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Going through University and working in tech has been extremely hard for me. I'm terrible at it. Sure, I can come up with an algorithm, I can write code, but something about doing mental work is extremely laborious to me. I spend 30 minutes panicking before I can even open an email.

This past year I took a break and went to work with my Arborist friend as a groundsman. Do I still have ADD? Probably? I can't tell. None of those ADD issues come up unless I'm working on a computer. The tree business has been going well and the work has expanded into all kinds of new opportunities. I don't think I'm going back. Especially if medication is necessary for me to succeed.


They certainly do it, haven't heard of any accidents yet: https://www.bigislandhelicoptertours.com/


Yeah, I've actually flown over the active volcano with them!

Not sure if we went directly over the crater, but either way, that's an eruption that has gone on for decades, and behaves in known ways.

The Iceland eruption is a few days fresh.


There is certainly enough lava. The eruption that occurred in 2018 in my home town produced 1 billion cubic yards or 914402.757839 cubic kilometers.

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vsc/file_mngr/file-224/OVERVIEW_K...

I imaging the outgassing of the plastic would be pretty terrible but the volcanic gas is pretty damaging too. But yes, I imagine there are a hundred different reasons this wouldn't really work out.


I don’t think that math is right. 1 billion cubic yards is like less than 1 cubic km.


You are correct. I messed that up bad and forgot how dimensions worked.


Yet even ignoring those two issues, you included 12 significant figures on a number that was likely 10% off in the first place.


Our neighbor started doing this with my dad. My dad was a school teacher and didn't have any sort of content to plagiarize. The man started buying the same clothing as my father, the same surfboard, same car, dyed his hair the same color and got the same haircut, got fake glasses in the same style and even started copying his mannerisms. It was bizarre. We moved shortly after it started for unrelated reasons but it was pretty terrifying as a young kid.

Interestingly enough, he was a PHD student.


I bet PhD programs attract narcissists like flies to ...

In a way, a PhD could be seen as the ultimate intellectual validation.


A tip to get rid of an annoying neighbour perhaps? :p


My grandfather on my moms side smoked weed,ran marathons, kept his faculty position at the University, and took up new hobbies, up until the Alzheimers went to far to do any of that. My grandfather on my dads side lead a similar lifestyle (minus the the weed smoking) and ended up in the same situation. Studies are always coming out saying that these things are all helpful, but at the end of the day how long do you get to live and can you really beat your genes?


Most weed have low amounts of CBD, so not sure if your anecdotal story would fit here.


It all comes down to the strain. High CBD & Low THC strains [0]

[0]: https://www.leafly.com/news/strains-products/10-best-cbd-can...


Ah, I was not aware of this.


Yeah, sadly I couldn't find a way to read the paper beyond the abstract for free, but the doses I've seen for CBD are like ~10 to 100x what you'd generally get from smoking weed I think. Not to mention that it's usually taken orally, not smoked, but again I can't read the paper so for all I know they were massaging it into their scalps.


Sci-hub will have the paper available


I am.

Someone who vaporizes CBD/THC strains (all of them) still still getting way more CBD compounds than someone who isn't using cannabis at all.


That's the danger of these stories. Addicted people claim they are doing good to themselves while taking their drug.


Cannabis is not physically addictive and no reasonable LD has ever been found.

The only downside of pot is whatever you’re missing out while couched-in


This is factually false, cannabis is addictive and you do experience withdrawal if you stop using it after habitual long term use (anxiety, depression, among other withdrawal symptoms).

I'm not saying this is an argument for making it illegal, caffeine is physically addictive and certainly you experience withdrawal if you stop using it suddenly, etc.

However, saying cannabis is not addictive at all is just propaganda. If any chemical does something measurable in your body, you will almost certainly experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop using it after long term use. Withdrawal symptoms being unpleasant is basically the definition of physical addiction.


I think the addictive vs. non-addictive debate is mostly about what people mean by the word "addictive." Clinically, you're right: anything that affects the dopamine system will have clinically addictive properties (i.e. bingeing, preoccupation, anxiety, etc), and there's plenty of clinical research showing that long-term cannabis use can result in addiction. But what people sometimes mean by "addictive" is physically-painful and/or physically-dangerous withdrawal symptoms: nauseau, migraines, shaking, or even potentially death in the case of alcohol. Even heavy cannabis use doesn't generally result in those kinds of withdrawal symptoms.


Cannabis is very much psychologically addictive and hence the word pothead. If you don't know the pot culture and you don't see how these people can't have fun or pass a day without pot you will change your mind


But you see the end result, not what could have been. The weed Grandfather could have got Alzheimer’s way earlier


I don't even know how you would notice if you had ADD while working construction or some other manual labour job. While performing office work makes everyone feel like they have ADD if they aren't performing as they expect themselves too.


Very good point. I'm 30, check reddit/instagram/FB more than I ever did in college, yet I'm more more disciplined during my work and study than I was in college.


It is already vulnerable list and if stopped being illegal it would be endangered in months. Synthetic mescaline is already a thing.


You mean if it stopped being illegal there wouldn't be people who start producing their own peyote? I find that hard to believe.


> I don't feel strung out nor is it some addiction. Ignore the people screaming about Adderall being "literal meth" and how it will certainly kill you. Even with an addictive personality, it's very easy to avoid over-doing it (hint: only take it as prescribed).

Low dose meth does work pretty similar to Adderall. Everyone who does meth does not become a meth addict. Most don't. But the people who become meth addicts are the same people who end up using adderall like methheads.

Which is why I personally don't have an Adderall prescription. Because if I have a bottle of Adderall I'm going to attempt a prescribed dose on day one and start snorting it by day three.


Low dose meth has a lot of similarities but quite a few, significant, differences to Adderall. The biggest are tropism and release.

Statistically, because of the addictive effects of untreated ADHD, the likelihood of substance addiction with or without amphetamine treatment is almost equal. There is of course a risk of getting addicted to Adderall, but amphetamines with long releases are not very addictive as far as drugs go and the risk of getting addicted to other things is drastically reduced.

Methamphetamine as used illegally is a lot more addictive than Adderall because it is generally consumed in ways that lead to much more immediate effects and not orally, and even when orally it is generally formulated to be released more quickly. More rapid effects seriously increase addiction potential.

The doses are also much smaller for Adderall than meth in 99% of cases.

Because of these factors, methamphetamine is much more addictive than pharmaceutical amphetamine salts.


The likelihood of addiction without treatment is much higher as far as I know.


To paraphrase, "I think adderall is kinda like meth, so it's obviously addictive."

The fuck?

Adderall is one of many medical options for treating ADHD. Not all of which are stimulants. And some of which are chemically designed so they can't be abused (like Vyvance).

EDIT: The OP pulled the "in my opinion" phrasing from their post, but I'm going leave mine as-is. There's a lot of anecdote based FUD about ADHD meds going on in these threads, and it makes me mad. My above thoughts stand.


Paraphrasing only works when it captures the essence of what is being said.


Adderall is 100% addictive and is like meth but with less bio-availability and neurotoxicity.

All stimulants are addictive and you will have physical side effects from discontinuing use.


> All stimulants are addictive and you will have physical side effects from discontinuing use.

I love those side effects though. It is so nice to stop taking them and feel cozy and rest for a few days. The best description I have for it is that it feels like when you get home from a hard days work and are tired and go sit down in your sofa and just relax. Just that the feeling lasts for days! Awesome, right?

I hate being on the meds and I never take them when I don't work, but I have to take them to do any kind of work requiring focus like for example filling out a form.


It's a much more difficult withdrawal for many/heavy stimulants users. brain fog, zaps, depression lasting months, messed up dopamine/glutamate and other brain crap.

It sucks there aren't any good meds for addiction treatment for stimulants yet (naltrexone/bupe etc).

Quitting meth, cocaine, prescription stims is really really hard.


I have never heard of someone having withdrawal symptoms from a prescription dosage of Adderal. I've kept my ears open for one, since this is an exceptionally common anecdote that someone's heard from someone else.

If you have, please point to a source - there's a lot of anecdotal FUD running rampant throughout this thread.


Jim Cramer ran a hedge fund from 1987-2001.


Interesting write-up of the performance of Cramer's investments https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Cramer#Performance_of_Cram...


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