Aldous Huxley predicts Adderall and champions alternative therapies

History and pharmacology of stimulants

• Commenters note that substituted amphetamines and related phenethylamines (meth, MDMA, 2C-x, cathinones, etc.) have been around since the 1930s–50s and were researched for depression and what became ADHD.
• Stimulants were widely used in WWII by multiple militaries (“go pills”), and still see limited use (e.g., Dexedrine, modafinil) in modern forces.
• There’s debate over Adderall’s chemistry: some emphasize it’s just mixed amphetamine isomers and salts, not a “substituted amphetamine” like MDMA or meth.

Huxley, Soma, and fictional drugs

• Many initially confuse the article’s topic with Brave New World’s “soma,” then clarify that the linked Huxley lecture instead imagines a side-effect-free focus/attention drug.
• Discussion over what soma most resembles pharmacologically (weed, benzos, opiates, MDMA-lite) leads to broader debate on how cannabis and MDMA actually feel and function.

ADHD, Adderall, and stigma

• A large subthread pushes back hard on the framing “Adderall increases mental efficiency.”
• ADHD commenters stress that for them Adderall primarily reduces executive dysfunction (starting tasks, following through, managing daily life), not IQ or general “efficiency.”
• They highlight severe untreated-ADHD outcomes: shorter lifespan, high depression and suicide rates, rejection sensitivity, and emotional dysregulation.
• Several describe life-changing benefits from Adderall, atomoxetine, or modafinil, and object to framing these medications as shortcuts or productivity hacks. Misconceptions are seen as fueling stigma and diversion, making access harder for those who need them.

Therapy vs medication

• Disagreement over behavioral therapy: some say it “does nothing” for ADHD; others cite guidelines and CBT studies showing moderate benefits, especially combined with medication.
• Nuanced view: therapy doesn’t fix core neurobiology but can help with acceptance, coping strategies, and guilt; it’s complementary rather than an alternative to meds.

Cognitive enhancement, abuse, and safety

• Several argue Adderall does not make non-ADHD people smarter and may even reduce performance while increasing the feeling of productivity.
• Others point to historic and military use of stimulants for endurance and boring tasks, suggesting real (if narrow) performance gains.
• Debate over addiction and “wear and tear”: some call amphetamines safe and low-risk at prescribed doses; others note dependence potential, strong side effects, and misuse in academia.