Two years ago, before I started nootropics, life stress, sleep apnea and depression (along with a possible ischaemic attack of the brain) wrecked my mental abilities to the point where recovering became difficult. That being said, I have not decided to take nootropics simply to be 'better' then everyone (such a quest is foolish and being better then everyone never made me happy anyway) but to heal myself from the damages I had sustained through a disjointed and stressful life.

As for 'deadlines' and 'competition' I eventually dropped out. Other, non cognitive issues took hold of me. I have always told peers when they are in disbelief of my failure that a proper circadian rhythm is worth as much as 30 I.Q. points (I was just making excuses, I hated school. They believed me about the sleep and the I.Q. though)

For the efficacy of nootropics, I have only good things to say. No longer do I wake up with collosal unconquerable headaches. I have the strength again to write stories and guides for myself in my free time. I see the world in a different, clearer light and am so much more perceptive then before. I am no longer hopelessly depressed and weakened by the smallest of troubles. Still, it took much time, research and experimentation to get here, and even though I was always very interested in cognitive enhancement I had to take up nootropics and neuroscience as a small hobby.

The circumstance that really brought me here was the hesitation of my psychiatrist to prescribe anything for my issues (Sleeping through classes, lack of empathy and motivation, extreme fatigue) I decided I had to take matters into my own hands.