Our society thrives on productivity. You gotta do more and
accomplish more in a single day or you will fall behind. Because of this
mentality, sleep is often derailed and put off until it is most convenient. This
is especially true for many college students. Unfortunately, it seems more and
more college students have been looking for a quick fix to the do more and
sleep less problem. The short-term solution has been to use prescription
stimulants. One of the most common brands: Adderall.
Recent studies have shown an overall increase in Adderall use
among college students. In college, these drugs have many nicknames, such as
vitamin R and speed. These drugs seemingly solve the main issue that college
students face—lack of concentration/alertness. Stimulants such as Adderall or
caffeine work by affecting dopamine within the brain. Additionally, Adderall also
affects norepinephrine within the brain. As a result, the body responds by
increasing blood pressure and blood flow. Which in turn makes the student feel
more awake/alert.
While the student may temporarily fix the problem of lack of
sleep, in the long run, abusing stimulants is quite dangerous. Overdosing on stimulants
can lead to: seizures, irregular heartbeat, heart failure, as well as high body
temperatures. Besides the acute risks involved with abusing stimulants there are
also a myriad of long-term risks such as anger, paranoia, and even psychosis. Beyond
that are other health risks associated with an increased blood pressure and an
increased heart rate.
With all the risks involved why do many people still take
the risks? In the end is it worth the risks? On one hand there are definitely a
huge number of health risks associated with using stimulants without a
prescription, but on the other hand, people wouldn’t be abusing them if they
weren’t getting results. While I find myself personally to be against having
recreational Adderall (or other ADHD medication) I also think a strong argument
could be made for such a use. One argument that comes to mind is one I came across
while reading about the rampant drug/cheating that goes in professional biking.
While you cannot deny the harm that will come to your body for pushing it past
its limits, in the end, it is the athlete’s body not yours. In other words, if
you choose to do something that will put your body at risk, is it not your
right to choose to do so?
Kennedy S. (2018). Raising Awareness About Prescription and
Stimulant Abuse in College Students Through On-Campus Community Involvement
Projects. Journal of undergraduate neuroscience education : JUNE : a
publication of FUN, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience, 17(1),
A50–A53.
National Institute on
Drug Abuse. (2018, June 6). Prescription Stimulants. Retrieved from
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-stimulants.
ReplyDeleteRobert,
Although I agree that everyone should have the right to their own body, I disagree with the basis of the argument made in your post. Students with a prescribed therapeutic dose of amphetamines are being treated for an underlying illness that is monitored by their physician, while athletes who take illegal performance enhancers are cheating. I disagree with the argument made that individuals who take Adderall are on par with blood doping cyclists who push their limits. Comparing those students to cheaters is simply unfair. Would we accuse students who take anti-depressants of cheating at being happy?
I understand your point that Adderall is a drug with a high potential for abuse, especially in highly competitive environments like universities. I appreciate the insight into the negative effects and risks seen in students who do not need Adderall yet take it because they believe they need it to succeed. I would argue that Adderall is not the problem, rather there is a greater issue with the toxic competitiveness expressed in certain fields causing students to feel like they are so inadequate they need to abuse drugs to get ahead. Villainizing a medication that is therapeutic for individuals with ADHD further perpetuates the negative stereotype associated with mental health and in turn makes it harder for students who need it to get access to it. The need for education on healthy alternatives to drug abuse on college campuses is not only important for the risks you mentioned above, but to also break the negative stigma surrounding mental health.
Stone, A. M., & Merlo, L. J. (2011). Attitudes of college students toward mental illness stigma and the misuse of psychiatric medications. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 72(2), 134–139. doi:10.4088/JCP.09m05254ecr