I tried meds and they were helpful in a way but had major tradeoffs. Modafinil would make me hyper-focused but would blunt my emotions, cause terrible anxiety.

I tried meds and they were helpful in a way but had major tradeoffs. Modafinil would make me hyper-focused but would blunt my emotions, cause terrible anxiety. Impossible to relax. I did it everyday for two years (unwise -- should take breaks or stop taking them on weekends. It doesn't necessarily improve cognition but improves focus mainly. Now I take a Ritalin-like chemical -- its much more manageable than Modafinil but makes me less social-- a little more anxious but its tolerable. The dose-range you have to get right -- and take breaks for your body to recover. Stimulants can cause harmful side-effects mask fatigue/sleep deprivation suppress your appetite, cause weight-loss and have psychiatric effects. In a 9-5 it helps you grind through tasks but its not sustainable to do it too frequently. I think 4 times max a week would be doable -- you have to be mindful to take care of your body and mind when using it. Productivity is only one part of life -- other parts of your health are important as well.