Thursday, November 5, 2009
When the pressure of schoolwork piles up, some students are lured to use the prescription drug Adderall for an extra boost.
Adderall is a popular medication for those diagnosed with ADHD. Illegal usage of the drug is spreading among college students.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, seven percent of full-time college students use Adderall illegally. The addiction to succeed can be seen on college campuses.
“Anybody who’s anybody at the library is on Adderall,” Michelle Huffman, Branson, Mo., junior, said.
Adderall is the brand name for an amphetamine that is prescribed for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD.
“Adderall is a safe and effective medication for people with ADHD,” Dr. Ty Yoshida, child and adolescent psychiatrist and medical director of Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center at 200 Maine St., said.
The illegal use of the prescription drug seems commonplace to some students.
When asked if Adderall use was prevalent at the University, Laura Erdall, Edina, Minn., senior said, “Is basketball big at KU? Duh.”
Because of the high number of people who take Adderal for medical reasons, it’s becoming more accessible for illegal use, Dr. Yoshida said. Adderall has a high potential for abuse and dependence, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Services, which explains the concern with its rising illegal use.
“My guess is that most students find it not problematic, having no major side effects, and helpful by being more alert,” Dr. Yoshida said. “If anything they’re thinking they are getting an edge in academic performance and/or getting ‘high.’”
According to NSDUH, full-time college students who used Adderall without having a prescription were three times more likely to use marijuana, eight times more likely to use cocaine and tranquilizers nonmedically and five times more likely to use pain relievers nonmedically. Ninety percent were also binge drinkers, but the illicit use of Adderall doesn’t seem like a dangerous thing to some students.
“I take it to stay up to study for tests,” Erdall explained. “Or when there are game days because I’d like to make it out at night after a whole day of drinking.”
Both Huffman and Erdall said they knew people who snorted Adderall so it could affect them faster.
The illicit use of Adderall can put the drug in a negative light, even when used for medical reasons.
“The diagnosis of ADHD needs to be done within a context of a comprehensive evaluations,” Dr. Yoshida said. “KU has a good resource and students should consult CAPS if they suspect ADHD.”
CAPS, Counseling and Psychological Services, located on the second floor of Watkins Memorial Health Center, offers student testing for ADHD.
— Edited by Jonathan Hermes
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Comments
Adderall becoming more accessible
I feel like the UDK recycles the same old articles every single semester...this is no exception.
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