> What other drug can give such an effective boost to wakefulness, mood, and focus with the only main side effects being possible sleep loss and jitteriness/discomfort?
Modafinil. At least for me (and basically everybody I know that tried it) it's much better than caffeine. Much clearer wakefulness, more focus, less physical, more deep concentration, and fewer side effects (if any).
I agree that it may not be suited for every situation, and I really, really wish there were more long-term studies, but at least the ones there are (that I'm aware of) do not suggest horrible results. Given that it produces great results for many people, I feel like we're missing a massive opportunity by focusing on "if you're not really ill, you don't need medication".
Modafinil. At least for me (and basically everybody I know that tried it) it's much better than caffeine. Much clearer wakefulness, more focus, less physical, more deep concentration, and fewer side effects (if any).