Aderall: The A+ Drug
We have all been there. Whether it be late-night cramming for an important exam, competing in the state championships, everybody needs an energy booster here and there. Amid overwhelming pressure to succeed from themselves, friends, family and society, millennials are turning to Adderall, a drug that contributes to hyperactivity and over stimulation of the brain. It works by changing the amounts of certain natural substances in our brains. As a schedule II controlled narcotic that requires a prescription from a certified medical professional, it is shocking how easy the ADD, ADHD and narcolepsy treating drug can be attained.
It was found that 93% of students can acquire Adderall by faking symptoms.
Part of the problem with Adderall is with the diagnosis of diseases that Adderall is used to treat. ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and ADD (attention deficit disorder) are commonly identified in patients by having them check off symptoms-a practice that has been heavily criticized by many health experts, who propose a direct doctor-patient consultation instead. This proposal will help reduce the number of people using Adderall who do not medically require it. When used and prescribed correctly, Adderall can be extremely beneficial to somebody. It grants a person whose brain is normally sporadic, unattentive and disorganized the drive, the energy, the concentration to carry out their normal day to day tasks.
However, the real issue with the drug is addiction. The boost of energy and motivation to study or work that Adderall provides is sometimes simply too good to resist. After the first try, it can create an unhealthy reliance and abusive relationship with the user. It can become something that the casual user cannot function without.
It creates a psychological dependence and a bottomless craving that never ends.
Case study into account: Richard Fee of Virginia Beach. A straight-A student and class president, Richard was an incredibly intelligent and ambitious teenager. In college, he tried Adderall for the first time from a friend and started to use it regularly to pull all-nighters and long study sessions. The drug’s promise of increased energy and motivation was too much for him, and he developed an addiction that quickly turned into a psychosis- a loss of contact with reality. Unable to escape the iron clenches of his Adderall addiction, Richard took his own life. Richard’s story is a devastating testament to the harmful effects the drug can have for those who use it relentlessly and without control. (story obtained from Elite Daily, see below link for a more detailed account)
Adderall has become socially acceptable and desensitized within the social scene of many colleges and even high schools. The most we can do is educate ourselves on the dangers of drug addiction and dependence. The problem of Adderall addiction and increasing unprescribed usage, especially among the next generation, highlights not only a social issue-the intense pressure upon the youth of today to be considered a “success”-but also a major flaw in our public health system: a failure to prevent the spread of this drug into the wrong hands and the potentially fatal consequences.
