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Some of the Reddit nootropics guys are buying tianeptine in such large quantities that their usual vendors can't keep it in stock. "It's so helpful!" Tianeptine's an antidepressant; the trade name is Stablon. Saint John's Wort and Modafinil are also quite popular.

A huge proportion of the people involved in these communities are, I guess, just looking for inexpensive methods of treating depression that don't require engaging with the medical apparatus. The hyper-macho talk about improving cognitive function to "give yourself an edge!" + war stories about staying up for three days "coding like BEAST" act as kind of a smoke screen for people uncomfortable defining themselves as depressed.

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My cat prefers having his ears cleaned to being petted. He has never once attempted to bite or scratch me when I'm cleaning his ears; he sits there with his eyes half-lidded, thoroughly relaxed.