Hitting the Books Hard, With A Little Help From Adderall
Although my university days are more than a few years behind me, my recollection of that time is vivid. My alma mater was a venerable institution, with a weighty reputation for academic excellence. Competition among students was fierce. The Internet was still fairly primitive at that time, and mobile phones were not widely available. Students who wished to gain a competitive edge usually had to resort to fairly primitive methods such as selling old tests and essays and surreptitiously sharing answers during final exams.
Well, times have certainly changed. Students face an ever more uncertain labor market, and competition to get into programs with better job prospects is fierce. Anything that you can do to give you an edge is important.
The new way to gain a competitive edge is the consumption of prescription drugs used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). One of the most popular drugs used by students to aid in academic performance is Adderall.
Adderall is a drug which consists of mixed amphetamines. In the U.S., the drug is officially indicated for the treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy. According to IMS Health 21 million prescriptions of Adderall were given to children between the ages of 10 and 19 years old in 2011. This represented a 26% increase from 2007. Adderall has become increasing available to both high school and college students as a means to improve their academic performance.
What is troubling, and scary, is the fact the people for whom the drug was never prescribed are now using the drug to improve grades, and prolong study time. Forget about late night fatigue, never mind daydreaming, take a single dose of Adderall to help focus one's energy on the task at hand--whether it's an essay or an upcoming exam.
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