Provigil, a medication for adults affected by narcolepsy and other sleep disorders, is being abused by successful people who refer to it as "Viagra for the mind," according to ABC News. The report chronicled the use of the drug by a computer programmer, a Washington lobbyist and a brain researcher who praised the focused, wakeful sensation they claim to achieve by taking the pill.

John Withers, the programmer interviewed by ABC, said the pill "helps you focus for exceptionally long periods of time." He claims it allows him to write code for 12 hours at a time.

Sales of the drug have increased 73 percent in the last four years, according to data given to ABC by IMS Health, a company that specializes in healthcare analytics. Sales jumped from $832 million in 2007 to $1.4 billion in 2011. The jump can be attributed, in part, to the use of Provigil to treat shift work disorder.

The abuse of Provigil among successful adults was reported on in 2008 by TechCrunch. The article detailed the drug's rising popularity among the Silicon Valley crowd, with one executive calling it "the entrepreneur's drug of choice."

Doctors interviewed by ABC cautioned against using the drug without prescription. Apart from the obvious reasons, such as allergic reaction and Provigil's effect on other prescriptions, doctors also warned users that drug has not been studied for long-term effects.

Provigil's manufacturer, Cephalon Inc., lists the possible short-term side effects on its website. These include mania, depression, suicidal thoughts and aggression as well as physical effects such as diarrhea, nausea, headaches and heart-attack like sensations in the chest and trouble breathing.

Dave Asprey, an executive at a billion-dollar internet security firm, told ABC he takes Provigil every morning and feels healthy. He feels he benefits so much from the drug that he admitted he would not stop usage if it was proven to shorten his lifespan.

"I would really like to live during those years I am alive," he said. "Provigil helps me do that."