Help! I’m Addicted to Adderall in College!

Adderall: Understanding the Basics

Adderall is a prescription drug usually used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). What Adderall does to the body is that it helps increase alertness, focus, and energy. Usually, it has been prescribed to those who cannot sit still or pay attention for long periods, so taking this drug allows the person to do so. This increase in alertness can also help those who suffer from narcolepsy. Impulsive behavior is one of the factors that is controlled when a person uses Adderall.

Usually, it is taken orally from a pill, and for some people, take it once or twice in a given day. The appropriate age for a prescription varies, but it can be prescribed to children.

Adderall is a drug that has gained popularity over the last couple of decades. It is reported that around 2.5 million Americans have been prescribed Adderall. There are several reasons why it has gained so much popularity. One of those reasons is that it is approved by the FDA, making it legal.

Another reason is that many people are being diagnosed with having ADHD by doctors. Adderall has become like a daily vitamin for some people; many people take it regularly for the rest of their lives. As to why more people are developing ADHD, that is really up to debate.

Some people think that we have been wired to multitask as the norm due to our fast-paced lives. However, the matter is that many people are being prescribed Adderall, which can lead to many people abusing Adderall. In the next section, we will look at one of the main demographics using Adderall – college students.

A Dangerous Choice to Get Ahead

As we already know, Adderall can increase cognitive functions in the brain. These cognitive functions can help with studying because it allows a person to focus better. This has been one of the primary reasons why people take Adderall to begin with.

Adderall is used for studying in hopes that the person will get better grades. College students may find it difficult to sit down and study with all the distractions around them. So when they can take Adderall, it almost allows them to sit down and do the work with “ease.” Medical students, in particular, are those wanting those cognitive enhancements.

It is reported that 60% of medical students reported use during medical school in 2013. Ironically, enough medical students endorsed the usage of Adderall for studying, stating that it helped with learning the material easier.

So why are university students more prone to using Adderall to study than other students? To answer this, one needs to look at the structure of a university itself. It is a place of high competition and a lot of coursework. Students often get stressed because of what is on the line.

Some want to finish top of their class, some want to get into that amazing internship opportunity or job, or some want to pass their class. Of course, this also extends into their own lives. Sometimes it is hard to fulfill all obligations as a college student. Some people are trying to balance studies with work and socializing.

Taking Adderall gives them that boost to fulfill those obligations much better. Trying to cope with this stress almost always can lead to a person abusing substances – in this case, Adderall. Taking substances as this is technically self-medication. People who self-medicate their problems more often than not find themselves becoming addicted and making matters worse.

Does Adderall Make You Study Better?

In the realm of the educational environment, many people believe in the positive effects of Adderall to help them study. Some even go so far as to believe that Adderall isn’t harmful. In fact, in 2016, a national survey showed that nearly 40% of 19 to 22-year-olds said they didn’t think taking amphetamines such as Adderall regularly was harmful to them.

However, this couldn’t be further from the case. There are many symptoms associated with Adderall that can affect both the long term and short term. Those short-term side effects are high blood pressure, decreased blood flow, increased breathing, sweating, lack of appetite, and increased blood sugar.

Adderall can last up to 10 – 12 hours in the body, depending on the dosage. The long-term effects of Adderall include insomnia, hallucinations, paranoia, excessive weight loss, and even in some cases, death.

Another misconception is that Adderall can help or improve your school performance. Yes, Adderall can indeed help with concentration; however, the results of better grades or better overall performance are not true. Studies have shown that students who have abused ADHD stimulants have a lower GPA than students who don’t.

One possibility of this could be that those who use Adderall for studying tend to procrastinate and rely on the drug when they need to get their work done. These misconceptions have led many people, particularly those without an actual prescription, to get their hands on Adderall as often as they can.

Taking a prescription that is not designed specifically for you can create all sorts of harm. When a doctor prescribes Adderall, they ensure that the person can handle the required dosage or that the person needs it to function. A person without the prescription may take Adderall, and the effects, both good and bad, can be enhanced, causing an overload in their system.