Interesting discussion and well put. It would be relevant here to mention though that one of the commonest tie ins between impulsivity and procrastination is ADHD. It is something that is well worth considering when anyone is faced with industrial strength procrastination & impulsivity problems—as it is usually missed in Adults. Just as modafinil can be helpful- so can the psychostimulants. They are also much older, better understood drugs with a very clearly understood safety profile.
Equally it is worth noticing on the “value ” end of the equation- that sometimes we procrastinate because we are subconsciously aware that what we are proposing to do is not the most important thing we could/should be doing.
You’ve been using 200mg of modafinil every other day for a full month? I agree with yvain that that explains a lot, but I’m also a little amazed. I would have expected tolerance. But you mention substantial intellectual penalties, which isn’t what I saw with Dual N-Back during my irregular uses of armodafinil, so maybe tolerance is just slowly catching up with you.
I actually looked it up before reading the article—my thought process being, ‘a nootropic I haven’t heard of? And wait, isn’t that an AIDS drug—I know I’ve heard the name before...’ I was more than a little disappointed. (The article wasn’t too great either; some of the usual muddled intuitions and minimal information. The New Yorker did a better article, for example.)
Here’s the research it cites along with a few hyperlinks to other articles. Did you read it?
Mellers, B. A. (2000). Choice and the relative pleasure of consequences. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 910-924.
Ghahremani, D. G., Tabibnia, G., Monterosso, J., Hellemann, G., Poldrack, R., & London, E. D. (2011). Effect of modafinil on learning and task-related brain activity in methamphetamine-dependent and healthy individuals. Neuropsychopharmacology, 36(5), 950-959.
Repantis D., Schlattmann P., Laisney O., & Heuser I. (2010). Modafinil and methylphenidate for neuroenhancement in healthy individuals: A systematic review. Pharmacol Res, 62(3), 187-206.
Here’s the research it cites along with a few hyperlinks to other articles. Did you read it?
I’m familiar with the drugs cited. As he said, you had wedrifid_2011 excited thinking there was an actual research drug—NZT-48 about which a scoop was to be given.
Interesting discussion and well put. It would be relevant here to mention though that one of the commonest tie ins between impulsivity and procrastination is ADHD. It is something that is well worth considering when anyone is faced with industrial strength procrastination & impulsivity problems—as it is usually missed in Adults. Just as modafinil can be helpful- so can the psychostimulants. They are also much older, better understood drugs with a very clearly understood safety profile.
Equally it is worth noticing on the “value ” end of the equation- that sometimes we procrastinate because we are subconsciously aware that what we are proposing to do is not the most important thing we could/should be doing.
Roughly speaking they are better understood to be worse than modafinil.
Now we are talking. Big debate over this one in key journals like Science. Here’s the scoop n NZT-48 and other “success pills.” Most would take it.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-procrastination-equation/201107/better-living-through-chemistry-the-success-pill-0
Nice little article.
This explains a lot.
How long have you kept it up?
About a month, I think.
You’ve been using 200mg of modafinil every other day for a full month? I agree with yvain that that explains a lot, but I’m also a little amazed. I would have expected tolerance. But you mention substantial intellectual penalties, which isn’t what I saw with Dual N-Back during my irregular uses of armodafinil, so maybe tolerance is just slowly catching up with you.
And of course, I should write down what my expectations are: http://predictionbook.com/predictions/4051
An article saying students use modafinil and ritalin that also mentions a movie.
You had me excited thinking there was an actual research drug that I could experiment with!
I actually looked it up before reading the article—my thought process being, ‘a nootropic I haven’t heard of? And wait, isn’t that an AIDS drug—I know I’ve heard the name before...’ I was more than a little disappointed. (The article wasn’t too great either; some of the usual muddled intuitions and minimal information. The New Yorker did a better article, for example.)
Here’s the research it cites along with a few hyperlinks to other articles. Did you read it?
Mellers, B. A. (2000). Choice and the relative pleasure of consequences. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 910-924. Ghahremani, D. G., Tabibnia, G., Monterosso, J., Hellemann, G., Poldrack, R., & London, E. D. (2011). Effect of modafinil on learning and task-related brain activity in methamphetamine-dependent and healthy individuals. Neuropsychopharmacology, 36(5), 950-959. Repantis D., Schlattmann P., Laisney O., & Heuser I. (2010). Modafinil and methylphenidate for neuroenhancement in healthy individuals: A systematic review. Pharmacol Res, 62(3), 187-206.
I’m familiar with the drugs cited. As he said, you had wedrifid_2011 excited thinking there was an actual research drug—NZT-48 about which a scoop was to be given.