Techcrunch had a interesting story today about lots Silicon Valley entrepreneurs being hopped up on Provigil.
Provigil (aka Modafinil) is marketed by Cephalon in the United States and is available by prescription only. It’s only approved use in the U.S. is to treat narcolepsy, a sleeping disorder. But since the main effect of Provigil is to keep you awake and able to concentrate, a lot of people who get their hands on it use it to be able to work longer hours, even though it has not been deemed safe for that kind of use.
Now I have a pretty diverse background in IT. Going back over the last 15 years or so I have seen a lot of drugs in the tech industry. Back when I was super into security and used to goto the Defcon conferences years ago (like 5+) it was not uncommon to see Cocaine floating around.
But most people I know in the Internet Marketing, whether its Affiliate Marketers, Search Engine Optimizers, Social Media people, and even just bloggers seem to prefer drugs that slow you down as opposed to those that speed you up.
Drugs that speed me up always scared me. My mind goes fast enough as it is. I sometimes need to take meds that slow me down just so I can sleep. I have admitted before in q&a that I have puffed a bit on some sweet cheebah every once in a while so I am not here to judge anyone.
So I am curious… Being many internet marketers read this site lets throw it out there completely anonymously. What is your drug of choice?
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February 3, 2009 at 7:39 am
A couple of notes I would add about Provigil It is very expensive. It will cost you about $ $10 to $ 15 per 200 MG dose. As a narcoleptic that has been on it for 4 years, I can tell you most insurance won’t pay for it so you are looking at about a $ 600 a month “habit”. (It’s not addictive, really.”) Also note that may users have reported a “paradoxal” reaction when they have used alcohol the previous day where they become extremely fatigued after taking it the following day. Researchers have not been able to explain this phenomenon. Also note there have been rare reports of heart attacks in normal doses in young people. Proceed with caution! My physicians are not familiar with all the side effects of this drug and most over prescribe the dosage. Many time as much a 4000 mg/day. It is most commonly prescribed “off label” as an enhancer to common antidepressants.
January 2, 2009 at 11:13 am
It’s all about the Coke (no, I didn’t vote caffeine)
September 27, 2008 at 10:36 pm
You can easily see what our drug of choice is… It’s a great injustice that there are even laws against things that harm no one but the user.
September 9, 2008 at 10:38 pm
kinda funny Marijuana won no hands down
July 21, 2008 at 6:43 am
Currently the poll has 36 nicotine users, versus 37 cocaine users. Surely more people smoke than use cocaine?
July 21, 2008 at 6:41 am
Have you seen the dangers of aspertame, the active sweetenening ingredient in Coke Zero and other diet drinks? Trust me, you’re better off having the sugar. Just beware, because the acid in cooldrinks eats away your tooth enamel. Nobody wants to see a salesperson or marketer with a bad smile.
July 21, 2008 at 6:37 am
And one of the most commented on too! Shows you what linkbait some terms can deliver.
July 21, 2008 at 6:34 am
Red Bull definitely gives you wings! The stuff is just so expensive though
July 21, 2008 at 6:32 am
Absolutely the most commonly used legal stimulant. Cigarettes also help keeping sleepy eyes at bay!
July 20, 2008 at 4:47 pm
You can’t get addicted to caffeine, so it isn’t a real drug.
July 19, 2008 at 9:53 am
Caffeine for sure
July 18, 2008 at 12:47 pm
My biggest drug is nicotine. That’s the way i like it.
July 18, 2008 at 11:54 am
Most internet marketers probably drink coffee so caffeine
July 18, 2008 at 10:28 am
Actually a apple does a better job of giving you energy.
July 18, 2008 at 10:27 am
It gives you wings!haha
July 18, 2008 at 10:27 am
Not as good as a apple I read. It may get you up but then it beats you into the ground later on.
July 18, 2008 at 10:26 am
Did you know too much caffeine can give you a stomach ache?
July 18, 2008 at 10:25 am
Caffeine sorta picks you up and then beats you into the ground later on.
July 18, 2008 at 10:25 am
Yuck, you drink diet? Thats stuff is full of yuck.
July 18, 2008 at 10:24 am
Agreed! Just get the rest you need and you wont need caffeine or anything else.
July 18, 2008 at 10:23 am
Including kill you over time as it eats your lungs.
July 18, 2008 at 10:22 am
I dont do any drugs nor do I want caffeine as it just picks you up and beats you into the ground later on.
July 18, 2008 at 7:56 am
Your spelling sucks though. Indicative of short term memory loss, perhaps?
July 18, 2008 at 7:53 am
Red Bull just gets very expensive. Quaffing back the stuff can cost you as much as any other bad habit!
July 18, 2008 at 7:50 am
Hypnosis works like da bomb for quitting smoking. You do need to have a deep seated desire to quit though. It worked for me!
July 18, 2008 at 7:48 am
Ritalin is commonly referred to as “cocaine for kids” so you got a point in the pep me up stakes there!
July 18, 2008 at 7:46 am
That depends on the level you’re dealing with. Upper echelons prefer good whiskey. The rabble are generally the beer drinkers (suppose that makes me a big rabble….hahahah)
July 18, 2008 at 7:42 am
LOL, you sound like heaps of fun!
July 18, 2008 at 7:40 am
Some of the comments one encounters on blogs could well be put down to inebriated posters. Won’t recommend doing this too often though, just now you spill it!
July 18, 2008 at 7:39 am
I think that drug use is impermissible for a human weakness.
July 18, 2008 at 7:38 am
As long as it ain’t a crack pipe….LOL
July 18, 2008 at 7:37 am
Marijuana definitely is an unwise choice when trying to be focused and productive. For non-thinking, repetitive manual type work it seems to do wonders, there is a road crew working down the road from the office and the cigarettes they smoke smell very grassy
Their workrate is intense though!
July 18, 2008 at 7:34 am
But can you work when your screen and keyboard are morphing into colourful putty? LOL
July 18, 2008 at 7:32 am
Oxygen definitely has its own merit. Quite invigorating, especially when delivered in the form of an icy blast of wind in the face.
July 18, 2008 at 7:30 am
Coffee rules the roost as far as legal substances are concerned, it seems everybody here pretty much agrees on that!
July 18, 2008 at 2:20 am
i prefer to use nicotine… I know its very restricted, but for me, cigarete could do anything in 2-6 Am lolz….
nice blog here… and nice to meet you btw
July 17, 2008 at 7:34 pm
I probably like caffeine the best
July 17, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Provigil will probably be making a fast move to the top after people read this, http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/07/15/how-many-of-our-startup-executives-are-hopped-up-on-provigil/
July 17, 2008 at 10:44 am
Tooughyyyy! My drug of choice is illegal and I havent done it for 13 years :0 Speeding you up was its jobs slooooowed me down it did. Nutty I am!
July 17, 2008 at 10:41 am
i had a few to click but was limited to one.
July 16, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Sizzurp.
July 16, 2008 at 2:09 pm
should be none choice.
July 16, 2008 at 10:10 am
Don’t be a Narc. I chose caffeine.
July 16, 2008 at 9:17 am
No drugs, caffeine or nicotine in my system But, I have a wicked addiction to everything Google.
July 16, 2008 at 8:45 am
Caffiene shouldn’t be listed since it’s legal.
The reason chocolate helps so much is because it has caffiene and sugar in it.
July 16, 2008 at 6:55 am
I do not use drugs. And you do not advise. Sport is the best drug.
July 16, 2008 at 6:52 am
I like to smoe trees, alot of them, and I’m still successful.
July 16, 2008 at 4:00 am
Choclate really helps, with no side effects(except to stinking mouth) as compared to other drugs given in the list
July 16, 2008 at 2:52 am
None, why alter your brain activity at all?
July 16, 2008 at 2:38 am
Marijuana all the way!
July 16, 2008 at 2:19 am
Seriously I can only choose one, what kind of poll is this
bottom line,
Bolivian Yay for the morning and some good old BC Bud to go to sleep, I go through at least an ounce of blow every 3 weeks, and I have a pound of bud in my freezer at any given time, so Yes I know I have a serious problem, Whatever….
July 16, 2008 at 2:06 am
Weed makes me so much more creative and thoughtful. It helps me question the world
July 16, 2008 at 1:59 am
Arnold Palmer – 1/2 Lemonade 1/2 Iced Tea.
July 16, 2008 at 1:56 am
Definitely weed. Nothing brings out my creativity more than being high…
July 16, 2008 at 1:43 am
Well put. MJ definitely stifles productivity and demotivates people. Coffee is a good get up and go, but good nutrition, exercise and adequate sleep is the best way of regualting one’s energy levels naturally.
July 16, 2008 at 1:40 am
Coffee and white sugar are two of the most widely abused drugs in the world (not that they actually get classified as such)
July 16, 2008 at 1:10 am
i just drink alcohol and smoke not additcted to any of these and hope not to get addicted in near future too
July 16, 2008 at 12:48 am
Bah starbucks is too expensive
July 16, 2008 at 12:47 am
Maryjane and caffeine are in a tight race
July 16, 2008 at 12:30 am
If I time my Ritalin dosing out right, I can get tons done in a night.
July 16, 2008 at 12:16 am
I’m dissappointed you missed toad licking……
July 15, 2008 at 11:58 pm
yes, we need none choice
I dont anything.. only occasionally alcohol
July 15, 2008 at 11:55 pm
I guess caffine, nicotine and alcohol would have been my picks!
July 15, 2008 at 11:47 pm
drugs? at defcon? no….
July 15, 2008 at 11:20 pm
I don’t use anything…I am a night person and have no issues staying focused until midnight or so….if i had to it would be Pepsi
July 15, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Caffeine all the way. Lots of Diet Coke usually. Maybe a few Nodoze here and there.
Hard liquor and caffeine for the rough times though
July 15, 2008 at 10:38 pm
I see marijuana has taken the lead. (Legalize it!)
July 15, 2008 at 10:22 pm
yeah for real
July 15, 2008 at 10:16 pm
I’m taking hydromorphone right now for chronic pain until I get my surgery, but I sure don’t mind taking it in the meantime
I can’t blog when I’m on it most of the time though or I end up with completely bullshit posts.
I have coffee once in awhile which helps a bit, and at night I go for a cigarette to mellow me out.
July 15, 2008 at 9:49 pm
All of the above (almost…years ago). Very true that many programmers do a ton of drugs. I have seen that stereotype many times. Then the other half of them are complete dorks. Caffeine seems to be the best choice for me long term. And even that sucks sometimes. I used to know some programmers that would use speed and coke to finish projects when they had a big deadline. But then it led into other parts of their lives. Long term, a healthy diet, exercise, and plenty of sleep seems to be the best way to keep going. Drugs just begin to have very negative effects as one gets older. But ahhh, the good old days!
July 15, 2008 at 9:43 pm
CAFFEINE
July 15, 2008 at 9:24 pm
I picked a bad day to stop sniffing glue….
July 15, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Coffee to start the day then straight into beer by the night and straight back into coffee if I work all night. I may even throw a green tea in there to be healthy! Good post!
July 15, 2008 at 8:40 pm
I’d say lots of the silicon guys are trying to stay wake because they’re running on empty since their VC funds are disappearing. Espresso all the way!
July 15, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Nothing is better than marijuana.
July 15, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I do it all the time, it’s not that effective but it’s possible. lol
July 15, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I hear ya there
July 15, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Dark Chocolate Cover Coffee Beans. Hands down favorite!
July 15, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Count how many cigarettes you smoke in a single day and then try to go down by one every day or second day. As you get down to a small amount of cigarettes per day, try to space them out evenly throughout the day.
July 15, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I’m a Caffeine addict too. I drink of joice is Diet Pepsi Max..Caffeine and Ginseng…you can’t beat that.
July 15, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Now that is kind of scary!!!!
Good to see that you added Caffeine as a drug – and that it’s leading the pack, although not by much by the looks of things.
July 15, 2008 at 6:19 pm
wow… this is a useful find… me i take caffeine a lot… although many people feel caffeine would help them not fall asleep, in my case it’s a contrast
July 15, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Comedy!!! I thought the purpose was to make sure we could stay awake not get high! *Hand Raised – Caffeine”
July 15, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Correction: Happiness
July 15, 2008 at 6:08 pm
My biggest drug is Monster Engergy Drinks (low cal). Us GI’s love it. It’s just what the doctor ordered.
July 15, 2008 at 6:08 pm
my drug is HAPINESS and my dealer is LIFE!
July 15, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Nice and simple for me, Coffee and Chocolate
July 15, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I was also searching for that option
July 15, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Hmmm…interesting results.
I agree, caffeine is good for about half-hour then I get too hyped and can’t really focus too well because my mind is racing, I can’t imagine working in IM or AM on cocaine???!!!!!??????
July 15, 2008 at 5:29 pm
lol!
July 15, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Caffeine and Nicotene keep me awake and definitely working a lot more than the days I go without.
July 15, 2008 at 5:11 pm
What about Alcohol?
Long Island Iced Tea for me please!
July 15, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Just caffeine for me!
July 15, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Caffeine Baby!
July 15, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Man… I wish I could choose three or 4 from that list!
I would have to say though… tobacco is number 1.
Mark
July 15, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Just caffeiiiinneee! And has some prescribed drugs for pain but did whatever I could to get off those…even deal with the extra pain without them lol.
July 15, 2008 at 4:31 pm
triple vente white mocha please!
July 15, 2008 at 4:19 pm
BEER!!
July 15, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Caffeine for me. Marijuana is good too
July 15, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Wow…. most interesting poll we’ve seen in a while. 13 coke users eh? Wow… glad to see people are pretty PG-13 here and chose “Caffeine”.
July 15, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Caffeine.
Coke Zero = my friend.
July 15, 2008 at 4:06 pm
spoken like someone who doesn’t partake… i think THC affects everyone differently, some people have the incapacitated response, some get super focused.. *shrug* to each their own.
July 15, 2008 at 4:06 pm
One day last week I had to skip my coffee due to a pending blood test scheduled at 9:30 am. By the time I got to the doctor’s office, I couldn’t even tell you my middle name. I actually bought a cup of coffee on the way there so it would be in my car the exact second I left the office.
July 15, 2008 at 4:05 pm
praise jah! I don’t do caffeine or any kind of speed up drugs at all.. smoke weed pretty much constantly and drink socially..once every 3 years I might eat some x or shrooms :-O
July 15, 2008 at 4:04 pm
I go with energy drikns like Power Horse or Red Bull, These are much better.
July 15, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Great poll! Was alcohol just too obvious? And how about combos? “Click two or more to recreate your favorite cocktail!”
July 15, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Caffiene most of the time, but I have to have the gange. No xanax listed. Bummer. It makes me a commenting fool.
July 15, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Ohh Marijuana is in the second postion after Cafeine! lol, I didn’t know that Internet marketers are too addicted
Weed man, that’s crazy, you’ll be sleeping and out minded all the time :p how you will find the time to work?
July 15, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Caffeine (Diet Pepsi) and Nicotine (Marlboro cigarettes ). I am still trying to quit smoking cigarettes.
July 15, 2008 at 3:48 pm
yes I agree and you’ll lose all your earning and you’ll quick MMO to be a drug or arm dealer in order to have the cash for that poison!
July 15, 2008 at 3:46 pm
yes, sure it gives energy, especially the good tasty ones.
July 15, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Nothing for now, I used to drink too much coffee, soda and energy drinks, but now and after a terrible accident I prefer to stay away from all these stuff for the moment I guess! Tomorrow, who knows!
July 15, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I don’t think that you can blog and work if you are drunk!
July 15, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Jack Daniel’s
July 15, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I love the smell of burning heroin in the morning.
July 15, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Heh just give me
some Nicotine to take breath
July 15, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Haha, nice Poll!
Voted for Caffeine…
July 15, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Caffeine, one iced coffee at noon to get the afternoon going, oh and ZipFizz for even more energy.
July 15, 2008 at 2:25 pm
it has been added
July 15, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Anonymous like a youtube video to viacom?
July 15, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Where’s adderall?
Drug of choice for those 25 years or younger.
July 15, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Sex, lots of hot sex… preferably not with myself!
July 15, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Where’s alcohol?
Small glass of red wine never killed anybody. French live yonks and drink loads of the stuff
July 15, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I honestly recommend ritalin for people who want a quick buzz to help with concentration.
July 15, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Vodka mixed with redline
July 15, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I need a ‘none’ or ‘chocolate’ choice. I quit buying soda a long time ago to save money, but I can’t give up my dark chocolate for that quick bit of energy. I keep a bag of 60% Ghirardelli chocolate chips in the freezer for quick use, and often have 70% cocoa chocolate around in bar form.
July 15, 2008 at 1:52 pm
lol.. no I doubt they would.. I read it as a general question about drugs..
Although when I was on the down side of drugs like that I a was very creative and a great worker.
July 15, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Would any serious internet marketer take LSD and then try to work?
July 15, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Caffeine is my main sin. I pass on the others.
July 15, 2008 at 1:43 pm
All of the above. Preferably in multiple combinations.
July 15, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Meth and opiates should be added to the list. I used to be a big druggie. I was addicted to GHB, meth, and benzos. Not all the same time but one replaced the other over the space of some years. Now I replaced all that stuff with working my ass off.
July 15, 2008 at 1:40 pm
It used to be a coffee and a cigarette for, but since I quit smoking long long ago, it’s just the caffeine that keeps me going now. I see that is what the majority have chose also.
July 15, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Well, I’d go with Caffeine.
Desperately need a coffee now.
July 15, 2008 at 1:32 pm
lol.. to much caffeine screws up my concentration
July 15, 2008 at 1:30 pm
ecstacy was mine until I became a dad
July 15, 2008 at 1:19 pm
where is my coffee?
July 15, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Caffeine here, can’t say I’ve ever tried any of the others…
July 15, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Got a Capresso machine last year and can’t imagine a day without it now…..so yeah, caffeine
July 15, 2008 at 1:14 pm
The best one for me would be the caffeine.
July 15, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Ecstacy is my favorite. Runner ups would have to be pot and acid
Although I haven’t done it in years.. becoming a daddy really ends a majority of that stuff
July 15, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Pseudoephedrine and Excedrin – breakfast of champions.
July 15, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Caffeine! Nothing like a can of jolt and a powerbar to spice things up.
July 15, 2008 at 1:02 pm
what, no alcohol? Beer is the #1 user agent for deal making.
July 15, 2008 at 1:01 pm
adderall anybody?
July 15, 2008 at 1:00 pm
It depends on the activity. If it’s on page seo, I’ll go with 50mg Adderall, 10mg Provigil and a quintuple venti latte.
If I’m doing some creative linkbaiting I’ll go with 2 hits of acid, 1 hit of ecstasy and a quick hit of the crack pipe.
When writing content, I’ll typically mainline heroin while sipping on a grey goose martini, up with olives – very dry.
But that just works for me. I suggest everyone experiment to find your own groove.
July 15, 2008 at 1:00 pm
nice keywords here
July 15, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Need to add alcohol (which I find is quite good to relax), “none” and “other” (you never know)
July 15, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Earl grey, hot.
July 15, 2008 at 12:51 pm
GANJA!!!!!
July 15, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Chocolate does boosts your levels of activeness?
July 15, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I do love Stella and on occasions Jagar
July 15, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Drugs destroy dreams! Down with dope, up with hope. If I had to choose one it would be Redbull/Mountain Dew
July 15, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Not into drugs, haha. Umm, I drink coffee every now and then.
July 15, 2008 at 12:43 pm
You forget chocolate…
July 15, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Caffeine in the morning gets me up and working straight away!
July 15, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Provigil FTW… totally works when needed. I take it when I have deadlines to hit and need to stay awake and focused. After words it just sits in the drawer till next time!
July 15, 2008 at 12:39 pm
what about alcohol?
July 15, 2008 at 12:39 pm
works on us all differently, I can tell you from experience that pot can also heighten awareness and your hole thought process.
July 15, 2008 at 12:38 pm
I tried to choose more than one. *looks over shoulder to see if friends coming to do an intervention*
July 15, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Caffeine does not do anything to me but I like the taste of good coffee. I don’t need any help to focus. I’m more focused than just about anybody I’ve run across. And I’m not in this biz to work 20 hour days either.
If I need new angles or ideas I get on the Gazelle (sorta like a treadmill) and think/talk things through while walking.
Ronda
July 15, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Why no option for codeine and sprite?
July 15, 2008 at 12:36 pm
sweet cheebah !!!!!!!
July 15, 2008 at 12:35 pm
You forgot alcohol.
July 15, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Coffee.. that means Caffeine!
You know the harmful effects of cocaine? It’s a lot dangerous..
July 15, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Best Poll Ever.
July 15, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I think a fair number of internet marketers appear to be high on LSD
No, I’m just cracking up at the idea.
July 15, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Actually I’m missing Red Bull as a separate choice
July 15, 2008 at 12:26 pm
“drugs are bad…”
Caffeine has to be common one for most and for me it’s the #1 productivity enhancer. Mary J just clouds judgement and makes me tired so that’s a thing in the past.
July 15, 2008 at 12:26 pm
none of those. maybe redbull
July 15, 2008 at 12:24 pm
LSD for me – I dig the visions I get lol!. And when I’m not in the sky with diamonds, its mugs of espresso.
July 15, 2008 at 12:20 pm
How about a ‘None’ choice?
July 15, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Caffeine is the best imo
legally..