Prescription stimulant misuse can be defined as taking more of the medication than prescribed, or as taking the medication without a prescription. There have been many arguments on the reasons why there has been an increasing amount of college students who misuse prescription stimulants. Some psychologists argue that the misuse of prescription stimulants amongst college students is caused by stress brought upon by final exams and hard curriculum. However, other psychologists argue that the misuse of prescription stimulants is becoming more common amongst American college students for other reasons such as: differences amongst brain activity in college students, and misconceptions about the true risks of misusing prescription stimulants amongst …show more content…
This article connects with other articles because it also highlights how some college students fail to realize the adverse side effects of taking and selling prescription stimulants due to the fact that it is a common practice in their environment, and there is little negative stigma attached to taking pills. The article from the Society for Prevention Research because found that when it comes to college students and drugs, there is a prevalent misuse of prescription stimulants due to dangerous misconceptions of the risks posed by misusing prescription stimulants. This article also gives an example of a study conducted by Amelia Arria in “2006 found that students who perceive prescription stimulants as relatively harmless are ten times more likely to use them than those who think that the drugs are extremely harmful”(Society for Prevention Research, 2008). This relates to the article from the University of South Carolina because they both thoroughly explain how the common misconceptions of prescription stimulants influence the prevalence of college students who misuse them. The article by Christian Teter, Sean McCabe, Kristy LaGrange, James Cranford, and Carol Boyd gives an overview of various reasons why some
Why did the ADHD boy not introduce his girlfriend to any of his friends? He could not remember her name; or better yet, why would a chicken be considered ADD? It never gets all the way across the road because of all the distractions. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental and behavioral disorder that affects 3 to 5 percent of all school-age children. The American Psychiatric Association explains that, “Individuals with ADHD may know what to do but do not consistently do what they know because of their inability to efficiently stop and think prior to responding, regardless of the setting or task” (Berne 2).
This is said with the idea that even though Adderall is a Schedule II Substance, it doesn’t seem as dangerous or serious as heroin. A big part in the philosophy of this is because it’s extremely easy to obtain on college campuses. In an interview done by Hercampus.com, Amanda states that, “On my campus, […] Adderall is extremely easy to find. Sometimes you don’t even have to ask for it if your friends take it regularly and study with you often […] People will try to sell [Adderall] to get cash for laundry money” (Gladu 2015). Even though it’s a Schedule II drug, a nationwide survey showed that it’s only considered as “very dangerous” by two percent of students. The survey also showed that the percent of student that believe nonmedical use of Adderall is “not dangerous at all” or only “slightly dangerous” is a whopping eighty-one percent (Zadrozny 2015). In short, the students that take Adderall don’t see how it can affect them because they are getting the drug from their friend, or classmate, and not in some dark alleyway associated with the more intense
Like Brown, Smith had never taken these prescriptions commonly called “study drugs” before coming to college. Smith cites increasing academic pressure as a reason for using the pills to focus and gain an edge. Both Brown and Smith receive free pills from their friends who have prescriptions but they would expect to pay $2-$5 a pill if they had to. In 2000 , NIDA’s Community Epidemiology Work Group found the abuse of methylphenidate (Ritalin) in Boston to be prevalent amongst middle and high school students; especially in middle- and upper-middle class communities.
Another growing fad in the United States is the abuse of prescription drugs. The abuse is being done by not only adults but by teens. The most current trend today is the misuse of cough syrups and prescription medications to produce a “high.” Other medications abused today are stimulants (Ritalin), and benzodiazepines (Xanax). Health Watch (2004) state girls tend to lean towards the medi...
As the saying goes, “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” American college students of the 21st century have been forcefully subjected to highly competitive environments due to a multitude of external factors. As of late, the prescription drug, Adderall has become the drug of choice for ambitious college students, and has earned the title of being today’s college candy and academic steroid. First introduced and approved by the U.S. FDA, Adderall became the common treatment for those suffering from ADHD and narcolepsy. The drug is considered a schedule II stimulant, falling in the same category as cocaine and codeine due to its addictive nature (Tran). Nicknamed “addy” by college students, Adderall and its effects have been proven to be advantageous to many seeking to maximize work productivity; the drug keeps students energized and engaged in their studies for hours on end (N.S.). As reported by the U.S. Department of Human Health and Human Services, “among persons aged 18 to 22, full-time college students were twice as likely to use Adderall non-medically in the past year as those who had not been in college at all or were only part-time students” (U.S.). What essentially persuades a college student to take Adderall non-medically? A student’s competitive environment may be an influential factor. The issue of Adderall abuse among college campuses is concerning due to the dangerous short and long term effects in which many of its users are unaware of. An analysis of Adderall usage among college students will be performed in order to determine what can be done to prevent Adderall abuse in college students.
Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugs to fulfill different needs other than to feel good or escape the pressures of adulthood. Teens may be just as likely to resort to drugs with ‘speedy’ side effects, like Ritalin to help them study longer, as they are to use prescription painkillers to check out of reality. Pressures on teens are growing, to succeed in sports or to get high grades to get into a good college (Pressures on today’s teens, 2008, theantidrug). Furthermore, because prescriptions drugs are prescribed by doctors they are less likely to be seen as deleterious to teens’ health. A lack of awareness of the problem on the part of teens, parents and society in general, the over-medication of America, and the greater stresses and pressures put upon teens in the modern world have all conspired to create the growing problem of prescription drug abuse by teens.
It is said that the best natural stimulant is exercise. The drug has many side effects that make someone dependent of others and need someone. There are many things that make the drug addictive to people, especially to college students that have a lot of finals and the stress of balancing school work and a social life.
"The risks become more pronounced if students use stimulants concurrently with other substances", (Underhill & Langdon, 2013, p.
In conclusion, the usage of Adderall in high schools and colleges by students without a prescription is absolutely alarming. Over one million strong and counting. You can argue Adderall might give you a boost in alertness or helps one to focus to assist with the studying process, but if addiction, adverse health effects and imprisonment does not outweigh this one known benefit, then I hope you get a chance to speak personally with any one of the 100 thousand this drug has negatively impacted among their livelihoods. My original stance on taking Adderall without a prescription is totally okay because I believe in personal choices and freedom to express yourself, but as I started typing and having my professor holding workshops to challenge opinions with arguments, I started seeing a clearer picture
Because, after focusing on studies all day, teens want these drugs so they can feel free. Illegally taking drugs prescribed, such as Adderall, has become more popular among college students who are trying to do perform excellent university needs. According to the study’s press release, “more than one million American students misuse prescription drugs, or take illegal stimulants to increase attention span, memory, and the capacity to stay awake.”(Gladu). The outcomes of taking these drugs include injuries in working memory, dizziness, trouble sleeping, dry mouth, and nervousness but it also depends on a person's body. For example: in the article by Alex Glad she gives a description of a student's name Amanda. Who was the stress of college life and homework? One night she tried (ADD) Adderall, and see if they dose of a drug can help her focus on studies for a test the next day. She bought this pill without prescription from his friend who sold this smart drug. After fifteen minutes her response was that she felt better and can focus on studies for a test
The media offers a sensationalized view of prescription stimulant abuse in the the adolescent and young adult populations. The evidence provided throughout this paper makes a compelling argument about the urgency of the growing prevalence of prescription stimulant abuse in the high school and college student populations. The media is bringing a valid point to the American public on the topic of prescription stimulant abuse. However, The data does not support the current prevalence of the state of stimulant abuse among young people in America (Herman-Stahl,
Not only is alcohol and marijuana abuse a major problem amongst adolescents in high schools and colleges, but other underage drug use has become a concern as well. I am talking about other substances abuses, and prescription drug abuse. Here I am going to be telling you all about substance and prescription drug abuse in schools, statistics, preventions, and the effects that these drugs have on academic abilities. When you think about prescription drug abuse in colleges, I’m sure the first thing that comes to mind is the ADHD, and ADD medications such as, Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, etc. these are known as the “study drug” that has been abused for years by college
Stimulant related disorders are one of the ten separate classes of drugs listed in the DSM-5 substance-related and addictive disorders section. Stimulants are psychoactive drugs that affect an individual’s mental and physical function. Some of the effects of stimulant use include increased mental alertness, increased energy level, wakefulness, and feelings of intense excitement. Stimulants are often prescribed to reduce sleepiness, decrease appetite, and reduce restlessness. Stimulant medications are also used to treat conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, narcolepsy, and depression. Some examples of legal stimulants include caffeine, nicotine, and prescription medications (e.g., amphetamines).
A study that sampled western United States universities had a pool of 448 participants, and it showed that the overall prevalence of the recreational use of stimulant drugs was 18%. Recreational use is any nonmedical use of a drug. study of 119 different colleges found that ¼ colleges had 10% prevalence for non-medical stimulant abuse (McCabe 2005). One reason why college drug abuse rates have surged is because students are starting to use these drugs even before their college experience (Varga 2012). High school students' use of anabolic steroids reportedly increased 126% between 1991 and 2003, and students may be exposed to these drugs as early as middle school (Varga
This could lead to hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and obsessions. (Amphetamine) Examples of amphetamines include adderall, benzidrine, and dexedrine. Students often abuse prescriptions for adderall as a study tool. I’ve known students at my previous school in Miami take adderall during every exam when they weren’t even prescribed it, which is a perfect example of amphetamine abuse. I’ve even heard of students becoming addicted to such drugs.