From Concentrate
Study Enhancing Drugs
Matt Myers
Issue date: 5/13/09 Section: News
20 credits, fraternity events, social gatherings, exams, and relationships are only a few of the things that many college students must deal with on a daily basis. All of these require time which is in short supply at any university and especially so at Kettering University. Many students at upper level schools across the country have turned to non-prescription medications such as Adderall, commonly known as neuro or cognitive enhancers, to effectively manage time between their many obligations at college. While there are many reasons that students take these drugs the most common are managing time more effectively, to fit into mainstream social life, and to get the “high” associated with these drugs.
Many students use these non-prescription medications on campus. “A study conducted in 2002 at a small college (University name withheld to protect privacy) found that more than thirty-five percent of students had used prescription stimulants non-medically in the past year.” (Talbot, 2009) Another study done by the scientific journal Nature took a poll of 1,400 readers and one out of every five respondents admitted to using cognitive stimulants. Sixty-nine percent said that the mild side effects associated with the abuse of these drugs were acceptable. Universities that require a student to give more time to studies to excel in academics were determined to be at a higher risk than other schools commonly referred to as party schools by most students. The use of these drugs hits close to home here at Kettering University due to the rigorous academic structure and demanding schedule of courses.
With many obligations and activities going on during only three month terms many students have turned to off-label (non prescribed) use of concentration enhancers. Here is the story of a student who turned to these drugs to deal with the stress and rigors of life here at Kettering University. “I used to take Adderall to get me through all the homework and other things that I had on my plate while I was here at school. I would take a pill when I got up and went to class and another at lunch to get me through the day. After classes were done for the day I would party and put off doing my homework until around midnight when I would take another pill to keep me awake and help me focus while I worked until five or six in the morning. The next day I would do the same thing, for a long time I only got two or maybe three hours of sleep a night. It (Adderall) turned me into a zombie, I walked around half asleep if I didn’t take it and I was dead to the world unless I was on it.” (Anonymous) Use of this drug to stay focused on school work has the potential more often than not to drain the user of emotions and result in an overall reduction in academic performance which was shown by this student’s story.
Recent controversy has spawned over Adderall stemming from the deaths of 51 people taking this and other medications. Between 1999 and 2003 there were 24 reported Adderall related deaths and 30 other confirmed deaths due to the side effects of this medicine. (2009) When taken in a non-prescribed manner this drug can lead to addiction and has a large potential for abuse.
Use of non-prescription concentration augmenting medications in order to gain an academic edge over others has become more common in the United States. The use of these drugs can affect all aspects of life from school performance to the social life of the user. While using these drugs may help you to stay focused on assignments for a while they will eventually lead to addiction and will take a toll on your life that cannot be fixed with the pop of another pill.
Sources:
No author, (May 4, 2009). Defective drugs. Retrieved May 4, 2009, from adrugrecall.com Web site: http://www.adrugrecall.com/adderall/adderall.html
Talbot, Margaret (April 27, 2009). Brain Gain. Retrieved May 4, 2009, from http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/04/27/090427fa_fact_talbot?currentPage=1
Anonymous, (May 1, 2009). Personal interview.
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