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[G-Flex]

Florian, idiocy comment aside, is right.

Make sure your life is in order, emotionally, healthwise, etc. If you want to be able to concentrate and feel smarter, then follow the advice he gave; basically, you just want to be healthy and have good habits.

Vector's on the right track too. Actually working on things to improve your fundamental intellectual skills is a great idea.

Eat well, sleep well, engage in a relatively healthy and fulfilling social life, and engage in productive hobbies that engage your concentration and fewer things that just numb your brain, if you're doing anything like that currently (most of us do).

And no, there aren't any easy solutions. Substances can be good for short-term benefits every once in a while, or to help treat actual disorders, but they are not a long-term, sustainable solution at all.

[Il Palazzo]

The amount of positive thinking and caring in this thread amazes me. It will even stop me from mentioning substance X, available in prescription-free medicine Y, for the fear of destroying Rooster's morale.

[Vector]

Plese be serious people 

I'm talking about substances that increase concentration and help work longer.
There have to be some. Red bull has one (see op. post) and it increases mental capacities for extended mental strain

Please do yourself a favor and struggle, rather than taking the easy way out with drugs.  I assume here that you have normal brain chemistry (no ADHD, etc.), and just want a pill to make your life easier.

Concentration is a struggle for everyone, and looking for a drug... well.  I'm so sensitive to caffeine that I pretty much become incapable of speaking after having it.  I'd never suggest it for concentration, and I don't know about any other drugs that would work, either.

I am actually being serious... sorry if you thought I wasn't.  In my experience, what you need to do to increase concentration is to practice concentrating, and that's pretty much what works.  Make sure you have an environment where you can concentrate, and work HARD.  You'll be amazed at what you can become, no matter who you are today, no matter what you think your capabilities are.

[ein]

Try taking naps every so often. Even if you don't fully fall asleep, it still helps.
Napping can improve concentration and memory retention.

[codezero]

I'm gonna go against the grain and say coffee can improve your concentration, but only if you drink it very rarely, like maybe before you go to a job interview. It helped me once at an interview, but that was back when I was against it. Lemonade can help you think expansively, but i was stoned that time. I can't think of anything else really, but if you make a do of taking something to improve your concentration, or enhance your mind, it probably will. Try to be various in your selections, otherwise there'll be no novelty in your new mindstate. Eat fruits you normally wouldn't when you are hungry, see if they have some effect. Passionfruit can make you sleepy and buying strawberries can ease your pocket at the supermarket.

[KaelGotDwarves]

Yeah, IMHO, drugs are a simple "quick fix" people are looking for for issues that are multifaceted and highly complex.

If you want to enhance your thought process !long term!, you should probably avoid any sort of synthetic drugs, be it legal or not. Drugs build dependency, and lead to long term side effects.

Instead, focus on natural things that increase hormones or are known to improve brain and bodily function.

Kudos to the guy that mentioned exercise. Besides keeping you body healthy, it'll release hormones and endorphines which will improve your mood and thought. Same as a healthy sex life. You may become addicted to these things as well but they are (mostly) healthy for you. All things in moderation.

Spend time doing thought experiments, creativity excercises, meditate, and free-thought writing rather than video games, parties, spending time online, or distractions. This will stimulate your brain.

Finally, if you must, look at natural hormone suppliments which are over-the-counter. Good sleep is more important for brain function than anyone can say. 8 hours of sleep no later than midnight. Here, melatonin can help an hour before bed. Vitamin B and E from sunlight is important for psychological wellbeing. Spend some time outdoors. And omega3 fatty acids from fish oils are said to promote brain health as well.

Anyhow, I hope that helps. There is no wonder drug or quick fix to improving brain function. It's a balancing act you'l be doing for the rest of you life that creates a healthy lifestyle for you and everyone you know.

[Jude]

Caffeine is no good. You just get addicted to it and can't function without it. I've been hooked before and I got to admit it really helps waking up for work in the morning. but I'm not trying to be like my dad, who literally can't do a damn thing until he's had 3 cups of coffee. That's what will happen if you rely on it instead of on effort and willpower.

Of course, there are some people that don't seem to mind it, like my dad, or friends who for some reason actually enjoy drinking coffee. But I'd rather not be in a situation where if I can't get my fix, I'm screwed.

Seriously. Just study harder and apply yourself. There are no "smart drugs." If you want to use drugs recreationally, that's one thing, but using them to enhance your performance isn't going to lead anywhere good


Of course with recreational drugs you want to stay away from ones with high addiction potential like heroin or coke or meth, or even tobacco (although if you just have some willpower and limit yourself, tobacco's not a problem)

[codezero]

, melatonin can help an hour before bed.

I recommend marijuana as a natural alternative.

[deadlycairn]

... Pretty sure the OP said no prohibited drugs (assuming he lives in a region where marijuana is prohibited)

[codezero]

That was in the context of a sleep aid, I wasn't replying directly to the OP.

[Neonivek]

Biggest problem with coffe (and similar substances) is that at first it gives you a boost, but after a while you drop to a level well below before you drank coffee.

Oddly enough that would be obvious if we didn't describe it as "Giving you energy"

Caffine doesn't give you squat. What it more accurately does is make your body use the energy it already has.

At least if I remember correctly.

As for Sleep Aid... Melatonin works but they don't suggest you use it for more then a month. So it isn't a long term solution (generally speaking it is a "Get back on track" or "Mild Insomnia" drug)

Melatonin can REALLY knock you out if you have a deficiancy.

[Rilder]

Coffee also tastes horrible and smells even worse and makes (at least me) Nauseous just to be around it.

[G-Flex]

Sleep aids in general are bad to use long-term unless you have severe problems that can't be helped another way. It's easy to become quite dependent on them.

Yeah, IMHO, drugs are a simple "quick fix" people are looking for for issues that are multifaceted and highly complex.

If you want to enhance your thought process !long term!, you should probably avoid any sort of synthetic drugs, be it legal or not. Drugs build dependency, and lead to long term side effects.

Instead, focus on natural things that increase hormones or are known to improve brain and bodily function.

I agree with a lot of this but should point out that it doesn't really matter whether something is "natural" or "synthetic". Lots of synthetic things are harmless and lots of natural things are harmful, and vice-versa, and Compound X is still Compound X regardless of the source.


But yeah, as far as things like caffeine (or any other quick-fix substances) are concerned, they're not something you want to make regular use of. They're the kinds of things that might be useful on rare occasions in unusual circumstances, not the kind of thing that'll actually solve anything or be good for long-term, regular use.

[Idiom]

Something or other about the placebo effect is stronger than ever in modern times, having upwards of half the time the same effects as the real medication. Slashdot. I really got to start bookmarking these things I try to quote.

Anyway, my point is drugs are not the magic instant-gratification that people look for in many of life's smaller things. Eat right, exercise, stay mentally active, so forth. You're looking for "learning drugs"? "Smart drugs"? You think that will help you in school? There is no magical shortcut for hard work and concentration. You are looking for a pill to do the learning for you. Nothing will do that for you. Concentration is a discipline and dedication is a virtue and they both require a steady stream of conscious effort. You can thank modern culture and conveniences for raising you without that.

I suppose though you are thinking of the equivalent of steroids, but for brains instead of brawn. Yes, there is such a thing. The last one I read about granted picture perfect visual memory, and there are/will be some for more academic applications. Yes, it could allow you to accelerate more than without, but even the pumped up guy on steroids has to work some iron to get anywhere. And even then you miss out what I believe the recent generations have lost: honest to god character building which is what the guy without the steroids will be benefiting from.

[Muz]

Drugs generally aren't good. Simply because your body is genetically designed to give you the best it can. Otherwise we'd have adrenaline rushes because it helps us concentrate and move faster, constant fever because it kills germs, regeneration, and we'd be born with huge muscles and brains because strength and intelligence is good.

Whatever drug you do take is very specific to the situation. Caffiene is a good, safe bet. I quit caffeine very easily, and in my experience, it gives a huge boost for a few days, then none later on. Heck, once I get used to it, it actually makes me sleepy. I don't find huge boosts to be that useful, it just unleashes stored energy, which makes you crash in the long run.

Caffiene is good if you've got an assignment due tomorrow. It's excellent if you have a very tough two-hour lecture. It's very bad if you're cramming for an exam, because it'll drain you by the time it's due. It's risky right before an exam, partly because it may make you dizzy, and partly because it makes you want to pee.

Sugar has a similar effect. Physical rush, then crash.

I've also heard that Ritalin and Prosac does wonders, but you should really consult a doctor before you try. Heard that Viagra gives you plenty of energy too, as well as other similar herbs/drugs recommended for the same purpose. I know an academic who relied on an erection herb to get through his PhD.