Prescription Stimulant Abuse Essay

Teenage Prescription Drug Abuse Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugs to fulfill different needs other than to feel good or escape the pressures of adulthood. Teens may be just as likely to resort to drugs with ‘speedy’ side effects, like Ritalin to help them study longer, as they are to use prescription

What Are U of M Students’ Perceptions of Adderall? INTRODUCTION With the increased pressure to succeed and the chaotic collegiate lifestyle taking a toll on students, Adderall has evolved into the “go-to drug.” The Class II prescription amphetamine is intended to solely treat individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. The stimulant “works to enhance concentration by stimulating the production of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain” (Stolz 585). Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of Adderall on college campuses to enhance academic performance and cram for exams through the over-stimulation of the brain, therefore “creating super-enhanced focus” (Stolz 585), deeming it the “smart drug.” Due to the fact that several students are not truly diagnosed with ADHD, a majority of this use on campuses is illegal; this has become a growing problem affecting the health of students and entailing “issues of competiveness and fairness” (Jacobs 1). In recent years, the abuse of Adderall has circulated hundreds of college campuses and even secondary schools.

Nearly five years ago, Kyle Craig, a well-rounded and bright student at Vanderbilt University, took his life at the young age of 21. Kyle was described to be a “confident, but not arrogant” young man. He had a solid 3.5 grade point average and was extremely active in his fraternity. His parents said he was, “…a thrill a minute, focused, happy, achieving and social” (James). Kyle, in short, seemed to have it all together. What no one knew is that Kyle illegally looked to Adderall to keep up his “I’ve got it all together” act. Adderall is a stimulant prescription drug for those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD (FDA). Kyle took Adderall illegally and abused it much too often just to perform better academically and socially. While abusing the drug, Kyle slowly began spiraling into a dangerous state of psychosis that no one seemed to catch on to. That dangerous spiral led Kyle all the way in front of a train, taking his own life (James). Kyle is not the only young college student to suffer from the effects of stimulant or amphetamine drugs like Adderall. Almost 1,000 cases of psychosis were found to be linked to medications such as Adderall or Ritalin between the years 2000 and 2005 (FDA). Stimulant and Amphetamines are also known to heighten or produce suicidal and depressive thoughts (FDA). With all of these unsettling facts, 1 in 5 college students abuse these drugs and use them as study aids (CBN News). For the last

The first study conducted by Teter, McCabe, LaGrange, Cranford, & Boyd (2006) found that there were no differences in the illicit use of Adderall between men and woman. The second study was led by Sean McCabe et al. and was designed to study the non-medical use of prescription stimulants by college students in the United States. In the study, Sean McCabe et al. found past-year Adderall abuse rates to be 5.8% amongst males and 2.9% amongst females. The results also showed past-month abuse rates of 2.8% for males and 1.6% for females (McCabe et al., 2005). After adjusting for other factors, McCabe and his colleagues determined that college men were almost two times more likely than women to report non-medical use of Adderall. The two studies found conflicting results; however, the study conducted by McCabe et al. was done on a sample that was twice as large as the sample collected by Teter et al. and collected from 119 four-year universities, making it more reliable and a better representation of the Adderall abuse scene throughout American

College students diagnosed with ADHD are popular kids around any given campus. Most college students looking to score some Adderall usually obtain it through a friend or an acquaintance. Pills can range anywhere from 3 to 30 dollars a pill. Using Adderall is seen as a way to get an upper hand when it comes to academics. Students will pop a pill to study, take a test, and even for fun. In an age where procrastination is common, students will do anything to cut their learning curve of classroom curriculum and make up for poor time management. Students report that when taking prescription stimulants they feel an increase in alertness and concentration. Students also report weight loss as a (sometimes desired) side effect. In the article “Got Any Smart Pills?” authors Harry Jaffe and Alex Chip tell the story of a college student at Duke University named Kirk. Kirk was an average student who worked hard to get into Duke’s pre-medical program, but once he got there he found it hard to compete with the other students. Coupled with the party scene at the school, it’s no wonder his grades were sub-par. One day his frat brother picked up on his distress and offered him Adderall. Kirk had never popped a pill for academic or recreational purposes, but after taking the drug and cramming 14 hours straight for a test with positive results, he made it a staple in his academic routine. His abuse slowly progressed as the semester went on. During finals week he took a total 200mg of

ADHD Research Critique The study titled “Illicit use of Prescription ADHD Medications on College campuses, by DeSantis, Webb, & Noar, (2008) from the Journal of American College Health,” is both quantitative and qualitative in design, because the authors used mass surveys to gather statistics and in-depth interviews to collect personal information.

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”).

Amphetamines were first introduced in 1932 and were originally sold as drugs for nasal congestion that came in the form of an inhalant or tablet (Abadinsky, 2014). These types of drugs were the go-to for just about any health issue (Abadinsky, 2014). In the 1930s and 1940s, amphetamines were used medically as treatment for “schizophrenia, morphine addiction, low blood pressure, and caffeine and tobacco dependence” (Abadinsky, 2014, p. 216). Toward the end of the 1940s, the drugs were eventually used as stimulants, also known as analeptics (Abadinsky, 2014). Back then, amphetamines were available without a prescription, therefore anyone could purchase the drugs without a doctor’s permission, and that is how the popularity of the drugs began across the globe (Abadinsky, 2014). Governments,

The drug is marketed in such a way that causes students and young adults to engage in abusive behaviours more easily than ever before. Managing academic pressure, family expectations, and peer influences results in a growing concern of over-use of the pill. Abusing the drug not only jeapordize academic honesty and integrity, but also risk irreparable harm to the body and mind. In the past ten to fifteen years, Adderall has significantly risen on college and university campuses, due to its potential to increase focus and concentration. Word of mouth marketing, ease of accessibility, and focused advertising on young adults, has made the abuse of Adderall go virtually unnoticed. Children must be informed of what Adderall can do to them, to negatively alter their lives

Uppers are stimulants that at first build vitality and readiness. These are the world's most generally utilized psychoactive medications. Some give a serious surge while others are just gently animating. Inaba, and Cohen (2007) these drugs are strength by cocaine, caffeine, and nicotine. Stimulants can bring about extreme wellbeing issues when they are mishandled. It is the fast improvement of resilience and the disturbing impact on cerebrum science that empower waste and enslavement. Inaba and Cohen (2007).

Psychologist Ellen Pastorino, a Professor of Psychology at Valencia College, states the 2012 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study on teens that demonstrates, “20% mistakenly believe that pain relievers are not addictive, and almost a third believe that prescription medications have fewer side effects than street drugs” (Pastorino, 149). Interestingly, administration of psychoactive medication is a valuable technique of treatment for ailments, but irresponsible use of these substances by patients can lead to addiction. Misusage of psychoactive substances is alarming to medical doctors and psychologists since it can cause physiological, and psychological distress, decreasing overall wellbeing. Additionally, any patient can possibly develop an

Teenagers usually between age fourteen and eighteen are abusing prescription drugs more often. Some of these teenagers have no desire and no thought in their head to stop abusing prescription drugs. The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update says, “OxyContin abuse dropped among twelfth graders from 5.5% in 2005 to 4.6% in 2006. However, there have been no similar declines in eighth to tenth graders” (8). Rates in younger teenager OxyContin abuse have no declines at all unlike older teenage groups. It is not only one group of teen and it is not only one group of medications, it is multiple teens using multiple kinds of prescription drugs. The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter gave results from a survey including the following, “18% of teens reported abusing Vicodin”, “1 in 10 reported using OxyContin” and “1 in 10 teen has tried the prescription stimulants Ritalin and/or Adderall without a prescription” (4). These results

It doesn’t take extensive research to understand that prescription drug abuse is increasingly affecting our lives and our society. Prescription drug abuse is currently a severe public health problem. Drug overdose is one of the leading causes of death and is often perceived as a larger threat than other accidental deaths because the threat, prescription drugs, are often kept inside the home. They can be obtained from the pharmacy or medicine cabinet, so they may appear safer than they truly are. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2015, 12.5 million people misused prescription opioids1. This number doesn’t take into account the non-opioid prescription abuse that is occurring. In June of this year, the FDA announced it would be taking increasingly forceful steps to combat opioid crisis. In addition to opioids, depressants, which treat anxiety and sleep disorders such as Valium and Xanax also have a high rate of abuse, as well as stimulants which treat ADHD and ADD such as Adderall, and Ritalin4. The current rates of opioid abuse fail to include these additional medications with high potential to be abused that also make up a large portion of abuse in prescription drugs. In this paper, I will be outlining several key points that deal with substance abuse. I will be focusing on prescription substance abuse more specifically and how it seems to relate to social and behavioral outcomes as a whole.

Drugs have killed 2,000,000 people every year for the last decade from overdoses based off the NIDA’s information and graphs.Drugs like Methamphetamine , cocaine,heroin ,tobacco and alcohol,As said from the NIDA “drug abuse kill 500 people every day” .Most people start taking drugs in moments of stress or hard times.People have started to get addicted to the drug thinking that they help release their stress.so people try to pass on their bad choices to others to help them release their stress.side effects in the drugs may cause illnesses,body pains and sometimes death.Many people die because of these drugs without having a care in the world ,all they know is that the drugs help them feel good about themselves.”Tobacco is just as bad it

Often, the misuse of stimulants is often fueled by a perception that these drugs can help with academic success via increased alertness, concentration, memory, and cognition (Arria & DuPont, 2010). Which signals to the importance of implementing an effective intervention that can help students make informed decisions about drugs, learn the potential side effects, discover not to underestimate the dangerous effects of mixing drugs, and change the student’s self-efficacy and beliefs surrounding drug use.