Stress, Drugs and Finals
Bemidji-- It’s that time of year again, finals. A time of year that brings sleepless nights, stressed-out students, and the end of another semester. When students must recall information from every class taken over the prior four months. No wonder students are stressed out.
Students will do anything to get a leg up on their studying, whether it’s drinking large amounts of caffeine or canceling any free time they had. Some students, however, took to taking “smart drugs.”
The most common of these “smart drugs” is Adderall. Adderall is used to treat hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by using amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which stimulates chemicals in the brain that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control. Students will take Adderall, even if they did not get it prescribed to them, and use it to focus when studying and test-taking.
Jeri McDonald, a freshman at BSU, stated, “Adderall is a drug that can help keep you awake and focused, especially during finals. A lot of kids I know take it; several of them live on my floor.”
Ben Hayden, Freshman, “I have taken it, but that’s because I was prescribed. I will admit that it did definitely benefit me when it came to studying and test-taking, so I can see why some kids would abuse it.”
James Duffy, “ I know several people that take Adderall, I haven’t taken it myself, but I have seriously thought about it.”
Some of the adverse effects of taking this drug include insomnia (if taken too late at night), loss of appetite, dizziness, depression, and weakness.
Adderall abuse isn’t a concern because most people don’t understand how widespread the use is, not just among college students but from people of all ages and environments.
In a survey done by Medical News Daily, 34.5% of college kids admit to using Adderall, and 53.5% of those students welcome getting their Adderall from friends.
Adderall is the most overly prescribed drug on the market, making kids who aren’t named to it that much easier to get from the people that are.