<p>I've heard that study drugs are becoming increasingly popular in universities all throughout the US, but I'm curious as to what they feel like and if they are worth taking, I'm in highschool and I commonly hear of people taking the drug "aderall" which is used to treat ADHD, but what are the real effect of these drugs? The only thing I can imagine it would be like is drinking lots of coffee. And are these study drugs popular at FSU?
Because from what i've heard from my AP peers these sound too good to be true and I think it would be best to avoid them, please provide some input!</p>
<p>Avoid all drugs your MD does not prescribe.</p>
<p>Anyone can get aderall but that’s not what i asked…</p>
<p>I’ve had random students ask me for adderall, like I carry it around or take it as a prescribed medication. I don’t use it and I don’t have or want any. The problem at colleges seems to be that so many kids take it as a prescribed medicine and that others who shouldn’t be using get it from them easily. Seems some oxycodone freakheads use adderall as a subsitute when they can’t get the oxy–that’s all I need to hear to stay away from adderall. There’s a shortage of generic adderall now too, guess it is in “high” demand. Bottom line–stay away from adderall if not prescribed by your doctor.</p>
<p>[Adderall</a> shortage has ADHD patients, parents scrambling for answers - St. Petersburg Times](<a href=“http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/adderall-shortage-has-adhd-patients-parents-scrambling-for-answers/1204576]Adderall”>http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/adderall-shortage-has-adhd-patients-parents-scrambling-for-answers/1204576)</p>
<p>Basically Adderall makes you focus better. It’s used as a study aid by students because it allows them to stay up long periods of time and focus on the subject(s) they are studying, even if they would normally disinterest them.
It’s relatively easy to obtain, cheap, and it apparently works well. All that combined makes it popular as a study aid. </p>
<p>There’s actually a huge problem with it around Tallahassee. One of the local news stations did a story on it a couple months ago.</p>
<p>Although as said above, if you were not prescribed it, taking it is not the best idea.</p>
<p>From the [NIH</a> reference this drug](<a href=“http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000166/]NIH”>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000166/):
I suggest skipping the amphetamines and simply heading to Starbucks. Nothing new about college students seeking an edge with amphetamines. It’s still as dumb a thing to do today as it was thirty years ago.</p>
<p>As a pharmacist, I’m alarmed at the amount of these drugs that are being used. Make no mistake, they are “speed.” They affect your central nervous system and can be harmful, and have even cause fatalities. Also, bear in mind if you ever seek employment that requires a drug history and you are asked if you ever took drugs not prescribed for you…you will have to answer affirmatively.</p>
<p>Aderral is like academic steroids. I’ve never done it myself (don’t need to), but I’ve talked to people that have and it apparently makes what seems to be the most boring thing ever seem extremely interesting. Though don’t take Aderral and then get on Facebook, or you will be diligently liking and commenting on statuses for hours!</p>
<p>In all seriousness, get your grades the real way. Drink coffee and study hard. I personally think taking Aderral should fall under academic dishonesty.</p>
<p>Brocaine gets the job done.</p>
<p>Sent from my SPH-M920 using CC App</p>
<p>Nothing can help your studying habits and overall output like proper diet and exercise, along with good sleep. I’m not exactly a proponent of excess caffeine either, as I have noticed “power foods” like peanuts (unsalted) and other healthy snacks allow you to study properly. There is a vast majority of FSU students taking “addy” as a good amount of my friends do, however proper time management would remove any need to take nonprescription medication.</p>
<p>I tried using oxyracetam a few months ago. I couldn’t tell if it was making any difference or not, and it was quite expensive (and hard on my digestive system) so I quit.</p>
<p>When I was in high school, I got into a very bad habit of taking caffeine pills to keep me up at night studying, followed by a dose of NyQuil to help me sleep once I was done and was too hopped up to sleep due to the caffeine.</p>
<p>Also, be careful with the energy drinks. I ended up in the ER a few months ago due to getting carried away with various energy drinks (again for studying) and subsequently experiencing breathing problems and an extremely high pulse. Everything check out normal, but I have never been quite the same since. In reality, I didn’t drink that many of them, just 2-3 per day, but cumulative use wears you down eventually and masks the stress that you are putting on your body.</p>
<p>Nowadays, I just drink one cup of coffee in the morning and leave it at that. You just have to pace yourself so you don’t get into a last-minute rush.</p>
<p>Unlawful drugs = bad = harmful to self = arrest = permanent record to report forever to employers = juvenile error to avoid, since you likely already know of other youthful dorks now in trouble or seriously hurt/killed due to this really avoidable stuff.</p>
<p>Oh yes, this includes alcohol. Probably the worst drug of all.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>P2N, that might be one of the biggest leaps I’ve ever seen anyone make.</p>
<p>Taking Adderall is bad if you aren’t prescribed it, yes. However, saying that taking Adderall is going to essentially kill you is quite asinine. </p>
<p>It’s really funny how so few people here are willing to directly answer the original question and have instead gone on an anti-drug campaign, like everything is roses and this problem isn’t prevalent. </p>
<p>The fact is that Adderall is huge. PLENTY of people take it, and it is apparently severe enough to get media coverage in this area. The effects are that it makes you focused so you can study better.</p>
<p>If you don’t want to answer the questions posed initially, that’s fine. But don’t post then if you’re going to try and act like this isn’t a problem or that it doesn’t exist. And don’t act like taking one Adderall is going to end up putting you in prison for life.</p>
<p>Simple facts for simple readers. Using unlawful drugs classifies one as simple in my book, regardless if there could be some effects that aren’t outright harmful. Get a prescription from a licensed medical doctor if you think you need a drug. If the MD is willing to stake their professional career on your need for a particular drug then that’s lawful use, because you have a medical need.</p>
<p>I don’t agree that minimizing the negative aspects of unlawful drug use is workable as a solution. I have never seen it work before. While it may be popular today to unduly shield ones children from the harsh realities of the world, it doesn’t work for me. They said the same thing about marijuana decades ago and it is still unlawful and still stupid to use, unless you have a valid prescription.</p>
<p>Once you turn 18 you are officially an adult and legally accountable for your actions. No more juvenile court to hide your youthful errors. If you use unlawful drugs you self-exclude yourself (usually permanently) from some of the most desirable positions of trust in society. </p>
<p>It’s too high a price to pay.</p>
<p>Putting aside any legal considerations, I would advise against taking it (unless prescribed by an M.D.) purely for health and practical reasons:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>You may not always have access to it when you need it. If you have become dependent on it to get through crunch periods, and you suddenly don’t have any, you’re screwed. If you had been working without it for all this time, you would have developed the ability to work without it and you would be able to handle it. </p></li>
<li><p>It may be masking other health and lifestyle issues that you would be better off addressing instead (diet, exercise, last-minute cramming habits, etc.)</p></li>
<li><p>There are documented negative, health side-affects resulting from long-term use.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>the effects are that it floods your brain with neurotransmitters. Amphetamines are noncatechol sympathetic amines with CNS stimulant activity. The mechanism of therapeutic activity in ADHD is not known. Amphetamines are purported to block the reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine into the presynaptic neuron, and increase their release into the extraneuronal space.</p>
<p>now if you have an undiagnosed condition and take it–it may precipitate something. here are the cautions:
A) amphetamine misuse; may cause sudden death and serious cardiovascular events [2]
B) drug dependence, history of; potential for abuse [2]
C) bipolar disorder, comorbid; may precipitate a mixed/manic episode [2]
D) cardiovascular conditions which may be compromised by increases in blood pressure or heart rate (e.g., pre-existing hypertension, heart failure, recent myocardial infarction, or ventricular arrhythmia) [2]
E) EEG abnormalities, especially with history of; may lower convulsive threshold [2]
F) psychosis, pre-existing; may exacerbate symptoms of behavior disturbance and thought disorder [2]
G) seizures, especially with a history of; may lower convulsive threshold [2]
H) structural cardiac abnormalities/conditions, serious, especially in children and adolescents; sudden death has been reported with CNS stimulant treatment [2]
I) tics, motor and phonic, history of; risk of exacerbation [2]
J) Tourette’s syndrome, history of; risk of exacerbation </p>
<p>here are the side effects:</p>
<p>Cardiovascular: Hypertension (7% to 22%, pediatric )
Endocrine metabolic: Weight loss (4% to 9%, pediatric; 11%, adults )
Gastrointestinal: Abdominal pain (11% to 14%, pediatrics ), Loss of appetite (22% to 36% ), Xerostomia (35% )
Neurologic: Headache (26% ), Insomnia (12% to 17%, pediatric; 27%, adults )
Psychiatric: Feeling nervous (6% )</p>
<p>-Serious </p>
<p>Cardiovascular: Cardiomyopathy, Dead - sudden death (rare), Myocardial infarction
Neurologic: Cerebrovascular accident, Seizure
Psychiatric: Mania, Psychotic disorder</p>
<p>Finally, it comes in many different strengths–and in sustained action and immediate release…you might get a dose that’s way too much for someone who’s never taken it…it’s usually titrated up, so if someone gives you the highest stength sustained release form you could be in big trouble. ( I actually know a student this happened to…he said he could feel his heart beating while on it and it was scary)</p>
<p>just words of caution…</p>
<p>Thank you, wtztu. That recitation about says it all.</p>
<p>The effects of Adderall and meth don’t seem to be a whole lot different going by wtztu’s above summary! Meth maybe just works faster and deeper than Adderall. Using drugs not prescribed by a doctor is asking for trouble.</p>
<p><a href=“The world's top new source on natural health - NaturalNews.com”>http://www.naturalnews.com/cartoons/meth_labs_600.jpg</a></p>
<p>Thanks to the people who answered my question and not made this an anti-drug campaign, that being said, people do over exaggerate the use of prescription drugs. Using them without a prescription isn’t illegal unless the drug is considered a narcotic or a “controlled substance” its the same as taking someone else’s antibiotics as far as the law cares…but i’m not saying its right to do so, please don’t come in here waving the hammer of justice unless you know the laws. Just answer the question next time, all drugs have bad side effects, thanks for stating the obvious…</p>
<p>^^ Adderall is a controlled substance. There’s also a shortage going on.
Most people stick to caffeine. For those who do take it and don’t need it it’s more of a confidence bias than anything. In fact, they seem to get more restless and turn into chatter boxes. Not worth it and not popular. Stick to classic energy drinks if you need to pull through. Avoid the study drugs and large bouts of caffeine, slow and steady mixed blood pumping 5 minute breaks gets you less strung out. If you are worried or missed a few classes you could always spend your money on supplemental notes from Bill’s bookstore till you get the hang of things!</p>