
severe, but because I have noticed there is a certain "threshold" dosage - not
just of methylphenidate, but of stimulants in general - beyond which the
effects of further medication or stimulants on me change. This change is not a
complete reversal; a stimulant is still a stimulant. But up to this threshold,
stimulants aid my ability to resist impulses and concentrate on things I may
not be interested in, while beyond it, they make me hyperactive and give me
the jitters without significantly aiding my concentration. Furthering the
vision analogy, this threshold seems to me the logical equivalent of 20/20
vision. This threshold dosage has itself been steadily decreasing. (My actual
vision, on the other hand, has been steadily getting worse.)

------
jnorthrop
I'll respond to you with a question: What end do you expect from the
"enhancement?" Better grades, leading to a better paying job?

Those a nice goals but it's not life's be-all end-all and not worth the risks
of taking those drugs in my opinion. A modest house, with a spouse and family
who love you and a decent job where they respect your work and that presents
challenges from time to time, doesn't sound all that exciting but can make for
a long and happy life.

... sorry if that's a bit preachy.

~~~
jrockway
Also, IME, nobody has ever asked me for my grades. Even having the piece of
paper is less relevant than "real world experience" these days.

If class is boring, find some way to distinguish yourself. (If you can't do
that, _then_ you need good grades. If you can't do either, then you picked the
wrong field.)

------
k0n2ad
I've used Adderall, Concerta (Methylphenidate, like Ritalin) and Modafinal
when I was in college. Adderall, which I would bum off my friend's
prescription, pretty much gave me a rush of focus power and euphoria, which I
usually squandered on things that weren't my schoolwork (guitar playing,
wikipedia surfing and video games). I then got "diagnosed" with ADHD so I got
a prescription to Concerta. Concerta was similar to Adderall, but given that
it was sustained release, it lasted longer and worked differently depending on
how I ate. I actually crashed really hard on it. I stopped using that after a
while and just relied heavily on caffeine, along with learning methods to
focus naturally.

Modafinal is an interesting drug. It just makes you feel awake and alert,
without feeling like you are tweaked. It saved me when I pulled all nighters.
Stayed awake for 3 nights once during finals and it was one of the strangest
and most uncomfortable trips I've ever been on - but that's a digression I
should save for Erowid.org.

That being said, if you rely on "cognitive enhancers" (I hate the euphemism,
more like "speed") now, you may have to rely on them for everything in the
future. They don't cure your symptoms, they just mask them. The thing is,
focus should come about naturally because you have a passion for something. I
believe that you would feel the most success from developing the ability to
focus on your own. Did you try exercise? Meditation? Are you simply
overloading yourself with too many courses? Are you in the right degree
program? Such activities and considerations, though a greater time investment
with more room for failure, are healthy ways to get your brain "in the zone"
and prepare yourself for future cognitive demands in life.

Or, you can depend on drugs. It's really your choice.

People with "ADHD" have a broad range of symptoms that are conveniently lumped
together and treated with various drugs on a trial and error basis. The
science of psychology is still greatly in it's infancy. We still have a lot to
learn about symptoms such as the inability to focus, hyperactivity,
impulsivity and the like. It is highly probable that there is an underlying
cause to any or all of these symptoms, one that has been fostered as we were
growing up. The whole "chemical imbalance" theory really irks me - there is
probably an environmental reason to most of the "chemical imbalances" that we
read about, hear about or experience.

Another thing to try is getting a really good therapist (hard to come by) and
talking these things out - figuring out on your own. In either case, good luck
to you.

------
charlesju
For the first three years of college I was in your exact same position. I had
no idea how to do well in school, constantly blamed myself for "sucking", and
this was a pretty awful downward spiral.

Then on New Year's Eve, approaching my final year in college, I decided to
shape up and just suck it up. My GPA for my last year in college was over a
whole point higher than my average for the last 3.

This is what I did:

1\. Sleep at 11, wake up at 7. 2\. Eat on a strict diet. 3\. Exercise
everyday. 4\. Sit in the first row of class. 5\. Do your homework in-between
classes. Treat school like work, it's a 9-5 job, then you're done. 6\. Still
party like a rock-star on weekends and selected weekdays.

------
jrockway
I think you just need to find something interesting to do. Is getting a piece
of paper saying you know EE interesting? If not, don't do it. If so, study
harder.

Personally, I've found that I can go for days without doing anything useful if
I am trying to avoid boring work. I feel really tired and generally run down.
The way I combat this is to do something interesting, and let the momentum
help me do boring things. (Video games also seem to help, a cup of coffee and
an hour of Geometry Wars puts me in a great mood.)

Anyway, if I were going to go on drugs, I would do it in a structured way.
Don't medicate yourself, get a doctor. Before you start taking anything, get
in the habit of keeping a diary. Write down what you are thinking, how you
feel, ideas you have, what you did with the day. Then, start your medication.
Keep writing your in journal. If something changes, it should be easy to see.
Your drugs might not make you more useful, they might just be lowering your
standards. (My friends think they are much more interesting than they actually
are when on certain recreational drugs.)

Finally, maybe your standards are just out of whack, and you are imagining
things that aren't true. I often feel inadequate, even when I consider that I
have written 100+ pieces of software that people actually use (with about 10
maintained at any given time), I've written a book, I write a moderately
popular blog, I am invited to give talks around the world, and have high HN
and StackOverflow karma. I think we always feel that we can do better, but
that's not a medical condition, that's just ambition. You should stop to think
about whether you are actually doing as badly as you think you are.

~~~
k0n2ad
I agree for the most part, but a lot of interesting degree programs contain
lots and lots of boring and tedious work, no? :)

------
barryfandango
I languished in my computer science degree in much the same way. I graduated
with good marks but it was like pulling teeth. I questioned whether I had
chosen the correct path.

Now that I'm a programmer in the real world though, I love my job and I've
learned more since entering the workforce than I ever did in school. The
passion has gone from 2 to 9 and the rest flows from that. Maybe you're just
not wired for the college learning format - god knows I wasn't.

------
jonshea
When it comes to sports I always say that I’d rather have exciting sports than
fair sports, and I’d rather have fair sports than clean sports. I’m a fan of
pro-cycling, so doping news is in my life a lot. My favorite comments on
intelligence doping come from the Becker-Posner blog:

[http://www.becker-posner-
blog.com/archives/2008/03/intellige...](http://www.becker-posner-
blog.com/archives/2008/03/intelligence_do.html) [http://www.becker-posner-
blog.com/archives/2008/03/comment_o...](http://www.becker-posner-
blog.com/archives/2008/03/comment_on_inte.html)

I especially like Posner’s closing paragraph:

Of course the naturally gifted will object to any "artificial" enhancements
that enable others to compete with them. But it is not obvious why their
objections should be given weight from a public policy standpoint. It is not
as if allowing such enhancements would be likely to discourage the naturally
gifted from developing and using their gifts (it might have the opposite
effect, by creating greater competition for them), let alone discouraging
bright people from seeking out other people to marry and produce children by.

------
avinashv
Take it from someone who just finished a degree—you sound like you aren't
enjoying your major. I entered college as an engineer, and found that after
some time, I was in your position. Your lack of motivation might be because
you—like me—are underwhelmed at what the program offered you.

Obviously, it's a life-changing decision that shouldn't be taken lightly, but
consider moving to something that you're more passionate about. My life
changed tremendously (for the better, if that wasn't clear) when I switched to
a major that I was more passionate about.

If it helps, I'm no longer an engineer. I initially thought it was just me,
then just my college, but now I've spoken to enough people to know that
engineering programs aren't generally what a lot of people expect.

------
ScottWhigham
This is a great place for these types of questions. It's been discussed before
here quite a bit - <http://searchyc.com/search/yc> is down now or I could
offer a few links.

I don't consider Adderall/Ritalin/Concerta "performance-enhancing drugs" if
you have ADHD. The way my son's doctor explained was great: having ADHD is
sort of like having 20/60 vision. If you have 20/60 vision, you need glasses
to be able to focus. Kids with ADHD need help focusing in exactly the same way
and that's where the drugs come in.

Now, there are several performance-enhancing drugs that I've seen people talk
about here but I can't remember them. Sorry.

------
fburnaby
I just finished my EE degree. I did well, but it certainly wasn't by getting
lots out of lectures (though going to them probably _is_ a good idea).

The trick is to have friends to study with. I always had a hard time focusing
on the coursework by myself. It's dry, at least _as presented at school_.
Study with friends, and explore the material with them by coming up with
ridiculous possible applications for whatever you're learning.

As a bonus, the friends you make at the library will probably be better to
have than the ones you'll make taking drugs. ;)

------
ErrantX
I used to have the same problems.

I feel though that taking drugs to improve matters is only covering up more
crucial factors that lead to this behaviour. Are you bored of the course (my
problem).

Are you at uni? or another level of education? At university I eventually
realised the course is immaterial - I ignored most of my lectures and scraped
through each year because of partying and socialising.I dont regret that and
recommend it to everyone - do what's needed and come away with an ok degree.
But dont sacrifice the MOST ipmportant part of higher ed (getting out there,
meeting people, haveing a good time) just to get a slightly better grade.

I also did an electrical engineering degree (this is a bit scary :o) and found
my main problem was a disappointment in the course. There was a lot of content
I didnt like (power electronics) despite being on an embedded systems course.
Once I addressed that the degree improved but not majorly.

I came out with a 2:1 [mostly due to a corker of a finals thesis which bumbed
me up a lot] and certainly could have got a first - but not w/o a lot of work.
I think the trade off was worth it threefold or more!

In my case the issues are lot better now I am in the real world working - my
job is what I really enjoy doing so I can focus on it. That helps a lot. I
also took time to fight my willpower issues - they aint great but I am working
on it bit by bit :)

Fix any issues before you consider drugs - something is likely causing the
problem (be they course related or not) and you just gotta nail that. :) good
luck

------
peripatetic
I disagree w/ a lot of what is stated here about: "don't cover up the problem"
or "get your life in order then try medication."

I got a lot of the same bad advice and I wasted years flagellating myself to
try to get my life in order first. Well, turns out that I have a "real"
problem. The 2nd or 3rd day on medication it was like, "wow, all those guys
that could balance their checkbook, get the essay in on time, etc, and would
condescend to me, and tell me i just needed to "buckle down" well, wholly
sh8t, if their minds work like this the whole time... well, damnit they were
cheating!" medication can improve the tools you need to get your life in
order.

so, you need to answer for yourself if you have a "real" problem. if you do,
medication could help immensely. For me it probably saved my life.

But, like other comments, its no panacea. if you really have ADD, well you
need to work at it too in addition to medication.

------
mping
Dude, the purpose of effort is to gain skills and confidence, not just getting
things done. Start small. Progress slowly but steadily.

Taking drugs to solve your problem seems to be a way of solving the symptoms,
not the root cause. If you don't want to take drugs for your whole life, you
are better off going to the root cause of your lack of will power TODAY.

As for a better way of improving your will power and confidence, I suggest you
talk to your friends, go to a doctor, try sports, meditation, play in a band,
or do whatever you feel you need to be done. Get some professional advice if
you thing it'll make you some good - making a diagnosis over http is not my
mojo :) Just make sure you are on the right track.

As a side note, I'm not against drugs. Sometimes you need them in order to get
pass some barriers, but I seem them like a kool-aid quick patch instead of a
good code base refactor ;)

------
edw519
"Naturally, for my convictions, I ran the other way. I myself used to be the
one who would vociferously debate against these drugs (on the line that if I'm
unhappy, then it's for a reason - something happened to me, a certain natural
chain of events... getting at the problem with chemical changes to the body
sounds like a terrifically frightening idea..."

You already know the right answer. Stick with your convictions.

I disagree with only one word you said. You would not be "getting at the
problem" with chemical changes, you'd be "getting at the effect".

I'm a firm believer in

    
    
      If A causes B and B is bad, don't treat B, remove A.
    

You already know this. Good. Find your A and remove it. Have fun and good
luck.

------
bokonist
Your brain may be signaling to you that doing well in class is not actually a
good use of your time. You should listen to your brain, and figure out goals
you actually believe in. The motivation then follows.

------
lallysingh
Frankly I'd go after the motivation/procrastination problem. If you're 21/EE,
then you're probably hitting close to burnout.

I spent many years of undergrad & grad school drinking to vent stress, but
eventually it wasn't doing it for me. I got a motorcycle and I picked up a
martial art. I haven't been happier.

Look around for better ways to vent stress, not work better under excess
stress. The former's a lot easier and more pleasant than the second.

------
fendale
I would say all drugs have side effects and should be avoided.

If you are always procrastinating on your studies, maybe it's because you just
are not very interested in what you are studying? Getting through a 3 or 4
year degree you have little interest in is a very tough task. I have seen very
smart friends fail just about every CS exam they took for this very reason -
they had no interest, no will power to study and ended up failing.

------
randallsquared
If you can achieve your goals without drugs, I'd recommend that. Drugs are
rarely precision fixes; taking the drugs we have now is akin to fixing a clock
with a hammer: even when it works, something else is probably broken now.

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donaldc
_I've isolated the problem to be with my will power - I never take
initiatives, and I keep procrastinating on doing homework._

Drugs will not fix this problem. You need to improve your willpower and your
study habits.

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GHFigs
Habit and conditioning beat willpower and discipline almost all the time.
Drugs won't change that at their best, and at their worst they represent a
shining example of it.

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asciilifeform
Required reading:

(1) [http://radian.org/notebook/wp-
content/uploads/2009/04/brain-...](http://radian.org/notebook/wp-
content/uploads/2009/04/brain-botox.pdf)

(2) <http://yarchive.net/med/nootropics.html>

(3) <http://yarchive.net/med/lifestyle_drugs.html>

No. 3 is for understanding why most of the prominent naysayers in the field
don't have your best interests in mind. No. 1 and 2 will educate you about
what substances are available and what trade-offs their use entails.

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joel_feather
Find people to compete against. Start with the bottom of the class.

