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130 Comments
- inactive, on 01/06/2009, -1/+67"if you experience a thought lasting for more than 4 hours, consult a physician"
- fluidfoundation, on 01/06/2009, -3/+52Nothing like a fresh pack of Mentats before you attempt to hack a terminal.
- dystra, on 01/06/2009, -10/+38Digg me if your getting through life/college/work without the help of drugs like these.
- terrachronos, on 01/06/2009, -4/+27I wonder how many of the "seven leading bioethicists and neuroscientists" have accepted money or other gratis from the makers of these drugs.
- wrobson, on 01/06/2009, -0/+21There's nothing like watching a library full of students hopped up on a prescription version of 'speed' as they cram for 5-10 hours at a time trying to learn what they missed throughout the whole semester.
But hey, maybe its time to ask ourselves if we really need to learn that much these days as we have google right in our pockets now. - RobotBuddha, on 01/06/2009, -0/+17Yes and no. For simple fact retrieval, google is a godsend. But one also has to have a firm base in basic methodology for all fields with any relevance to one's profession. Simply because creativity comes from interlinking seemingly foreign concepts into a whole within a new situation. If piece b isn't in your head already when slot a comes into view, you're not going to make the mental connection because there's nothing to trigger a need to look up information about b.
- WhiskeyLemur, on 06/30/2009, -0/+17Keeping your brain active is, on average, supposed to reduce the incidence and severity of Alzheimers - but yes, I'd be really hesitant to jump on this bandwagon until we see some long-term studies.
- MalarkeyPN, on 01/06/2009, -1/+17"wouldn't of"
That's gotta be a grammar joke. Right, Mr. Stanford grad? - bnitro, on 01/06/2009, -0/+142 Months Later: "Smart Pills will melt your brain, more at 11!"
- Lixie, on 01/06/2009, -1/+15Pills are for the weak! I made Dean's list on nothing but whiskey and pizza!
- inactive, on 01/06/2009, -0/+10Well, whatever it takes to keep finding new reasons to dish out prescription drugs to the population.
Whatever happened to the old saying "the world needs ditch-diggers too"? - feignNU, on 01/06/2009, -0/+10I think you've missed their point. It is reiterated quite clearly at the end of the article. I quote:
Says Farah, "When my colleagues and I called for a more open mind and rational debate on cognitive enhancement, we were not saying, 'Yeah, let's everybody take these [controlled] substances.' What we are saying is that these drugs are being used and it's very important for physicians to talk to their patients and give them the information and supervision they deserve and for more research to be done."
Not everything is a giant corporate conspiracy designed to further enslave you and your mind. - BrettFromTibet, on 01/06/2009, -0/+9I've tried Modafinil (Provigil) and it is a remarkable substance... nothing like Ritalin or amphetamines.. much cleaner and more promising cognitive technology...
- TopherT, on 01/06/2009, -6/+15Alcohol, Caffine, THC, the food you eat, the contaminants in the air you breathe, your own body chemistry, these are all chaotic variables in a system in which we risk our health every day. If there are clinical studies saying that these smart drugs are safe, who the ***** are you to disparage or deny their use by others. Dick.
- funkydude101, on 01/06/2009, -0/+8Maybe he forgot his dose this morning.
- Sloi, on 01/06/2009, -0/+7Pop all the nootropics you want, that average or slightly above-average IQ of yours won't change in any significant manner... if at all. It might help with memory retention and temporary clarity of thought, however...
- v0ider, on 01/06/2009, -1/+8Yeah, so when you get a heart attack, the doctor can just search for a tutorial on google.
- brad016, on 01/06/2009, -3/+10Well I do pop some Mentats whenever I attach Fusion Pulse Charges to Undetonated Nukes and I gotta say the results are Beautiful!
- luke374, on 01/06/2009, -2/+9That would be weed. On adderall you'll have a hundred thoughts a minute.
- JROXZ, on 01/06/2009, -5/+11Where can I get SUM!!!!
OMNOMNOMNOMNOM - RobotBuddha, on 01/06/2009, -0/+6Depends what you're putting under that banner. Piracetam and the like, I'd agree. But modafinil has shown statistically significant, even if somewhat minor, gains in the IQ of people with slightly above average scores.
- DLit, on 01/06/2009, -2/+8I take adderall, and i have to say it sure does work. I feel focused and attentive thru out the day, and i can deff. tell when i dont take it. My grades have improved because of this drug
- Aleman360, on 01/06/2009, -0/+6One problem is that making them OTC would lead to socio-economic discrimination. People who can't afford them would be at a (severe) disadvantage at school or at their jobs compared to those who can.
- linuxpenguin, on 01/07/2009, -0/+6People seem to think that anyone can just take pills and be better off. Adderall, Concerta and the like don't help you unless you have ADHD, except in situations where really any stimulant will help you. (In fact one of the first things they tell you when you go through therapy or read books about ADHD is that you need to thwart the temptation to self-medicate - coffee, soda, and such will all help you focus, but the level of caffeine in your system will go up and down, which is not helpful - and drinking that much caffeine is bad for you.)
I think the best way to put it, is that the drugs don't make you focused or make you concentrate - they make it so that you can focus. You have to decide to do it though. - Eorster, on 01/06/2009, -0/+6You are all spoiled. We use to pop those crappy Vivarin and No Doze back in the day. We were not as fortunate as you youngsters with all your fancy drinks and designer productivity improving drugs . Did I mention walking to 5 miles to school in 2 feet of snow? Blah.
- Wodewick, on 01/07/2009, -0/+5I've been taking dextroamphetamine daily for eight years, and it's nothing like Red Bull. For those with a medical necessity, it actually has a calming effect, reduces fidgeting, and helps focus your attention. In some cases it does cause hyper-focus, but that's not always a bad thing. And it doesn't make you smarter. What it does is provide clarity, organization, and orderly processing of thoughts, effectively allowing a higher level of cognitive functioning.
In very simple terms, it makes your brain run more smoothly, and allows you to sustain a higher level of focus for a longer period of time. It also makes it easier to walk in snow, particularly when walking uphill, at distances of 5 miles or greater. - Metasquares, on 01/07/2009, -0/+5It's the other way around, really... evolution has dictated the use of certain chemicals in neural signaling. What we're doing is altering that chemical balance and thus altering the signaling behavior. Why isn't it that way from the start? The fact that these drugs have side effects may answer that question. Evolution converges on fundamentally locally (rather than globally) optimal solutions anyway; it's entirely possible that a more efficient balance exists that was simply never adopted.
- Gr00ver, on 01/06/2009, -0/+5So popping smart pills gives you wiiings?
- xanderdavis, on 01/06/2009, -2/+7that comment made my day
- linuxpenguin, on 01/07/2009, -0/+5Thanks for clarifying, I couldn't read the first sentence.
- kolop1, on 01/06/2009, -1/+6I get through life just fine without those and I've been diagnosed with ADD.
- inactive, on 01/06/2009, -1/+6I just smoke a ton of weed. They say it causes neurogenesis. What was I talking about?
- Simplysped, on 01/06/2009, -1/+5Any GABAholics like me?
- Locke220, on 01/07/2009, -0/+4This is a very important issue, beyond socioeconomics. Those that can't afford them, those that experience adverse effects, and those that don't believe in drug-use will all be at a disadvantage. More and more people start making financial, health, and moral sacrifices in order to compete, until everybody is on an equal playing field again, except this time, constantly medicated. It will be like professional body-building - steroids are a requirement, not an option, with no end benefit to the athletes or the sport.
- Dr0x, on 01/06/2009, -0/+4You sure your friends were taking it responsibly? I have been taking it as prescribed for over 3 years with no problems. I am currently working on a degree in psychology and because of my experiences with ADHD I tend focus most of my research projects and papers on things relating to ADHD. However, I have never seen anything even close to the side effects you are listing in relation to taking stimulants. Sounds more like your friends took up smoking weed.
- anstice85, on 01/08/2009, -0/+4No. It's called being an arrogant prick.
- Dr0x, on 01/06/2009, -0/+4Is it still considered a "quick fix" if after even after 7+ years of trying different methods to get a kid to succeed at a level they are capable of continually fails to work? What should happen? Is it better for that kid to never understand that he actually has the potential people have been telling him he has for the past 7 years? Should someone never get the opportunity to feel what it is like to succeed at something they previously thought they couldn't?
- swordfishbg, on 01/06/2009, -5/+9The only thing that is unsettling about this growing trend is the long term effects these drugs have on your brain. Alzheimer's anyone?
- homescrubb, on 01/06/2009, -0/+4my father was addicted to amphetamine for 35 years, and now that he is off of it he is a completely different person- almost completely unable to feel and/or express emotion. and honestly that kind of sucks
- Dr0x, on 01/06/2009, -1/+5I would have to disagree with you there. First off I hate to be a prick but to say 90% of people abuse stimulants based only upon your personal experience is pretty irresponsible. I personally was diagnosed with ADHD my Junior year of High school and have been taking adderall since then and am currently a junior in college. Although I can't speak for everyone, there are people out there who are responsible with their medication. The stigma attached to taking stimulants is one that many people have a hard time dealing with. Knowing that I cannot take full credit for my academic success because I take stimulants is something I hate acknowledging and is part of why I only take it when I have to attend class. In essence the stigma attached to taking the drug is most likely what keeps me from abusing or becoming addicted to adderall.
- funkydude101, on 01/06/2009, -1/+5Because alcohol doesn't make you better than anyone else. It just makes you think you are.
- TopherT, on 01/06/2009, -2/+6lol, sorry just having a bad day, taking it out on people on the internet helps :)
- Metasquares, on 01/07/2009, -0/+4He probably built up a tolerance for it, in such a way that his natural baseline no longer seems adequate. The good news is that such shifts are usually reversible.
- gobbleplex, on 01/06/2009, -2/+6Yeah, let's advocate spending even more on medicines that we don't need and build a societal expectation that you have to do it or you're expendable. Gotta keep big pharma in business.
- theuon, on 01/06/2009, -4/+7I sucked at math until I was prescribed adderall. Now I am a graduate (B.A.) and considering going back to get my A.S. in mathematics. I am a 26 year old male who weighs 235lbs., and 10mg/day, about twice what they would give a 105lb. female, works great for me. Even though I have a degree, for the first time it feels like I am actually learning, consolidating, and retaining useful information.
This might all be rationalization, but I think in the long run I will be able to better serve my world thanks to stimulant medication. - MalarkeyPN, on 01/06/2009, -0/+3I'm not sure I understand your point. Just because there are generics alternatives it doesn't mean the name brands won't benefit by marketing these drugs to the entire population.
- roijen, on 01/06/2009, -1/+4Question: Is evolution active or reactive?
A: The drugs could do you some good. - kolop1, on 01/06/2009, -0/+3There is no perfect or normal mind. There are different types of minds for different types of people. I have ADHD and don't take drugs for it. I've found a job and lifestyle that suits my mind and I'm plenty happy.
- Dr0x, on 01/06/2009, -0/+3As someone who takes adderall legally after being diagnosed with ADHD-PI (Primarily inattentive) my Junior year of high school this article hits home with me. Going into junior year my GPA was around 2.2. I really wanted to get into a good college but because my grades basically got worse each year from 4th grade through sophomore year I had become convinced that even though my teachers said stuff like "you have potential if you just put your mind to it" they were just trying to be nice and I was just not someone who is meant to well in school like the rest of my family did. After being diagnosed with ADHD and being perscribed adderall my GPA each term Junior and senior year was at least 3.5 and I was able to pull my overall GPA up to the point that I was able to get into a good college.
Now I am a junior in College at good school with a 3.7 GPA majoring in psychology (Ironic? maybe). Although I agree with the article that stimulants taken in limited dosages under the supervision of professionals can have a positive impact of people’s lives, it also remains true that stimulants will not raise a person’s IQ. I was never good at math, and even now I still struggle with it. They will not make a person like things they previously did not like, I personally still hate math. Most importantly even though stimulants help concentration they do not by any means motivate people. For example if a child with ADHD is motivated to do well in school then a drug like adderall will help that child focus on school work to their full potential. At the same time if another child with ADHD isn’t motivated to do well in school and would rather play video games then all adderall will do for that child is allow them to focus to their full potential on something like video games.
I am sure that many people after reading this will feel that I don't deserve to be where I am and would attribute my success to drugs. Personally, I would not blame anyone for feeling that way because even I cant deny what taking adderall has done for me. It sucks dealing with the fact that I am only able to be where I am today because of a drug. Perhaps the only reason I am so into psychology is because I feel guilty about how fortunate I am and feel I need to give back by helping other kids who were in my position. Either way If there was a way to make stimulants available to everyone whos life could benefit from them in a safe and responsible way, then I would be all for it. -
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