Study drugs have been around for a long time and the number of students using it is continuously increasing. Those who use it think there's nothing wrong with taking these pills to help them concentrate on studying. However, just because the drug is prescribed by doctor doesn't necessarily make it safe, one health expert says.
Highschoolers and college students have always had a stressful time during finals week. Juggling between studying for their SATs, ACT, and final exams, they say they need all the help they can get. That's when the prescription drug, Adderall come in.
These drugs which are often called "smart drugs" are originally to manage narcolepsy, according to US News. Selina Oliver, a school psychologist with Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Maryland who works with high schoolers says that some students not having the condition tend to use it to help them focus and concentrate in their studies.
In fact, according to Center on Young Adult Health and Development, almost one third of students abuse this stimulant prescription drugs at least once while they are in college, USA Today reported. These teens may be getting these medications from the people they hang out or go to school with, or from a brother or a sister who has a prescription.
So here are the 3 most important things to know about what teens like to call "Study Drugs."
- There will be behavioral signs showing that this drug is abused.
Parents should be aware of signs such as decrease in appetite, difficulty in falling asleep, weight loss and being too focused on something. Oliver suggests parents look for changes in habits and behavior. "If you have a student who had previously been studying - had a study routine and now is not studying - but then goes on almost like a binge study, that's a sign that they may be using some type of stimulant medication, like a smart drug."
- These drugs are not safe for everybody because it is a prescription drug.
Rebecca Branstetter, an educational and school psychologist in the San Francisco Bay Area who has worked with high schoolers explained that teens may not think that it is safe to use these drugs because it is doctor recommended but that is not always true for everybody. For example, Adderall can help students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder focus on something they're doing. However, there may be very life threatening effects to those who take it without this problem.
- Students may only depend on these drugs instead of developing skills
"If they are relying on a medication, then they may not develop that work ethic that goes along with dealing with setting aside the time to study," Oliver says. Branstetter also suggested that parents make sure their children have good skills in executing things so that there won't be any chance for them to try taking the pill.
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