Modafinil #
| Common Nomenclature | Modafinil |
| Street & Reference Names | Provigil; Alertec; Modavigil; Vilafinil |
| Reference Dosage | Light 50mg+; Common 100mg+; Strong 200mg+; Heavy 300mg+ [Psychonautwiki] |
| Anticipated: Onset / Duration | 40 Minutes / 12 Hours |
| Maximum Dose Experienced | 200mg |
| Form | Pill |
| RoA | Oral |
| Source / Jurisdiction | Associate / Overseas |
SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE #
Modafinil is a prescription medicine, developed originally in France, and approved in the US in 1998 and the UK in 2002. By 2017 it was the 328th most commonly prescribed medication in the former.
Erowid describes it as a “stimulant, wakefulness promoter, narcolepsy treatment” whilst Wikipedia states that “Modafinil, sold under the brand name Provigil among others, is a medication to treat sleepiness due to narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, or obstructive sleep apnea. While it has seen off-label use as a purported cognitive enhancer, the research on its effectiveness for this use is not conclusive.”
At time of writing, it is widely used as a nootropic, sold commonly as a smart drug. It is this context in which I will be testing it.
Regarding dose, I elect to sample 200mg, which is the top end of the common range, as referred to by the Internet harm reduction portals.
T+0:00 I pop one pill at approximately 10am with a cup of chai tea.
T+1:00 I have had a walk, during which I seemed to flip-flop between fatigue and mild stimulation. I now feel a minor head buzz, with a sort of background lethargy lurking behind the scenes. *
My mood is reasonably positive, although I don’t really detect any recreational edge. For example, horn remains totally absent.*
In terms of improved cognitive function and focus, I cannot rule this out. I am typing these words effortlessly and with interest. This isn’t the most scientific measure, but it is perhaps an indicator.*
T+2:00 Whether is it largely circumstance is debatable but for the last hour I have been extremely productive. There does seem to be something going on with this.*
There isn’t the enhanced sharpness of vision I have experienced with some of the other chemicals in this class, but there does seem to be a greater motivation in terms of sustained focus upon issues and topics of interest. *
T+3:00 Interestingly, my face has turned a shade of red. I’ve not really noticed this before with stimulants, although no doubt it has been a feature. Note too that I feel chilly, with my hands and fingers definitely cold, and very cold as I touch my face.*
The head buzz continues to flow, as I occupy myself at my PC.*
T+4:30 I am now in a slightly hazy phase, perhaps coming down, but with the ability to concentrate somewhat if I choose. The coldness of my hands and warmth of my face seem to have dissipated somewhat, and I am generally warm.*
T+5:30 I am largely back to normal, albeit via a bit of a background zone. I’m reasonably warm and comfortable as 4pm approaches. I have also skipped lunch, so there does seem to be some appetite suppression in play.
The residue effects gradually faded throughout the evening, although a heady background presence remained as I tired.
I retired to bed at 10pm. As I needed a good night’s sleep I popped 0.5mg of etizolam. It worked. I slept quite well and felt pretty normal in the morning.
Overall, whilst this didn’t light any fires, it was a reasonably interesting and effective functional ride, albeit one that I don’t feel the need to repeat.