Practically everyone has heard of the drug Adderall and knows that it is used to treat individuals who have Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). This is a completely safe drug to take if you are someone who has been diagnosed with ADHD and have been prescribed the medicine. But, what about teenagers who take the drug even though they don’t have ADHD? Is this bad? More and more teenagers are taking this drug without the supervision of a doctor which can be extremely dangerous.
Why teenagers who do not have ADHD take Adderall:
1: In order to get high –> Adderall is a stimulant which increases alertness, attention and energy.
2: For weight loss reasons –> Weight loss is a common side effect from taking Adderall.
3: School Performance –> Some teenagers wrongly believe that Adderall will help them to do better in school.
Adderall has been found to not be addictive for individuals who have ADHD, but is addictive for those who do not have ADHD.
Possible Consequences of Taking Adderall Recreationally:
- Irregular Heartbeat
- Dangerously High Body Temperatures
- Heart Failure
- Seizures
- Dangerous when mixed with alcohol or other medication
For some individuals, taking a stimulant for only a short period of time can cause anger and paranoia.
The bottom line:
Taking Adderall for any other reason besides to treat ADHD is very unsafe, ineffective and not worth it. There is no research to confirm that Adderall actually helps students to study better and receive better grades in school. Not only does Adderall have dangerous side effects and long-term consequences, if you do not have ADHD, it will be effective for nothing more than keeping you wired and awake all night. Even though you are “awake” for longer, you will not be retaining information which means you will not do any better on an exam. You are better off studying the old fashioned way (textbook and coffee in hand) and getting some extra sleep! If you want to avoid pulling an all-nighter and resorting to taking dangerous pills, try starting your studying early in the day and then studying all throughout the day for short increments of time, rather than cramming all at once.
There will be a blog soon on ideas for effective and healthy studying techniques. Feel free to leave comments!
http://adhd.emedtv.com/adderall/adderall-abuse-p3.html
http://www.elementsbehavioralhealth.com/drug-abuse-addiction/student-adderall-abuse/