ADDERALL - A PRESCRIPTION DRUG FOR A REASON

Last week was absolutely ridiculous. With four exams in five days, by
the end of the week, I was at my wit's end. I swear I was seeing blood
vessels on my wooden cabinets, and I'm pretty sure my neighbor's dog
had the hacking smoker's cough and barrel chest of a person with
end-stage emphysema. I guzzled so much Dr. Pepper to stay awakeand
grew so dependent on it that I started asking it for medical advice.

While caffeine has helped many students fend off sleep, it is not
healthy to deprive oneself of sleep for extended periods of time.
Recently, students have turned to the prescription drug Adderall to
stay awake and alert for long periods of time. While formal studies of
illegal Adderall use are lacking, it is known that many college and
graduate students use the drug and are largely unaware of its effects.

Adderall is a useful drug for people to whom it is prescribed, namely
people who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or medically
verified problems with excessive sleeping (narcolepsy). Otherwise, it
can be a dangerous substance of abuse. To elucidate, Adderall is an
amphetamine, with effects much like "speed." It stimulates a division
of the central nervous system called the sympathetic system. Simply,
this is the part of the central nervous system that acts quickly to
prepare the body for action, otherwise known as the "flight or fight"
system.

In other words, the sympathetic nervous system is responsible for
actions such as increasing a person's heart rate and causing a person
to be more alert. Accordingly, because Adderall stimulates this
system, it causes many sympathetic actions on the body.

Several students I spoke with said they believe the drug is "fairly
safe" because they have not seen major negative effects with its use.
When I proposed that notion to Joel Shenker, a neurologist and
professor at the University's School of Medicine, he shed some light
on its use.

"These drugs are only available with a prescription because they are
full of unpredictable side effects," Shenker said. "People may think a
drug is fairly safe, but they do not understand its actions. It may
just mean there are less obvious side effects, which may make it even
harder to manage. Thus, an objective, knowledgeable point of view is
necessary to determine its proper use."

The effects that make the drug appealing to many students include
decreased drowsiness and increased attentiveness for hours, but
Adderall is a prescription drug for a reason.

According to Micromedex, Adderall causes a wide range of side effects
from stomach pain to insomnia to an irregular heart beat, and it can
even cause brain damage.

Additionally, a person may not know the full status of his own health.
Factors that are important in determining not only whether the drug is
safe to take, but how much and how often it should be taken, are not
straightforward. These factors require a general understanding of the
drug's actions on the body, the body's actions on the drugs, what
other drugs or foods this drug may interact with and a specific
understanding of the health status of the individual. A severe and
perhaps fatal allergic reaction that may occur as a result of this
drug when not used properly is a realistic concern.

Along with the short-term effects, Adderall is a habit-forming drug
that causes physical and psychological dependence. If a person has
been taking this drug for several weeks, he should see a physician to
discuss a plan to discontinue its use so that withdrawal effects are
minimized.

The experience of a physician provides knowledge of drugs and
perspective on the use of drugs. As I spoke to Shenker, he addressed
the illegal use of Adderall by students.

"If you can't study without pharmacological manipulation than you may
have bigger problems to worry about," he said.

The problem is, as it always has been, that there are oftentimes too
many things to do and not enough time to get them done. While it may
seem that there are newer, better ways to increase attentiveness,
there are no perfect solutions. School can be strenuous at times, but
quick fixes are usually not the best way to deal with the stress. So
unless Adderall has been prescribed to a person by his physician, then
it would be in his best interest to steer clear of that drug. A person
should work hard, but also balance it with time for play and rest.

And since I like to practice what I preach, I'm going to sleep now.
Goodnight!