Adrafinil requires a slightly higher dose than Modafinil, but the effects are essentially the same. The difference is that Adrafinil does not require a prescription in the US as of 2007 and is therefore much easier to obtain.
Brief personal history: I am thirty-one years old. I am probably best characterized as a 'cautious psychonaut'. I do not use marijuana, cocaine, opiates, or any other 'high' type drugs, although I have tried them all briefly in the past and I went through about a six-month period many years ago of regular cannabis use. I use caffeine (black tea and mate) on a daily basis, but I do not drink much coffee. I do not drink alcohol, except for a rare beer or glass of wine. I do not smoke. The drugs that most appeal to me are the psychedelics/entheogens, and I have considerable experience with LSD, LSA, and psilocybin. I use these approximately twice per month with fair regularity and I feel my quality of life (especially my spiritual life) has been vastly improved by these substances. I sometimes take small amounts of DXM (~100 mg) with tryptamines.
The first time I experimented with Adrafinil (2005) I was taking Buproprion (Wellbutrin) daily as a prescription antidepressant. Wellbutrin did help somewhat with my depression, which I have battled off-and-on since I was very young. I was less than impressed with Adrafinil at first, which was likely the result of an interaction with Wellbutrin. (Side note: Wellbutrin seems to have a dampening effect on a wide range of drugs, especially tryptamines, and my tryptamine use had trailed off almost completely while I was taking it.) About a year later, I was laid off from my job, and a combination of no longer having medical insurance and a desire to resume tryptamine use led to my discontinuing Wellbutrin. In retrospect, that was a great decision.
About a week after I stopped taking Wellbutrin, I tried some of my remaining Adrafinil, beginning with a 600 mg dose in the morning. Wow! Adrafinil not only acted as a great, long-lasting stimulant, I found it to be a powerful mood elevator as well. My entire outlook on life changed for the better. Adrafinil creates a feeling of energized confidence and awareness with none of the jitters or comedown of other stimulants.
After extensive experimentation with dosage, I have settled on taking 300 mg when I wake up and another 300 mg in the early afternoon. There does not seem to be much, if any, habituation or tolerance created by Adrafinil. Higher doses do create a stronger effect, but (IMO) don't make enough of a difference to be worthwhile -- Adrafinil is, unfortunately, fairly expensive (about $1 per tablet) and there is an obvious incentive to stretch out one's supply. Occasionally I will take doses up to 1200 mg when a high degree of concentration is required. I have found this dose to be very effective at potentiating and improving the tryptamine experience, in particular. I find tryps sometimes bring a feeling of lethargy or body load with some cognitive dullness. Adrafinil counters this effect very nicely.
In conclusion, I cannot recommend Adrafinil highly enough. I have experienced no negative side effects or addiction whatsoever from this chemical. I have stopped using it for a week at a time on a couple of occasions as a test, and while I miss it (obviously) I don't feel any cravings, headaches, or physical symptoms of withdrawal. I do take milk thistle as a precaution against possible liver effects.
From reading other experiences I can tell that Adrafinil is not for everyone, but it has been very helpful to me as a stimulant/antidepressant/cognitive enhancer.
