Like 2.6 million other American adults, I am prescribed medication for ADHD. I take 54 milligrams of Concerta (a brand name for methylphenidate) every morning and as a result am able to work longer hours, stay focused in class, feel more motivated and be productive.
For the past year or so that I’ve been prescribed Concerta, I’ve finally felt like I’m on a level playing field with students who don’t have ADHD. It’s been a game-changer for me in terms of feeling like I am meeting my full potential after years of never feeling adequate due to ADHD-related symptoms.
Concerta, like other stimulant ADHD medications, works by activating parts of the brain that increase alertness and the ability to complete tasks with fewer errors. It’s theorized that this is caused by an increase in dopamine, the neurotransmitter most associated with the brain’s award systems (and a chemical that most ADHD brains lack).
Even though I’m prescribed my ADHD medication, it’s easy to see why there’s a market for these stimulant drugs for people who don’t have ADHD. Dubbed “smart drugs” by some, the increased wakefulness and focus makes them a dream accompaniment to an all-nighter.
The popularity of abusing these drugs has increased drastically: In 2002, only 5 percent of college students admitted to abusing the drugs, while today that number is as high as 35 percent.
Unprescribed ADHD medication functions similarly to a performance-enhancing drug. Designed to make up for deficits among people with ADHD, the drugs provide people who don’t have ADHD with an unnatural amount of focus and energy.
These medications designed to create a level playing field are thus abused by students without developmental disabilities to give them a leg up.
But for people who don’t have ADHD, taking these medications can lead to more consequences than just the legal ones associated with abusing a Schedule II prescription drug. The drugs can be habit-forming, especially taken at a large enough dose to induce a high.
In 2011, Richard Fee, a high-achieving student in medical school with an Adderall addiction, became paranoid and psychotic because of the ADHD medication, before eventually hanging himself. This is an extreme case, but one that serves as proof that just because a medication is prescribed by a doctor doesn’t mean it’s safe for everyone.
Furthermore, despite the extreme focus induced by drugs like Adderall, some studies indicate little improvement in grades among students without ADHD who abuse the drugs. Other studies show that Adderall can lead the user to overestimate their intelligence, thus making them think that they are producing better work at a faster rate while on the drug when they’re really not.
As college students, we’re subjected to a huge amount of pressure to achieve at often unrealistically high levels. The desire to push the boundaries of your achievement is understandable to me, and for students without ADHD, drugs like Adderall or Concerta are certainly one method for doing so.
But it’s also important to keep in mind the broader ramifications of abusing these drugs. It is largely because of this widespread misuse that ADHD meds are shrouded with stigma, even when used as prescribed. While not for everyone, these medications have been proven to help a majority of adults and children with ADHD, but because of these drugs’ role as one of the most widely-abused drugs among college students, many people no longer see them as legitimate medications even for the people they’re prescribed for.
The casual abuse of these so-called “smart drugs” only furthers the stigma of the treatment of an already-stigmatized medical condition. Furthermore, the potential for addiction and the dangerous side effects of long-term abuse hardly seem worth a few extra hours’ focus while studying for your finals.
There are so many other ways for people without ADHD to induce focus and achieve in school without abusing a drug that serves a legitimate medical purpose for people who need it.