Abuse Of Prescription Stimulants : An Annotated Bibliography

The Clinton foundation reports that between the years 1993 and 2006, the magnitude of college students who use prescription stimulants, such as Adderall and Ritalin, has increased by 93%, which suggests that Adderall usage in universities are at a record high (Clinton 2015). According to the National Institute of health, cognitive enhancing drugs are pharmaceuticals that are taken to improve one’s memory, learning, focus, attention, and other cognitive skills (Mehlman 2004). Adderall is a central nervous stimulant that is prescribed by a primary physician for treating medical conditions such as narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Smith). Alan Desantis, a professor at the University of Kentucky, conducted a research

Adderall is a combination of stimulants (Fitzgerald & Bronstein, 2013) used to increase the patient’s ability to concentrate, focus and pay attention. The highest misuse of Adderall is by college students looking to enhance their ability to study and take test (Fitzgerald & Bronstein, 2013). The higher availability of Adderall for use by adolescents suffering from ADHD has increased the reports of misuse by adults especially students who are in need of a stimulant to increase brain function and awareness. According to Fitzgerald & Bronstein (2013) Adderall can only be prescribed by a licensed physician, just as ADHD can only by diagnosed by a psychologist, psychiatrist or physician, but the prevalent misuse of this drug persist on a national level. Primary concerns related to Adderall and other ADHD stimulant drugs are cardiovascular and central nervous system complications, which both may be fatal (Adis,

In this day and age, drugs are being prescribed without hesitation. In fact, many of these drugs are being prescribed for children with various disorders. One of these disorders is called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). An estimated five to ten percent of children are diagnosed with this syndrome (Taylor 11). One of the methods to treat this disorder is to use stimulants, specifically Ritalin. This method is controversial because it has many side effects and its long-term effects are unknown. It can also lead to addiction. Approximately two to three percent of elementary school children are taking some kind of stimulant to treat ADHD (Taylor 64). Since so many children are taking this medication, new problems have arisen.

Most Americans have heard of Ritalin and Adderall, either being used to calm hyperactive children or used illegally across every college campus for the purpose of studying. These are two completely different circumstances, which may be confusing to some. The reason that these two different groups of people get two vastly different results from the same drug is that these belong to the drug class of central nervous system (CNS) stimulants. CNS stimulants increase alertness mentally and physically, but do the opposite for those with hyperactivity disorders. This is because these drugs release dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that is related with motivation (Healthline Editorial Team).

Unfortunately, students are being deceived by the stimulant drug’s valuable qualities, masking the serious, detrimental effects that the drug induces. Even worse, contributing to Adderall’s extensive abuse across campuses, “instead of condemnation it is implicitly being praised and validated by parents and students who view these drugs as a means of academic

Summary: This article covers a wide variety of factors that result from the over abundant use of prescription stimulants on campuses around the United States. This includes the consequences of taking said drugs, specifically the medical, mental, and academic effects of stimulants. The author also points out four main reasons behind stimulant use on campuses. The first being the pressure of college life. Many students come into college thinking that it will be simple like high

The use of Adderall is steadily increasing everywhere and ex-specially in colleges. Students are continually pushed and pushed by the people and the things in their life’s that are driving them to be in school and to maintain certain grades to achieve their goals. With all this presser to do good in

When looking at medicating a teen fro ADHD it is important to make sure they will not abuse the medication and either give it to someone who does not need it or overuse it. A webMD article states, “ The survey also found that one in seven non-students of similar age also report abusing stimulant medications” (WebMD). This becomes a problem when so many people are doing it. They are overusing the drug instead of its sole purpose. When

As the saying goes “Desperation can make a person do surprising things.” Not just in America but all around the world, getting accepted and attending a recognized college is almost impossible to achieve. In the United States College students have been subjected to an extremely competitive environment. The pressure to being successful can be almost unbearable because there isn’t a human being that’s perfect. Right now there are millions of students staring at their final exam review feeling hopeless due to the load of work. Willing to do whatever it takes to pass it. There is an alarming but popular trend among college campuses. It’s being used as today’s college steroid. According to a recent study from Brigham Young University, “Adderall is the most commonly abused prescription stimulant among college students” (Hanson et al.). A large number of students are wrongly using a very potent prescription medication called Adderall or known by students as the “study drug.” Adderall is well recognized drug or specifically known as a neuroenhancing drug which stimulates the brain to perform better. According to The Office of Alcohol and Drug Education at the University of Notre Damen, Adderall was first introduced around the late 90’s and approved by the Food and Drug administration as an alternative to Ritalin, another stimulant, which last twice as long than Ritalin.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be described as a disorder that affects the central nervous system (CNS). At the current time, the cause of ADHD is still unknown (Mohammadi & Akhondzadeh, 2007). It is considered one of the greatest prevalent chronic health disorders that affect children (ages less than or equal to 17) and rates continue to rise (Mohammadi & Akhondzadeh, 2007). Presently, ADHD has been medically managed by two categories of medications which can be classified as stimulants or nonstimulants. According to the Texas Children’s Medication Algorithm Project (CMAP) (2007) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2015), stimulants continue to be first line choice in treating ADHD and show a

The authors of this study used quantitative and qualitative methodologies to investigate the college student’s perceptions and use of illegal Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) stimulants. There are important differences between a qualitative research design and a quantitative design. Qualitative research is conducted in a natural setting seeking to understand a certain complex human behavior and then presenting a narrative description of that behavior. With a quantitative research design the gathering and analysis of data is expressed in statistical form. Both have their places in research and the characteristics of each are unique to the effort. This study was conducted with participants from fall 2005 through fall 2006, and the authors used 1,811 undergraduates from a large, public, southeastern research university in the United States. Many different ranges of upper class and

In an age where a college degree is becoming more of a necessity, the high stress levels and competitiveness experienced by students at colleges and universities can become to much to bare. In turn, certain individuals seek the help of study drugs, also known as nootropics, “refer to the out-of-accordance use of prescription stimulants like Ritalin, Vyvanse, and Adderall to increase mental focus when studying. These drugs are commonly prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) patients and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD) patients. When used without a prescription, however, they can be dangerous. But despite the risks, 1 in 5 college students use study drugs to get a short-term energy boost to plow through the dreaded all-nighters” (“Study Drugs”).

Main Point: Simply to put it, people take them to improve focus, energy & gain an extreme edge against their academic competition. I remember during midterm’s week 2 students in one of my class’s talk about their study drug-fueled cramming sessions. “When was the last time you slept?” “Two days ago…” “And you’ve been up all this time studying?” “Yeah.”

“Asked if the improper use of stimulants was cheating, students were split. Some considered that the extra studying hours and the heightened focus during exams amounted to an unfair advantage. Many countered that the drugs “don’t give you the answers” and defended their use as a personal choice for test preparation, akin to tutoring.” (Schwarz)

Stimulants drugs are ‘a class of drugs that elevate mood, increase feelings of well-being, and increase energy and alertness.’ (The National Institute on Drug Abuse, Drug Facts Stimulants, 2013) This types