It can be hard for some students to believe that a tiny pill like Adderall can be so dangerous.
Adderall was first introduced in 1996 and has become increasingly popular over the past few years. A study done by the University of Wisconsin found that one in every five college students have used Adderall or Ritalin without a prescription from a doctor. It’s a drug prescribed for individuals with ADD and ADHD, and simply keeps the person focused and concentrated for any task at hand.
Recently, however, Adderall has become the new ‘it’ drug to have. ‘It’s almost impossible to not hear students talking about it,’ said Kelly Lauterborn, a UT junior. ‘College kids see it as a way to get their work over and done with, regardless of the fact of not sleeping or eating.’
Dr. Cindy Parsons is a professor in the nursing department at UT and is doctor at Tampa General Hospital. Parsons treats many patients, whom she prescribes Adderall for. But should those who are not prescribed take it?
‘Absolutely not,’ said Parsons. ‘What students don’t understand is the severity of this drug. Adderall is a stimulant, not only does it focus on the dopamine preceptors in the brain, but it will also increase heart rate, blood pressure, decrease appetite and, for some, even cause death due to cardiac arrest.’
It’s gotten to the point now where kids have died by taking this drug; it’s now banned in Canada.
‘I think it’s the most abused drug on campus,’ said Gina Firth, the associate dean of students at UT. ‘It’s very powerful. Even if someone takes it once, they have the memory of it working; what’s going to stop that individual from doing it over and over again?’
At this point in time, finding Adderall illegally is as easy as getting a pack of cigarettes from Metro Mart.
There are many reasons why Adderall is being abused at such a high rate. The first, being able to get that 25 page paper done overnight. Some students also snort it to get high.
‘I will always use Adderall to help me get my work done. Why the hell wouldn’t I? It keeps me awake, focused and able to study for however long I need. What is the problem?’ an anonymous UT senior said.
‘It’s similar to cocaine and will absolutely speed someone up,’ said Firth.
Adderall has also been popular because it causes individuals to lose weight. Because of its side effect of no hunger, people take it to shed pounds.
Some students, however, don’t really mind the consequences.
Julia, a UT junior, said, ‘There are risks with everything. This is a pill that simply helps people focus and stay attentive.’
The drug is so potent that every patient who’s prescribed must visit with their doctor once a month for an extensive evaluation.
‘I meet with my patients once a month to monitor them and ask specifically about their sleep cycle, if they get headaches or not, any cardiac issues, if they’re students, how they are doing academically, socially, etc.,’ said Parsons.
‘There’s this misconception that medication is safe,’ said Parsons. ‘Even over-the-counter medication can be dangerous, with Tylenol causing liver failure and Motrin causing severe ulcers.’
The drug is also popular among the student body at colleges because it ‘enables’ them to consume more alcohol if taken before a long night of partying. Adderall becomes even more dangerous when mixed with alcohol.
‘When on Adderall and drinking, students don’t feel as intoxicated as they really are,’ said Parsons. ‘Their blood alcohol content continues to rise, yet they don’t feel it at all and continue drinking.’
A lot of these individuals will end up in the emergency room to get their stomachs pumped. According to Parsons, an excessive dose of alcohol and Adderall will put an individual at serious risk for cardiac arrest.
When athletes take performance enhancers to make them perform better, people call it cheating. It’s a pill that helps students perform better academically. Would this be considered cheating?
‘Absolutely, if someone takes a pill to help them do their work, they are cheating! I’m not taking a pill for my work, I’m doing it on my own,’ said an anonymous UT junior.
Parsons agreed, ‘I want to know that my work is my work. I don’t want it impacted negatively or positively by an outside agent. I want to know that I can accomplish it, and if I can’t, I need to problem solve and figure out what the issue is.’
Is society to blame? We are at a point now where prescription drugs are being advertised all over television. Both Firth and Parsons feel as though society is to blame.
‘We are now in a society where we are drugging for lifestyle choices. We want to take a pill, fix it and get instant gratification. Any discomfort whatsoever, take a pill,’ Firth said.
Firth concluded by saying ‘Adderall is starting to become much more aware of by faculty and staff. People are looking for it now. It’s not that we want to be the big brother or want to get people in trouble, but this is a very dangerous pattern to get into. We are here to learn and grow as people. Getting through academics by popping pills is really going to harm you, and that’s not what we are about here at UT.’
Parsons summed up her thoughts in a brief statement, ‘The American population as a whole has this misconception about the safety of medication and, as such, minimize the risk to self-harm by taking medications that aren’t prescribed to them. Why would I risk harm to my body by putting something into it that I have no idea what the outcome is going to be?’
The bottom line is that Adderall is a prescription drug for prescribed patients who physically and psychologically need it. This is a drug that can cause an immediate cardiac arrest or seizure and can really be detrimental to one’s health. Just look at the risks. Is it worth it? Is your entire life worth losing over a tiny pill that helps you get your work done?
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