Sometimes I get the feeling everyone is on Adderall but me. Anyone have a sense of how common it is, with or without a prescription, in the software industry? Or any other industries for that matter? Different age groups, etc? Just curious
I experimented with it as a productivity enhancer and ultimately found it was too much of a happy hamster wheel effect. It makes you feel more productive even if you're not actually doing anything constructive. Just as often it can lead to short sighted bad judgement that is actively destructive because you're just looking for busy work to flip bits for a dopamine rush. I wouldn't recommend it unless you actually need it or at least use it very sparingly and strategically.
A lot of people are definitely on it. Many founders I've known were on some kind of stimulant and I've known countless colleagues on it. Part of me wonders if its in some way a compensation for burnout or having to do mountains of dry work. But I mean: is it that different from any other profession ingesting huge amounts of caffeine?<p>Caffeine can work to improve wakefulness but it gives you a lot more central nervous system stimulation which doesn't really help with concentration. As a result: your heart will pound and you'll get many side effects without the massive benefits that regular stimulants would offer. It seems to me like our economy in many ways depends on stimulants to thrive. It helps work feel more meaningful, gives us energy, and jump starts the day. What I don't get about caffeine though is for years I've seen study after study saying how beneficial it is but more recently there's some negative studies coming out. I wonder what researchers currently think about its health benefits.
> Sometimes I get the feeling everyone is on Adderall but me.<p>No, of course not.<p>Some of us are on Vyvanse.<p>In all seriousness, programming just attracts us ADHD types.
I used to get angry and anxious driving around tech/uni areas because everyone was driving 15-20 mph below the speed limit.<p>People suggested I take adderall.
a lot of knowledge workers indeed use it (and ritalin/MPH) as a productivity enhancer<p>it feels (a bit too) good and helps for a while<p>if you have an addictive personality, you'll find out that, eventually you'll start abusing it, and there will be no turning back. you'll HAVE to 100% quit.