Comment · Thu, October 10, 2013 · Ceretropic
Let's talk about willpower/motivation - anything and everything relating to it.
Original post in this thread
[deleted] · 62 points
Willpower has to be one of the most often overlooked aspects of cognitive enhancement / productivity. As great as motivation in a pill sounds, sometimes you just have to do things (that's the scientific wording I swear).
So, brain-wise, this would be an "executive function", being dictated mainly by the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Do we know of ways to improve its function? I've heard meditation, but know nothing on the details.
I suppose forcing yourself to do things you absolutely don't want to (that you should do, of course, I don't mean like acting on your darkest thoughts!) would, over time, strengthen connections in the PFC. Would that lead to - chronically - improved ability to "self-start", decreased procrastination? Or is there a staunch limit to willpower?
The most popular routes for addressing lack of motivation / willpower are things like caffeine, Modafinil, methylphenidate, and the ever-popular amphetamines. Buut, those really aren't viable long-term solutions. What kinds of things could one do that would be viable in the long run?
I would guess that exercise couldn't hurt, but it's just as much a mental stress as it is physical - with heavy courseloads (high st…
What they were answering
Sherlockian_Holmes · 3 points
I think this is quite a bit too simplistic. A lot of neurotransmitter systems are involved in motivation, and sure, endorphins too. But from an intuitive point of view, increasing your endorphins (endogenous morphine) would not necessarily improve motivation, rather, improve your pain-threshold by reducing pain, and thus -- possibly -- freeing up mental space / moving beyond the "ugh" field (..yes, that is the actual term), but directly improving motivation, I am not so sure.
That seems to be more of a Glutaminergic / NErgic / DAergic mechanism to me; some low-level form of stimulation that pushes you to achieve, and improves goal-oriented behaviour. Perhaps you are speaking from personal experience with kratom, but as you mention yourself, kratom contains many alkaloids, _some of which_ -- for instance -- actually influence NE.
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb · Ceretropic
Edorphins indirectly stimulate the release of dopamine, though. And yes, I was oversimplifying. The stimulating alkaloids in kratom definitely add to the effect. But there has never been a time when I was more motivated than when I was on 7.5mg oxycodone after my shoulder surgery. I felt like I could do anything, and any issue could be worked through without much effort. Stimulants that hit the DA and NE systems directly motivate as well. However, they have more of a manic rushed feel to them. Opiates make you feel like you are capable of anything, and that makes you more likely to try and accomplish things.
Perhaps this is just my reaction to them. However, the motivation from exercise fits in with the endorphin theory. After a good workout, I feel like I can accomplish anything. It's a very similar feeling to exogenous opioids. Albeit in a much lower intensity.