Adderall: The New Study Buddy?

The last all-nighter I pulled was as a college sophomore. Diet Coke and No Doz were my study aids, but after being laid low several days later with a migraine borne of sleep deprivation, I was a convert to actually studying throughout the semester rather than trying to cram months worth of learning into a single night. I found that it was more effective for increasing my GPA, and easier on my body in the long run.

Today medications like Adderall, and to a lesser degree, Ritalin, are the college students study buddies of choice. And with nearly 5 million children between the ages of 3 and 17 being diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (2008 estimate) a year, is it any wonder that students head off to university with the idea that good grades are a just prescription or pill away?

Though originally intended for those who suffer from ADD and ADHD to help improve focus and calm hyperactive behaviors, these drugs have found popularity among students who think that chemically enhanced concentration is superior to simply keeping up with class work and training their minds to focus without external aid.

Used recreationally, as well as during academic crunch times like finals week, these medications are acquired legally through doctor’s prescriptions and illegally from drug dealers or friends with legal prescriptions. Young people are drawn to the high, the increased ability to focus attention with a machine like precision, and by the results – better grades.

If they are aware of the negatives, the bottom line of their report card makes it easier for them to rationalize the risk.

A 2006 study by the Northeastern University School of Pharmacology found that Adderall is the stimulant of choice for college students. It’s three times more popular than Ritalin, which is a methylphenidate. It is easy to come by, but it’s not the yellow brick road to academic easy street that young people think. The drugs prescribed to improve focus are initially given to new patients at much lower doses than those college students are taking, which mean side effects are common, and many students report needing to take other drugs to counteract the effects.

Side effects associated with Adderall include: restlessness, excitability, anxiety, fear, dizziness, headache, high blood pressure, heart palpitations, hallucinations and seizures. In a patient under a doctor’s care, these things can be monitored, but what happens to students who are buying Adderall from dealers or getting them from friends?

Daniel D’addrio’s recent post High on Study Drugs at the Daily Beast paints a sad picture of college students driven to succeed by any means necessary. Students are deluded by the substances they are ingesting into believing that they need artificial boosts to achieve something they probably would have anyway.

Have we raised a generation of kids who turn to pills whenever life requires them to dig deep and work hard? Or are pharmaceuticals the future and those of us not chemically honing our concentration are just foolishly out of touch?

Adderall by Arenamontanus

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

James R.

12:23PM PDT on May 12, 2011

Being someone who takes adderall to help study during finals, I would have to say in moderation and used in appropriate dosage the drug is fine.
However obviously there is a tremendous risk if you cannot control yourself. However for 2 and a half years now, during finals week a few 5 mg adderall sure have helped me, without creating any sort of addiction.

send a green star

Inez Deborah A.

1:25PM PDT on May 24, 2010

This is totally crazily wrong and dreadfully primitive

Ashley N.

8:53AM PDT on May 19, 2010

It's a very dangerous road to travel. Illegally taking these drugs can lead to more problems down the road.

Barb F.

3:11PM PDT on May 18, 2010

"foolishly out of touch" nails it if anyone, student or one knowing of it in general is not greatly upset by this highly dangerous trend.

SL L.

8:33PM PDT on May 15, 2010

Any prescription drug shoyld be prescribed by the medical doctor only, that is why there are so many drug problems today.

NO EMAILS P.

1:31AM PDT on May 15, 2010

thanks for post

Maria M.

5:09AM PDT on May 14, 2010

It's so sad that we teach our children to solve their problems with a pill. What happens when they are feeling down and some one offers them a different type of "pill" to feel better?

Megan D.

11:36AM PDT on May 13, 2010

i take vivance, it's like adderal, and i'm percribed to it. I've had kids friednds ask me if they could take some to study and take a test. i said no, and i've found new friends who don't abuse drugs.
it's a bad idea

Past Member .

10:09AM PDT on May 13, 2010

A pill fixes everything don't you know?

vijayan t.

3:03AM PDT on May 13, 2010

We should be able to offer better alternatives to children who want to improve concentration.Without such alternative path, children are boud to follow the pill way