The Risks of Increased Use of ADHD Medication on College Campuses
ADHD medicine has made its way to college campuses and has been known for its abuse. Turning to prescription drugs during tests and finals has become all too common to pass. Those who are not prescribed the drug are taking it periodically throughout the semester, resulting in residual side effects. With the belief that these drugs will improve your grades, it is only a matter of time before this misconception spreads to the whole country. With little knowledge of the after-effects of the drug, students are unaware of how these drugs can hurt them. Today, I will cover the use of ADHD medication on college campuses while also detailing its potential risks.
What is ADHD?
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. To combat the effects of this disorder, doctors prescribe drugs like Adderall and Vyvanse that help keep you focused. These stimulants increase the amount of hormones dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. This effect improves concentration and decreases the fatigue that is common with ADHD. Although the stimulants help someone focus for 4-6 hours, the side effects are fervent. Causing sleeping problems, as well as decreases in appetite, ADHD medication can cause users to have long-lasting problems if students take it frequently.
College Students
With college exams, quizzes, and other school work, many college students turn to the stimulant to complete tasks. Researchers have discovered that 30% of students have illegally used ADHD drugs, such as Adderall. Furthermore, with claims from the students that “study candy” can increase grade percentages, students continue to turn to the drug. No studies have proven that ADHD medication on college campuses increases grades, but the opposite. Janet Currie of Princeton and Mark Stabile of the University of Toronto conducted studies concluding that increased usage of ADHD medication on college campuses links to worse math scores, worse parental relationships, increased unhappiness, higher anxiety, and even depression in girls.
With arguments for and against the use of the stimulant, it is hard to know if it does help with test scores. It is also important to point out that results could vary from person to person. The use of prescription drugs when not prescribed by a doctor is still very illegal, and users could be at risk. For more information on the effects of ADHD medications, check out this website.
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