My 'smart drugs' nightmare - BBC News 

I wrote my University dissertation in about 5 days. The only substance I was on was the pure fear of being found out as the lazy, procrastinating bastard I am.

A "nightmare" experience means you got a headache, one mosquito bite, and had trouble sleeping for one night after taking a *wakefulness promoting agent* ?? If those are nightmares, then i must be living in literal hell.

Modafinil has been a life changer for me. I had a major subdermal hematoma and then status epilepticus postoperative. Before Modafinil I would lay in bed and sleep all day with no motivation and couldn't function. When Modafinil was introduced, it woke up my brain and I felt normal again. I've been on it daily for years. I can feel the difference in about 20 to 30 min after I take it.

Modafinil is one of the most benign drugs I've ever taken. You almost don't even know you're on a drug at all. You just feel more alert and focused.

*takes pill and water* *2 Seconds go by* "I can already feel the effects" haha yea bro I'm sure you can

So he doesn't eat and drink (he admits he didn't make sure he ate and he said he was dehydrated), and is surprised he has headaches and fatigue at the end of the day? Um, did no one else suggest maybe this could be the reason?

I've tried Adrafinil and Modafinil for a year but in micro doses and they definitely improved my energy, concentration and thinking process, I was able to do tasks for hours with intense obsession and efficiency. But the side effects weren't good while on or coming down from them, I frequently became anti-social, high irritability, temporary insomnia, loss of apatite, fast beating heart, obsessive thoughts on tasks/goals at hand, and random mood swings, just felt like a different person or like a machine and I lost a lot of friends during that time. Black Coffee and exercise is already pretty effective at getting me to the productive state without any side effects, although not as intense and requires more effort on my part to get started.

Having tried different doses, I would not call this a wonder-drug at all. I get a dopamine rush when on it but the following days off it are a total disaster. Seems also that after stopping there's just disinterest in everything, depression sets in. So the only option is to be always on it or never on it. That said, it can break routine if you feel very stuck in a mentally demanding area.

"ExPeRiMeNt" with a sample group of 1 person and find that they react badly to it. Cutting edge science right here.

Couldn't the 10% increase be due to the practice effect of repeating the same test twice? What they should've done was take 3 trials: 1 without Modafinil, 1 with Modafinil, and a placebo.

Interesting stuff. As someone tapering off of a psychotropic drug (paxil), I've found it to be really helpful to try to educate myself about drugs. I've been learning about nootropics, adaptogens, etc. Drugs are wild. Just know, with all drugs, your body will eventually try to adapt to whatever you're giving it that temporary puts your system out of balance. The human body is always striving for homeostasis.

This made me aware of and convinced me to look into trying modafinil. Thanks!

Me and my homies are gonna go pop some medaphonil and do driveby algebra problems.

Poor experimental design...one test subject, one test run, not blind, not placebo controlled.

Thank you for sharing your story and for your vulnerability. I pray you continue your healing process.

My God, how you suffered. The spot on your elbow was hard to even glimpse without crying some. Godspeed, little dude.

We know one thing for sure, Modafinil does not increase gainz..

"my productivity increase" still do biceps curls with his back

Great, informative video. Thank you!

I believe that these people did accomplish a lot more on this drug, as they said they did. There is a lot to still be learned about substances and chemicals and how they affect our minds. I've had experiences after using psychedelics that people might think would be "too good to be true" but yet they happened.

"Nightmare"...you got a headache because you didnt eat food and you got bit by a bug.

Placebo is a hell of a drug.

"I don't really feel all that different." He says talking about 3x times faster than before, looking not even half as tired.

I have ADHD and I was diagnosed very late. Drugs like ritalin would have made such a difference in my quality of life and my studies etc as a younger kid. I hate thst I wasn't diagnosed earlier. Ritalin was literally a life saver for me. It changed my life for the better in every conceivable way. Even after I was diagnosed my doctor was hesitant to prescribe me ritalin. And I don't understand why. I don't understand why they act like its such a big deal aside from the cardiovasculair issues thst might pop up it's insane to keep such a beneficial drug from people Esp those that really need it.

Bro, when you take the meds that button appears on your body. You are supposed to press it to activate your turbo! Duh, I thought everyone knew this. They really should include the instructions on the package. 😌

I have had 17 concussions and a coma throughout my military career. When I retired I was prescribed Modofinil and Concerta (Ritalin) for myself the outcome has been incredible. I'm lucky but also prescribed under a Drs care.

so this is my story iam a med student i used to take ritalin way back in my first year of med school it gave me little bit edge over my fellows i have always been an anxious guy but the anxiety i have after i stopped taking drug is something i couldnt even imagine i started having full fledge pani attacks so i will suggest everyone to stay clear of these things

My experiences have been mixed. At first it sucked, but as time went on, I adjusted amounts and how I took it. I have found that I do a lot better if I take it with breakfast and a large glass of water. I also started out taking a whole pill and figured out quick that I needed to build up to a full pill... better to start with 1/2 or 1/4. I also don't take it every day, I just pop 1/4 pill whenever I am in a crunch.

fear tactics

You didn't eat or drink regularly, headaches and dehydration were obviously exacerbated by Modafinil and other stimulants such as caffeine. Adjust your food and water intake according to your dosage, don't solely rely on the drugs. How can your mind and body perform at optimal levels without sufficient fluid and nutrients? Maybe if you're fasting... but fact is you're working around the clock, not eating and taking a potent nootropic. You're bound to feel like shit

Havent tried Modafinil, but i've taken a few Racetrams, and Noopept. I enjoyed them thoroughly, made night shift welding a breeze.

Ive taken indian modafinil and american pharmaceutical modafinil and theres a big diffrence between them, the american ones worked and the indian ones were like placebos

I forget clickbait is a thing every now and then. But I was reminded

BBC... You will never be Vice...

People always fail to comprehend that each brain and neurotransmitter system is different. The one who lacks dopamine might respond extremely well to a drug increasing dopamine levels. The one who already has like to much can induce disaster. I can say that because I am bipolar and I had lots of trial and error to find out a mood stabilizing medication that I and especially my brain can work with. That's also the same reason why there is so much different medications. Each one with a slightly different approach to which neurotransmitter to surpress and which one to stimulate.

Just wanted to say, I feel one of the biggest issues with people taking psychoactive anything (nootropics, street drugs, mental health drugs etc.) without guidance from a doctor (or trustworthy person if it's non-rx/street drugs), is we don't know exactly how the drugs will affect us or how to best deal with the psychological changes that occur while under the influence. If someone doesn't know how to cope and adapt (as opposed to resisting and working around) to what can be a very confusing/disorienting/disruptive psychological change, without guidance they're of course going to have a bad run, they have no idea what's going on.

Really....professional journalism should have used prescription quality drugs...

in my opinion, this guy's side effects were simply from taking a stimulant that he wasn't used to. I had similar effects when starting ADHD medication, but it went away whenever my body got used to it. i think he really just shocked his system with this drug, he shouldn't have started with something so intense

I used modafinil in a bit of a different way a while back. I took it on the weekends and spent a good portion of the day meditating. I felt that the modafinil was helping my focus and perhaps accelerating the rewiring of my brain through meditation. After a while the benefits became less perceptable and I started to notice more side effects so I stopped taking it. I believe my experiment was a success. I still meditate regularly and I find that my brain generally does what I want it to in terms of focus, productivity and happiness.

For me, Modafinil is amazing. Non addictive. And I can take small amounts. After taking it for 3 days, I can complete a weeks worth of work and I don't need to take it the other days.

Been taking Modafinil by 2 years. Chocked taking a pill.

12:23 he's just on his first comedown, aw bless

I've had prescribed modafinil which is made differently from the ones ordered from India. I compared the two and found the scripted ones to work as mentioned. I'm not sure of the process of making both but I would say the Indian variant would go through a less stringent quality control process.

Researchers have known how modafinil works for a long time, and have known there are very few long term side effects. Modafanil is prescribed for narcolepsy and is supposed to be used daily, again with little to no side effects.

1 Find a person who never drunk coffee; 2 Ask them to drink a cup right before sleeping; 3 Are they feeling everything is ok? Good...ban coffee now. Modafinil works for 10-12 hrs instead of 1-2 hrs like coffee... that was the only difference I felt.

You went through all that trouble to do it scientifically yet it turned out to be the most un scientifically valid science test I’ve ever seen. Aside from the obvious (lack of a placebo/blind phase to the test), your stomach contents, what was consumed earlier and what was consumed while the medication was in your upper digestive tract can dramatically change the perceived effects of an oral medication. What bothers me is not that your experiment was poorly planned...it’s that someone with ADHD that’s considering switching to Modafinil as a safer alternative to Amphetamines will see this and be a lot less likely to do so based on the results you got from your half-assed test model.

I’ve been on venvanse on and off due to adhd, it works miracles but the down is horrible. Makes me cry every time it wears off, and it affected my liver seriously. I wonder what substance did he find on his blood sampling

I was prescribed Ritalin as a child and I'll never forget it. I couldn't sleep for days and i developed a phobia of germs. I couldnt stop cleaning. When my mum found me scrubbing the same pot for over an hour in the corner of the room rocking saying why wont it be clean! she took me off the meds asap

Why didnt you have the pills tested to prove what was in the pill.

I took this medicine daily to suppress my ADHD when I was young. It definitely makes me extremely focused in doing something, but it did not pull up my grades.

To get best effect on this you must only ever take it when youre already in the flow of working or youll just get hyper focused on not working (mindless phone use etc.) also dries you out A LOT so drink a lot of water

I took modafinil a few times in college and tbh its just like an extended release ritalin - shit had me wired tho it def keeps you awake more than you'd expect based on how wired you are, like you dont feel as wired as you usually would be if you were that 'awake'

Dude, the drug didnt cause those bumps on your body, they look like hives or bed bug bites, check your bed !

I love Modafinil, it does help me to get productive and stay like that for a good period of time, I don’t get headaches with it at all. It really helps me not to procrastinate with being on the phone and make calls. Also it helps with my mood and gets me motivated.

I take either Modafil or Armodafil for Narcolepsy that I got from a TBI at work as an Electrician. Its a life saver for me, but I don't see the enhancement, likely because it's doing the job it's supposed to.. like a pain killer does when you're actually hurt vs when you take it to get high.

Although my experience with Modafinil was great in the beginning, I confident it is responsible for what might be a life long affliction now. I have excruciating acid reflux now. I was able to quit the medicine cold turkey with no withdrawls.

Not even remotely useful or properly thought out research. You need to "blind" yourself to the drug (not know if you got the pill or placebo), try eating/drinking properly (stimulants, and that's what modafanil is at the end of the day, a stimulant), extend the test period, etc etc. Sorry, but this is pretty lazy "journalism." I'm not saying you have to do some ridiculously complicated drawn out thing, but this has just about zero control of variables, objectivity, and/or statistical relevance.

Has anyone ever studied the use of cognitive enhancers in people with Dementia or Alzheimer’s? I kept waiting for someone to talk about that and it seems strange that no one did

I have M.E. Spent years being sedentary, not really getting anywhere. Moda brought me back. I now function everyday. Even with potential long term side effects its worth it for me.

I think the thing that annoys me most about this is the idea that society as a whole should be doing more and working harder.

The first step to being smarter shouldn't be....giving a company in India your credit card info. Seems to have some irony.

When your mind is turned off or on standby you become more aware of the present moment. The more you experience life in the present moment the more you know. People now think that the more you think the more you know when the opposite is true. You have to know and see the big picture but the more you experience you have, the more life you let in, the more open your mind the more you really know. The truth is the exact opposite of the way people think now, Search "Truth Contest" and read the top entry. This is truth you can and should check for yourself, truth the evidence says is true. The real truth will set you free.

Modafinil made me fall asleep lol. Everyone else was buzzing and I was out like a light 😂

Modafinil always made me want to smoke more while on it, and also drink in the evening to attempt to wind down from it’s effects before bedtime. The smell of your urine when on modafinil is also disgusting and makes you wonder what it’s doing to your kidneys. Since quitting modafinil I have also quit smoking, and my circadian rhythm has also improved. Taking drugs is never *smart*.

For anyone reading this be careful with your dosage especially if pairing with caffeine. My first time taking Moda I was stupid and misread the mg in a tablet. I took 2 400mg tablets and had about 150 mg of caffeine. That night I just became a completely different person and honestly it was bad. I was doing hard labor and just couldn't stop. I worked past the limits of my coworker who had more than my bodyweight on me in pure muscle. I worked through lunch and topped several productivity records. The worst part wasn't having to call out sick the next day when I woke up and couldn't move because of my back spasming, it was having felt so amazing while at work. I felt better than I ever had in energy and clarity. I dropped a 20 pound part and it was like being in the zone I saw it just slow down and hang there as I plucked it out of the air. It's horrifying how amazing I felt and how it crippled me for days after. Don't overdose and use with large amounts of caffeine (that amount of caffeine was too much for me without my l-theanine anyway)

It takes 30 minutes before the body absorbs nutrients threw the stomach intestine route no way that guy felt it in 15 seconds

I tried some and it helped immediately. I have ADHD though and wasn't treating it at the time.

Dude, your words wisely. The more you can explain, the more your mind sails overnight. Live today, sober, and try thinking tomorrow if you feel better soon landing inside and not be sick.

What goes up must come down.

The drug is not of a great worry to the authorities because , even tho it's users experience some kind of enhancement, there's almost no addiction and it's side effects suck and people just quit taking them. If you take those be prepared for irritability, being concentrated but grumpy at the same time, no sleep at night if you take them late, you start not enjoying social interactions, among others...if you take them be sure to take them really early in the day. This is made for narcolepsy, meaning is supposed to maintain you awake for longer.

I get prescribed these on NHS for help with MS fatigue. Been on it, 200mg daily, for almost 4 years. It stopped having effect about a year ago and I’d still need a nap about 6-8 hours after taking the dose. I now have doubled the dosage to 400mg daily. I pop them usually between 6:30 and 7am and by 7:30, I’m ready for my day. I have a toddler so it was very tiring looking after him during lockdown, which is the reason why I felt 200mg didn’t work any longer. Since upping to 400mg, I have more energy to play with him, get chores done around the house, I’m more creative, less aggy & have better sleep at night, usually 6-7 hours. I’m even better at gaming with having faster reaction times and able to focus more. At the weekend, or on days where I have nothing planned or just chilling, I don’t take any so I’m not feeling unsettled like I need to do something all the time, and take CBD oil instead. I took 400mg at 6:50 this morning and can feel it kicking in already (7:20am) as I write this, hence the long reply!

There are so many uncontrolled variables in this and I'm glad that it got pointed out. Perhaps taking the test on the drug first and then running the second controlled test without the drug minus the half life later. This could point out adverse effects as well as a cancelling out a placebo. Also not telling the control patient which one they are taking would help immensely. The human chemical makeup is constantly being altered due to changes in environment along with other conditions. Our psyche can have a direct impact on the chemicals being release within us which are either working in cognizance or opposing our own bodies. But hey I'm in production, wtf do I know.

willpower is a very undervalued concept now a days

body temp rising, thinking to fast, "I want to keep taking it"... meth

I have chronic fatigue associated with multiple sclerosis and I would have real trouble functioning everyday without modafinil

Just started using this recently, so far i'd say it's been quite life changing. It isn't a 'magical pill' though, it keeps you awake (was my primary problem) and it enhances your focus and cognitive skills., thats it, nothing more nothing less.

"Blanket ban over any drug with psychoactive effect" LOL that's ridiculous even coffee is psychoactive!

I am very skeptical that you can enhance performance of any kind over the long term without side effects or reducing your capacities later. The body is built and functions around a kind of equilibrium - if you push it too far in one direction, the costs mount in others. Look at steroids: Florence Joyner was able to run faster, but she died very young, probably because of the stresses that steroid use placed on her heart. This is an extreme example, of course, but it is always the case to some degree with drug abuse.

Percocets like a modafinil to me. I was the Energizer Bunny on Percocet and could get a lot done. But they're too easy to get addicted to and hard to quit.

Well, with all drugs and also with all stimulants - they affect everyone differently. These are usually in some way affecting the inhibition of dopamine and norepinephrine. For someone who has naturally lower levels of those - the drugs might help. For those who have high levels of these neurotransmitters, they may get them “high” and “on speed” and be exhausting. And painful.

I’ve taken this before (I suffer from mild narcolepsy) on top of that I have an under active thyroid so I’m always fatigued and exhausted. After being awake 10 hours in a day I feel like I’ve run a marathon and feel extremely sleepy. These do make a difference, definitely with excessive day time sleepiness. I felt my concentration was better, I hardly yawned and I felt energetic all day. The side effects were horribly though... I’d get crazy headaches, they’d make me want to throw up. I think look half the dose 100mg, and then half of that 50mg at gaps of every 2-5 days. For me even that small dose 1 in 5 days helped me incredibly but I stayed away because I don’t like the effects of medication in the long run.

When I tried aniracetam, aside from the fact that I didn't have a choline source at the time (which is a big no with any acetycholine boosters since it means bad headaches), it worked fine, no hang over or anything, and it worked well and helped me pass my final. Haven't gotten around to testing anymore, since me and my family are super broke, however, my experience with nootropics (smart drugs) aside from that mistake that I knew I shouldn't make, but did anyways, my experience was good. Then again, everyones brain works differently so what helps one may hurt another.

Universal law: everything that gives you something, also takes.

I have Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and I'm prescribed Modafinil for my fatigue. I take it twice a day but I've never heard of it being a 'Smart Drug'... Weird!

Would the BBC have published this article if he had found SMART DRUGS TO WORK? I feel like his conclusion was inevitable, because how can the BBC ever end up in a situation where they look as if they are advocating or supporting the use of drugs that are not fully understood. 😅

"Am I worried? No because I don't tend to worry about things" 11:35 This guy is a true alpha

I take 200-600 MG daily for 2-4 weeks then nothing for a month then repeat Take in the morning, Drink a gallon of water, cut off caffeine after 11am and you’re good

Some people need to stop blaming other people/things for THEIR sick behaviour. Drugs are not bad, people are.

Quick question: why was the clip cut at 14:53 when the guy said "No, I havent gone from being a loser to being Mr. Successful..". He was about to complete his answer but the editing was done to take his words out of context and answer the question in the way the editor wanted to.....

I prefer coke

Hi. Great docu, but my comment here is: you are brushing your teeth wrong with the electrical toothbrush. You're supposed to slowly move the brush from tooth to tooth, inside and outside. Also: for the headache (which can occur with slightly long term use of modafinil) one needs to take a choline supplement. Let's say after one week.

If you read any forum about modafinil, everyone will tell you not to take it within 8 hours or so of going to sleep. Also, if you've never taken it before, you shouldn't take more than about 200mg per day. I think the ideal use for this is when you miss some sleep or something, and need to be able to remain awake and alert.

did not see any nightmare there... actually more interested in modafinil now

I've spent 40-years having gone through life and have NEVER taken drugs. This vid has me thinking I just might start with this. . .

I remember a date, the 15th March 2018. All my life I've considered myself lazy, everything has been an uphill struggle. I get distracted easily and find it hard to stick to a task for more than a few hours. I know what I want to achieve and how to do it but I become lost in the process and usually fail. I find organisation difficult despite knowing it's value, I hate tidying up and forget in-between tasks - when you put a screwdriver down and can't find it 30 seconds later. Until the 15th March 2019. For about 36 hours I was focused and I could concentrate. Tasks felt like they did themselves (I mowed the largish lawn, then did it again 1 step lower because it looked like it needed it). I designed a 3d printed position counter for my table saw in about 2.5 hours with clear focus that felt like I was possessed. At work when walking uphill it felt like I was falling backwards as my legs wanted to go faster than my body was used to. Then next day when it faded I realised my airways has been totally clear but my usual life returned but I was still optimistic. I mention that because I look and sound very much like Jason. At this point you may be wondering why. I don't know, I didn't take any drugs but I feel rather than being 'enhanced', I had a day of not being 'crippled' - something wasn't working but that day it was. I went to the doctors and asked for a blood form for 'everything' so the next time it happened I may be able to find out why. I still have that form now. I've been trying so many things but still not managed to get there again. Maybe with Modafinil I can get there, at least enough to work out what happened nearly 4 years ago. But then I have a wife and 4 kids so maybe I have to just stay in my prison and enjoy what I have,.

Thanks for sharing

My experience was very similar. The difference is i bought Modafinil from a local authorized pharmacy. I tried about 5-6 days, all with the same results, no perceivable cognitive improvement of any type. A headache, loss of appetite and fogginess. I was really bummed because I was hoping it would work.

Modafinil cannot be processed correctly by some people if you have the wrong genome. It's true with most drugs. Some people just can't get the effects of specific drugs.

Haha that guy “am I worried, no because I don’t generally worry about things”

You will feel rough after taking modafinol, headaches, dehydration, very low energy, low mood, zero appetite, jittery. But if you just put in 12 hours straight studying literally without blinking then you will take more and tolerance can become an issue. My experience.