Comment by JustUhThought | Hacker News Reader

Comment by JustUhThought | Hacker News Reader

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Yes, important for this study.

But, my experience with the broader classification of brain drugs and medical professionals that prescribe them is that "unless it's broke don't ask to fix it, and even then put whatever we tell you into your body and let's see ehat happens."

There are some excellent studies showing modafinil to benefit all doctors when performing while sleep deprived. Modifinil is pretty much as safe and addictive as caffeine. Now, try going into a doctor's office with this info and asking for a script. My experience is that 9 out of 10 times you'll be seen to be displaying addictive behavior.

There are a bunch of drugs that, if properly taken, will do wonders for your mental life. Intunive, selegiline, methylphenidate, to name only a few. But, while it's legal to smoke, drink, watch tv, or eat yourself to death or into depression, acting on your own to take these drugs could land you in jail.

If the US is so gung-ho on personal responsibility, let us take responsibility for our actions then, and let doctors be partners, not parents. In an age where inhanced mental or physical condition make an enormous difference in ones quality of life, stop hamstringing us from taking action so we might better ourselves.

A doctor is generally someone who is trying to maintain your current level of health, or manage any issues with that health which do arise. They're not there to take even minimal risks so that you can improve your working memory, even if that risk is slight. Maybe there should be a new field of doctors who aren't there to keep you healthy, who don't abide by the 'no harm' principle, and who will happily prescribe you anything that hasn't been proven to be dangerous.

It's not reasonable to expect that of doctors in their current position, with their current professional and ethical framework however.

Sports medicine? An entire sub-field of the profession dedicated to improving performace beyond average or baseline.

I think you missed half my point, as well. Doctors do take risks with patient's persons all the time. The risks are often taken with the patient's person over the doctor's credentials. My father is on 3 blood pressure meds and hus doctor refuses to try a new regimine that would only require 1. Wtf. The number of complications that are introduced with 3 medications is absurdly risky, but the doctor won't risk a switch. And this is all covered during a 5 min conversation. People soend more time arguing with mechanics about automobile work.

As a society we praise workaholics for being productive, look up to PhDs for casting off years of relationships and life experiences in order to become an expert, and put athletes on pedestals for pushing their bodies to the limit. And even though for the vast majority of people for whom which increased working memory and attention span would mean better education, better professional results, and thus better pay, healthcare, and better general quality of life, and we just shut down the conversation. No, we are told. You can't. Discussion over. Period.

I say, f-ck that. If that's the nor, I challenge it. If that is because doctors don't want to have the responsibility rest on them, I say lay the responsibility with me.

So ask for a referral to a sports medicine specialist and see how it goes. I'd point out though, that sports medicine is also the field that "protects" athletes so well... so very well.

That said, whether it's a football player shooting cortisone and lidocaine between kickoffs, popping opiates, or just having their concussions ignored for decades... or someone who wants to work themselves to death, the outcome is the same.

Regret and pain later in life, when you mature a bit and realize that your supposed gains were not really worth it.

I pointed to sports medicine specifically as a counter point to your claim that doctors generally prrform only the function of getting one back to normal.

And to say that "when I mature" I might choose differently... One can be mature without being moribund. One can be wise and still be progressive or even radical. Most to your point though, you're still moralizing, suggesting that when I know what you know, I'll finally grant that you were right all the time.

Moralizing,,, enough already.

Nothing you mentioned in your previous post spoke to anything like wisdom, just competitiveness. As for moralizing, there isn't a moral dimension to this for you, so I'm not sure where you're getting that from. The bottom line is just that doctors who are in the business of their patients' business don't act in those patients' best interests from a medical standpoint.

If you want to achieve greatness with drugs at the potential expense of your health, that's fine in my opinion, but it's crazy to think that a doctor should help you.

Sigh, exhaustion, your rhetoric is all over the place. I'd need a keyboard. Alas, I've only my smartphone. Butttt, I would suggest you get your learn on, study logic, and reread your comments.

... If that's the norm...

Improvement beyond "normal" are the idea of "positive psychology", although they mostly don't work with medication.

"Freedom" and personal responsibility in America is largely a shibboleth-- an idea to which only empty homage is paid.

In reality the USA is a highly regulated, conformist, and centrally planned society and has been since the days of "manifest destiny." This for those who don't know was the federal push to settle coast to coast and was sort of America's first centrally planned megaproject.

Of course most other nations are at least as much this way if not more so. Just pointing out that America is not really special in this regard.

Enhanced,,, ha. My bad

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