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Adderall

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Submitted By dmac25
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Abstract
This paper will look into one of the most commonly used and sought for drugs found on college campuses in the world today. Adderall and other forms of the “smart drug” have become more and more popular when it comes to students and young professionals trying to get an advantage. It will discuss both the positive and negative side effects of taking these smart pills along with the specific affects/reasons for ingesting them whether they are prescribed or not.
Introduction
Adderall, a prescription drug, was first developed to treat patients that suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Students and young professionals that have ADHD generally struggle paying attention in class and focusing on the task at hand, they also tend to be unorganized commonly forgetting or losing things and also becoming bored with things they must do. These may sound like many qualities everybody has when it comes to certain things and that’s because they are which is why the drug and competitor pills are scripted more today than they ever have been before. The purpose of this report is to inform about how common Adderall is found on college campuses, although a prescription drug, as well as addressing what the drug does for you. I will discuss both the positive and negative side effects associated with the drug as well as what the drug can do for you regarding your life at school. This is help inform people on the drug Adderall since it is so common today and also assist people that are curious whether or not the drug could assist them with their life.
Method of Research
The world wide web seems to have almost any answer on it somewhere which is why I chose to use to base my research from their although there tends to be so much information there that there is much disagreement towards the same topics. I included current day descriptions and symptoms described by users or non-users that attend college. I also administered a survey to roughly 20 students ranging in grade types from Universities all over the country. I wanted to see if effects were common among most users prescribed or not and also how easy it is to access Adderall on your current campus.
Results
When I first heard of Adderall it came as a bit of a shock to me that there was a pill out there that could enhance my focus and help me do work and study in a more effective and efficient manner. This pill may be prescribed, but it seemed as though it was dispensed out of a gumball machine all over campus the way people talked about it so commonly so I wanted to see if that was the case everywhere. After surveying 20 students both male and female from all over the United State 16 of them reported to taking Adderall, of the 16 only 3 of them were actually prescribed the drug through a doctor. The students were also asked how easy it is to access the drug on their current college campus and the results are as followed:

These results show just how easily accessible Adderall really is at essentially any college due to the affects it has on a person’s study and school habits. About %80 of the students surveyed said that Adderall has in fact positively affected their grades with %19 saying it didn’t show much of an effect on their grades and only %1 reporting a negative effect on grades. For a student to hear the term “positively affecting your grade” it brings music to the ears because in college people will almost do anything to get their grades up or an extra boost in academics especially when it comes to midterms and finals. With this encouragement, I asked the students if they would recommend Adderall to a fellow student that hasn’t ever done it before. Of the 16 students who have taken Adderall, 14 answered Yes; they would recommend it to a fellow student. Now, although this pill does seem to be a good thing all drugs come along with a possible negative side effect that may vary from person to person. Students were questioned about their personal uses and what side effects they experienced if they did any and the reports are as followed:

The prevalence of side effects is just as common as how easy the drug is to get your hands on. With almost every student reporting multiple side effects that all seem to be pretty negative towards your health it makes you begin to wonder if the drug is in-fact a good thing for you to be doing. These side effects also worsen if taken with alcohol which could also be a very common thing from a college student. From 2005-2010, the number of emergency room visits due to ADHD medications nearly quadrupled in young adults with about half of those cases being due to Adderall mixed with drinking. Students report taking the prescription stimulants to stay hype to party, a really negative outlook on Adderall considering about %90 of college students attest to binge drinking.
Discussion
Since reports of Adderall being of such assistance in the academic life of a college student there is no question that the popularity of the “smart pill” has increased all over the United States at nearly every University and college. The reports of Adderall assisting students in so many areas from finally being able to pay attention in class or actually sit down at the table and focus on one piece of work rather than worrying about other classes or getting easily distracted is really a great feeling to experience especially with all of the everyday stresses and issues that come along with being a college student. Now although Adderall seems like some sort of “education drug” and it may encourage you to take it often with all of the work needed at college students must really focus on the side effects and realize these things could be really bad for your health if you take it that often. Repeated and constant use of Adderall could not only cause those chronic side effects but also lessen the effectiveness of the drug since you will begin to adapt to it. Taking Adderall should be for a specific reason on a day that you need to get a lot of work done or really get down to business on something you may have trouble paying attention to otherwise. And when it comes to drinking alcohol on Adderall it is just flat out stupid and something that should never be done. Mixing any stimulants with alcohol is a recipe for disaster and should never occur just because you want to feel more alive for the night. You do not need drugs for a good night especially a drug that you’re using to keep yourself straightened out and your grades where you want them. This “smart pill” truly is great due to the effect it could have on your life when it comes to organization, focus and education but the only way this is possible is if users take it the right ways and not abuse it like the reckless not fully matured college students most consider us.

Bibliography
"Adderall a Miracle Drug to College Students." Biotech Week 26 May 2010: 2997. Global Issues In Context. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
Matthew D. Varga (2012) Adderall Abuse on College Campuses: A
Comprehensive Literature Review, Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 9:3, 293-313, DOI:
10.1080/15433714.2010.525402
"Adderall a Miracle Drug to College Students." PR NewswireMay 11 2010. ProQuest. Web. 16 Nov. 2015 .
Zazrony, Brandy. "7 Things You Need To Know About Adderall." Thedailybeast.com. 2 Dec. 2013. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
"ADHD in Teens." WebMD. WebMD. Web. 1 Nov. 2015
Stolz, Stefanie. "Adderall Abuse: Regulating The Academic Steroid." Journal Of Law & Education 41.3 (2012): 585-592. Education Research Complete. Web. 16 Nov. 2015

Appendix
Have you ever taken Adderall?
If so, are you or have you ever been prescribed through a real doctor?
On a scale of 1-5 , How difficult is it for you access Adderall if not prescribed?
If you’ve taken Adderall before, have you ever experienced any of these side effects?
-Trouble sleeping
-Loss of appetite
-Digestive system issues
-Weight loss
-Jaw Stiffness/Grinding of teeth
-Increased heart rate
5. What exactly does Adderall do for you?
6. Have you ever noticed significant differences in your grades when under the influence of Adderall?
7. Would you encourage a fellow student to take Adderall?
8. Why do you feel Adderall is so common today?

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