Just skip to the section below where I post the stack if you don't want to read this background info
So this last semester of school has been a humbling one for me and I think I need to change some things up. This being my first semester in college, it came as quite a shock to experience how much harder these courses are than high school courses! I constantly find myself distracted with anything that helps me avoid doing homework. (especially video games. At times they can consume my life, and I realize this is not ok) I grew up with some concerning mental health issue like depression and trouble trying to focus on things I needed to do. I procrastinate things to a crazy level and I'm generally regarded as lazy or apathetic despite my best efforts to prove otherwise. A big part of my life has been about trying to control these sort of issues and its very important to me that I learn what I can about various substances or outlooks I can utilize to make the best out of it. Out of any substance so far ive used Id say adderall has been the most effective, but it comes with a large downside to it because of the side effects it gives me.
That being said I have come a long way and have tried many different supplment/nootropics and know a thing or two about how to use them based off of experience. Up until college, I had been using a mostly pharmaceutical stack that is less than impressive, but it worked for what I needed it for. Since I was only working a 30-40 hr job I seemed to do ok. Then there were the chores and various tasks that would pile up and make me procrastinate (Things like putting gas in the car, doing laundry, going grocery shopping, paying bills). Although they are easy to do, but they add up fast. If things had gotten bad I would take an adderall twice a day and cram to get everything done in that day so that I could relax until things got piled up again. If adderall gave me insomnia (which it usually does when I take it sporadically, even before 2 pm) then a sleep aid like .3 mg of melatonin or 10 mg of ambien which would help me fall asleep.
So the cycle goes: 1}no supplements or meds most days - 2 }things are ok until stresses begin to accumulate - 3 } loads of things to do are building up, and I start feeling anxious 4} - procrastinate until the last minute - 5} take adderall to get stuff done, results in insomnia 6}- take ambien and low dose melatonin to get myself to sleep at a decent time. Then start back at 1.
This sort of cycle worked well outside of school, but now that im in school there are loads of things i need to remember, assignment due dates, information to remember for tests and quizes mentally demanding tasks everyday. The problem is If I follow this same cycle of sporadic adderall and sleep meds like ive done
1. I can only do this once maybe twice a week.
2. Its not practical for school
3. it makes me procrastinate worse because I think I can do everything on one day and I cant
4. Its really just a short term fix that deosnt work for my college schedule.
Bottom line is this stack has not been a good one to have during a semester and with upcoming classes,
The Stack Im considering to use for school:
1. Lions Mane
2. Fish oil
3. Some sort of racetam like piracetam, oxiracetam, or pramracetam
4 bacopa
5. B vitamins
6. creatine
Any advise comment or criticisms are welcome.