Adderall on Campus - Something Most Parents Don't Know!
Learn the behind-the-scene uses of this "study drug" before someone very close to you starts heading down the dangerous path of overuse or abuse.
What Is Adderall?
Adderall is a medication used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a psycho-stimulant made up of mixed amphetamine salts and has a high potential for abuse.While it is widely prescribed for children and adults with ADD/ADHD, this medication is also being heavily used by many college students who don't have the disorder as a brain enhancement drug to help them concentrate, retain information and get better grades.
Getting Ready For Final Exams
New estimates show that at least 10-15% of all college students are now taking ADHD medications to help give them a leg up. While these stimulants are usually used to deliver a calming effect for those who are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, when they are consumed by people who don't need it, it has an opposite effect.A person who doesn't have ADHD will experience increased energy, intense levels of concentration and a heightened awareness when using these meds. Because of this, Adderall is especially used by students around the time of finals when they have a lot of studying to do and big tests to prepare for. While the improved performance could really lift a person up, the side effects from these drugs could also take them down.
Understanding the Risks
ADHD meds come with a long list of warnings that stem from the potential side effects, which has made some with the disorder question how great they really are for ADHD treatment. However, this becomes even more of an issue for students who take the drugs when they don't need them.Adderall side effects
1) Fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeats
2) Feeling light-headed, fainting
3) Increased blood pressure
4) Severe headache, dizziness
5) Blurred vision
6) Chest pain
7) Numbness
8) Seizure
9) Hallucinations
10) Motor tics
11) Insomnia
12) Dry mouth
13) Loss of appetite, weight loss
There is also the high potential for dependency on these drugs.
"Why Would A Person Who Doesn't Have ADD/ADHD Ignore The Risks And Take Adderall?"
Students Are Seeking A Competitive Edge by Taking Adderall, Ritalin And Other ADHD Meds
Too Much Pressure, Too Little Time
One reason why students who don't have ADHD are taking these "smart pills" is because we live in a society that puts a great deal of pressure on young people to do well in school. Older students are told that their entire lives depend on how well they perform while they are in college and after.While encouragement is one thing, too much pressure has been driving some students to seek alternative ways to boost their performance and give them a competitive edge. So instead of turning to cocaine, marijuana, or other illegal street drugs, students are taking Adderall and Ritalin pills by the dozens. And student athletes are becoming increasingly vulnerable.
Sports Stars Lead The Charge
College students, especially those who play sports, love to mimic the behavior of professional athletes. They want to look like them, live like them and most of all play like them.We all know that taking drugs to boost performance is a very common thing in pro sports. Surely you've seen the numerous news reports of professional athletes taking anabolic steroids, amphetamines and human growth hormone (HGH) to help them run faster, jump higher and hit harder. Yes, there has been a big crack down as these cases unfold in the media. But one drug being used by pro athletes that has somehow slipped below the radar is, you guessed it, Adderall.
Recent reports show many Major League Baseball players are turning their backs on the "illegal" use of steroids. Instead they are running to their doctors claiming they have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in order to get prescriptions for "legal" stimulants used to treat ADHD.
How long do you think it will be before college students start doing the same?
Adderall and Ritalin In Professional Sports
- Baseball's Other Drug Problem
- Are players using an ADD diagnosis to evade the amphetamine ban?
- Use Of Prescription Drugs In MLB Eyed
- Hearings Reveal Spike In Use Of Adderall.
- Is Adderall as Big a Problem as HGH, Steroids in Baseball?
- Players were brazenly getting around the ban on amphetamines by making attention deficit disorder claims that allowed them to use stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall.
Proper Use of ADHD Medications
While the idea of a drug to improve grades and performance in sports may sound great to some, it is important for college students fully understand that ADHD medications such as Adderrall and Ritalin should only be taken by those who truly have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and whose doctors have prescribed the drug to them for treatment.Taking a controlled substance without a prescription is dangerous and against the law. Students should also note that selling these drugs on campus or giving them to other students is a felony and can result in prosecution.
The Bottom Line
Despite the amount of pressure college students face it is important to make them aware that ADD/ADHD medications do not really offer an answer to their issues in school. It's a temporary fix for a long term problem that could be life threatening. And officials at most of the U.S. colleges and universities are aware of what's going on and are telling students to STOP before they get caught!College administrators are encouraging students to get good grades the old fashioned way by just devoting more time to studying. If students just take care of themselves, eat right, get plenty of exercise and pay more attention in class, they will do just fine in school without the need for un-prescribed ADHD medications.
Adderall In College - Poll
ADHD Treatment Resources
- ADD ADHD Treatments
- Stay up to date on the latest news and information on ADD and ADHD. Learn about the newest medications and discover alternative treatments and natural remedies for children and adults.
- Centers For Disease Control and Prevention
- CDC estimates 4.4 million youth ages 4-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD by a healthcare professional, and as of 2003, 2.5 million youth ages 4-17 are currently receiving medication treatment for the disorder.
ADHD Medication Books on Amazon
Reader Feedback
Tell Us What You Think
Questions? Comments? We want to hear from you! Give us some feedback.
*$horty* wrote
I have just started taking adderall and I don't feel any different. I have had severe ADD/ADHD since about the 1st grade and was on medication all through school. I got off in 8th grade. I noticed that it was becoming severe and hard to control about 4 years ago. Because of all the controversy surrounding the condition and its treatments, I just tried to deal with it. But I finally had to do something. So today is my 5th day of taking it and the only difference so far is that I have mild headaches. So I guess we'll see. But I do not condone the misuse of these drugs!!! Thanks for reading my story =)
Posted May 09, 2008
ADHD Mom and son wrote
My son was on Adderall and behaviourally he was the best ever. Unfortunately, he didn't eat or sleep well so the pay-off didn't out weigh the side effects. We took him off it and since then he's been on Concerta and now Strattera, which work, but not as well.
Posted April 16, 2008
mulberry wrote...
Stuff like this is popping up all the time; it's hard to keep up. Great information!
Posted March 29, 2008
NatChar wrote...
Who new that this was even happening? Not me! Thanks for bring this to my attention. Just another thing to worry about if you have kids in College or attending a university. Well done! 5 Stars!
Posted March 16, 2008
danwrites wrote...
Thanks for information on this disturbing trend. It's a much bigger problem than many parents know. Keep spreading the good word.
Dan
Posted March 16, 2008
DayTradersWin wrote...
Drugs are nasty medicine. I have a friend with a daughter serving time in prison for her drug activity.
A smart, beautiful, I mean really beautiful woman, inside and out, totally distracted by her relationship with drugs and people with drugs.
And the elderly - treated by a list of physicians for ailments, non consultant by the other - rendered virtually imobile mentally and physically with competing, or should I say conflicting drugs.
Not a pretty picture.
Thanks for the information and message.
John McLaughlin
Day Traders - Consultant / Coach
Posted March 16, 2008
Wellness-Revolutionary
Good work, Faithfully, on bringing this addiction to the light.
Sheila
Posted March 14, 2008
ronpass wrote...
Much need information - thanks for creating this lens. We really need more information about drugs and their side effects.
Posted March 14, 2008
EveRYoung wrote...
Thanks for providing this information. I was aware of the dangers of Ritalin but had never heard of Adderall before.
Posted March 06, 2008
Faithfully wrote...
Because it is a stimulant it can be addictive. But in most cases students develop a "dependency" on the drug. By this I mean that instead of craving it like an addict, they may become dependent on it at times (eg. during exams) just to get certain physiological results.
Posted March 06, 2008
