Four exams in one week, multiple
papers and assignments due on the same day, endless hours of reading you fell
behind in; we have all experienced such atrocities as college students, and
with the mounting pressure to do well in school and get straight A’s for an
eventual successful job, it is no wonder students have been feeling desperate
for something to help achieve success. A “study drug” that will help them
focus, study for countless hours, and ace their exams! Who wouldn’t want to
swallow a pill with such promising effects?
This is part of the emergent
problem in the US; the growing prevalence of the abuse of prescription
amphetamines such as Adderall on college campuses. Numerous studies have been
conducted recently to discover just how many students are opting to use such a
substance to aid in their studies. After surveying students enrolled in 119colleges across America, it was discovered that up to 25% of them have used the
drug. Another study performed at BrighamYoung University in Provo, Utah decided to use the social networking site Twitter
to access the prevalence of Adderall among young adults. They scanned the
website for mentions of the drug, and found “a total of 213,633 tweets” between November 2011 and May 2012, with an increased frequency during final
exam periods nationwide! Clearly, from these studies, and even just our own
experience as college students, it is evident that the use of Adderall has been on the rise.
So what exactly is Adderall and why
is its increasing pervasiveness of such concern? Adderall is amphetamine anddextroamphetamine, both which serve as stimulants to the central nervous system
and affect nerves and brain chemicals contributing to hyperactivity and impulse
control that is conventionally used as a treatment for attention deficit
disorder and narcolepsy. For people who
are in need of Adderall for such conditions, it aids in patients ability to
focus, pay attention and control behavior. However when abused, and taken
without doctor consent, the effects of Adderall can be quite destructive. As a schedule II medication, it is possible
to become addicted or develop dependence to the substance. Adderall triggers
the release of adrenaline, increases
heart rate and flow of the blood to muscles. It’s effect on heart rate can
cause cardiovascular problems such as increased blood pressure or disrupted
heart rhythm. While short term effects of dryness of the mouth, difficultly
sleeping, headaches, or even chest pain may seem as a mere inconvenience to
desperate college students, its long term effects are much more daunting. Abuse
of Adderall can increase a person’s risk for heart attack and stroke, and cause
them to develop mental health disorders such as depression, paranoia and
hostility.
Adderall has become one of the most
prescribed drugs in the US, and is becoming one of the most abused
pharmaceutical drugs on college campuses nationwide. With the availability,
affordability, and promising effects of concentration and success in school it
is understandable why many college students opt to experiment with the
substance. Many people are unaware of the harmful effects, and risks abuse of
the substance may pose.
Posted by Kristen Whitehead (3)
The fact that this drug is so available is part of the reason why many college students have taken this drug without a prescription. What could colleges do to help decrease the spread of the drug to people who aren't prescribed?
ReplyDeletePosted by: Nicole Boisvert
I agree! This is a major topic of discussion amongst law officials and researches. As far as what colleges could do to help decrease the spread of the drug I think would be to raise awareness. Through the use of flyers, posters, and even e-mail they can keep students informed of the dangerous side effects, and even the serious legal implications for anyone caught involved in the illegal selling or purchasing of the drug,
DeleteAn interesting quirk I have heard from several users of the drug is that it is useful for concentrating on most tasks but actually detrimental to concentrate on others. A close friend reported to me that on the very occasional circumstance when he used the drug, he became very efficient at doing repetitive tasks such as reading a text book and taking notes. However, he described as actually being inhibited in doing truly creative task, requiring fresh abstract thought. I wonder if tests have been done to analyze this difference in effect on cognition.
ReplyDelete-JE
I believe this drugs is vastly abused, especially among college students. When a doctor prescribes a patient medicine, its with the intent that the positives will out-weight the negatives. Taking a drug, like Adderall, when the body does not need it, is ensuring the negatives will out-weight the positives.
ReplyDeleteMax Liner
This was a great post Kristen. I think it's scary to think about how easily this is given out and how readily available it is on campus', especially when you consider how dangerous the drug can be and it's addictive/long term side effects.
ReplyDeletePosted by: Kirk MacKinnon
I found this post to be incredibly relevant and important. I have personally seen friends abuse this drug for both recreation and academia. Some people take the drug to cram for tests and study, as you stated, but what concerns me more are the people who take the drug to party. Many people will take the drug before drinking, which allows them to stay up longer and drink more. I know that drinking on most prescription medications is not advised, I'm wondering if you know any more about the specific health risks this entails. I'm assuming that dehydration is a main concern. Adderall is described as an "upper" because it elevates the CNS activity, while alcohol is a depressant. Do you think mixing these two opposite drugs increases the risk of health problems?
ReplyDeletePosted by Tim Daly
yes this is definitely of great concern as well. Alcohol is a depressant, and Adderall is indeed a stimulant (in many studies it is even compared to cocaine). The Adderall's stimulating effects prevents your body's ability to tell if you are too intoxicated or too tired, which is why it allows people to drink and party for longer. Although your mind is unaware of this excess alcohol consumption, your body most certainly is. Many people can end up getting alcohol poisoning,passing out, vomiting, and even have a heart attack! There was one case study on a college kid who took a 30 mg Adderall and drank whiskey, and was in the hospital for a heart attack. As i mentioned in my blog, the drug can cause heart beat abnormalities, arrhythmia, or hypertension; all dangerous when mixed with alcohol consumption.
DeleteThat's a great point Lindsey. There have been numerous students at prestigious college campuses that have been caught by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Some of these students have opted to tell their story on the news, and discuss how much trouble they have gotten in. Possibly when doctors prescribe such medication the patient should have to watch a few of these documentaries, or at least be informed of the legal implications.
ReplyDeleteClearly Adderol is the most prevalent but did you come across any research for other ADHD medications. I know a few friends who are prescribed Vyvanse / Ritalin. I'm wondering if these pills have the same health affects.
ReplyDeletePosted by Kevin Barisano
Yes Ritalian and Vyvanse have the same overall affects as Adderall does. They are just as dangerous.
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ReplyDeleteadderall is a prescription drug and can be bought from our online pharmacy. It is often prescribed for treating ADHD.
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