I found this thread by accident and I know it’s a little bit old but I wanted to chime in. I have taken modafinil every day for more than seven years. I have a prescription for it for chronic fatigue that relates to my physical disability. This is an off label usage but legitimate. I am also neurodivergent with a mixed bag of symptoms that suggest sensory processing disorder and maybe ADHD.
I only take 100 MG, half my prescribed dose, which I did at first because it was intense plus the cost of the medication was high until I found a better coupon. I find that it is generally enough. It keeps me functional and gives me about 6 to 8 hours of productivity. I do tend to crash hard for a few hours in the evening and then I wake up again and go to bed quite late. But I have always been a night owl, even before I started taking it.
I used to struggle with severe depression and it is much milder than it used to be before I took modafinil. However, my anxiety did not go away, nor did my PTSD. I use cannabis for those. I am allergic to SSRIs so modafinil and weed are my best options.
I don’t react well to other stimulants but I can take modafinil without problems. I have never had any bad side effects from it, unless I miss a dose, in which case I get a really nasty headache. I also drink caffeine every day. I don’t consider modafinil to be something I take for fun. I wouldn’t be able to work without it. I suppose it could be fun for some people but it doesn’t give you a traditional high.
To the best of my knowledge, it is a very safe drug, and it’s certainly safer than Adderall. But it won’t turn you into a genius.
I won’t tell anyone what to take or not take, but I am not sure the benefits of modafinil are worth it to someone who wants a study or work drug. But for people like me, it allows us to function when we would otherwise probably be too exhausted to do anything most of the time. If you have any type of chronic fatigue condition, it is indeed miraculous.