Informative Speech
Study Drugs and College Students
I. Introduction
A. Attention Getter: "I reached into my backpack, grabbed an Adderall, and went to the bathroom. I smashed it on the bathroom sink and snorted it. I went back to my class and zipped through the rest of my exam, and it made all the difference." This student incident was found in a 2005 article published by Baylor University on the alarming use of “study drugs.”
B. Thesis: Many of you may be unfamiliar with such a topic, so today I will cover the mysterious world of study drugs and the hidden dangers associated with them.
C. Significance to Audience: Most of us are here because we all want to transfer to the best school as possible. And we will do whatever it
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i. Sub3 point: But unlike the calming effects the medication produces in people with this disorder, individuals without ADHD will experience higher energy, extreme confidence boost and be able to hyper focus, as stated in Rod Calvin’s book Prescription Drug Addiction.
2. Sub Point: Methylphenidate is the next type of drug, marketed under the name Ritalin.
a. Sub-Sub point: It is similar to Adderall in various as to how it effects the brain, for it is also a stimulant compound that affects the motor activity of the central nervous system.
Transition: So those are the most common types of study drugs, and now to explore why non ADHD people would take.
C. Main Point: Simply to put it, people take them to improve focus, energy & gain an extreme edge against their academic competition. I remember during midterm’s week 2 students in one of my class’s talk about their study drug-fueled cramming sessions. “When was the last time you slept?” “Two days ago…” “And you’ve been up all this time studying?” “Yeah.” 1. Sub Point: Baylor University does a nice job of summing up student motives of such drastic behavior in its 2005 article “Study Drugs Still Popular despite Health Risks”.
a. Sub-Sub point: According to the article, students use such drugs “to retain energy for rigorous study periods over several hours, sometimes extending overnight.”
i. Sub3 point: Simply, students
The Clinton foundation reports that between the years 1993 and 2006, the magnitude of college students who use prescription stimulants, such as Adderall and Ritalin, has increased by 93%, which suggests that Adderall usage in universities are at a record high (Clinton 2015). According to the National Institute of health, cognitive enhancing drugs are pharmaceuticals that are taken to improve one’s memory, learning, focus, attention, and other cognitive skills (Mehlman 2004). Adderall is a central nervous stimulant that is prescribed by a primary physician for treating medical conditions such as narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Smith). Alan Desantis, a professor at the University of Kentucky, conducted a research
According to Columbia Casa and University of Minnesota (2015), students are facing the demands of coursework, part-time jobs, internships, social obligations and more, many turn to drugs as a way to cope. More students than ever are taking stimulants, such as Adderall, for example to help students stay awake long enough to study or complete assignments on time. All too often, these prescription drugs are obtained without a legitimate prescription or with legitimate prescription and are selling to friends and others. Students are now exploring many new aspects of their lives and wonder what could come their way. It’s not uncommon for that self-exploration to dip into drug experimentation. Students who are surround themselves with other experimenters that are trying recreational and performance-enhancer drugs are more likely to try these substances for themselves. These habits lead to a drop in a college students academic grade and has been proven to do so. (Addiction Center 2015) According to National Institute on Drug Abuse Young Adults ranging in age 18-25, the abuse of prescription drugs is second only to abuse of
This overabundance of coverage has led to a kind of public hysteria, parents and doctors now see ADHD around every corner. It has almost become a social norm for a child in school to have ADHD. One could argue that ADHD isn't necessarily a disorder but an unfortunate byproduct of a fast paced reward driven Society. Luckily there is hope. Recent studies have been done and new tests have been designed to help curb the tide of malingering in terms of ADHD. “The IVA CPT adequately distinguished adults with ADHD from non-ADHD” (Colleen A Quinn 2003) Many people will fake the symptoms of ADHD in order to get access to the prescriptions given to those who suffer from the disorder I say few that these medications will help give them in the edge in their work or home life. Students will sometimes take these drugs and hopes that will help them focus on the paper that there trying to write or give them that needed edge to focus on the test they are taking the next day. Either is are pursuing these drugs for recreational use they are hoping for a high off of the schedule
Unfortunately, students are being deceived by the stimulant drug’s valuable qualities, masking the serious, detrimental effects that the drug induces. Even worse, contributing to Adderall’s extensive abuse across campuses, “instead of condemnation it is implicitly being praised and validated by parents and students who view these drugs as a means of academic
The main job of Adderall is to keep a patient awake and focused. For those that have ADHD, it is extremely difficult to focus or sit still, therefore Adderall is given to reduce and aid in focusing and keeping their hyperactivity to a minimum. For narcolepsy patients, since they collapse and fall asleep, adderall helps the patient to stay awake. Adderall is not used as a treatment because ADHD and narcolepsy are not treatable; instead it helps them cope with their day. According to my pharmacist, Sergey Sachacov, “Adderall is a stimulant that increases the
In today's colleges the availability and variety of drugs is widespread. There is a demand for drugs and the supply is plentiful. Since drugs are so easy accessible, a natural interest in them may develop. A person may hear about drugs experiences, on reactions of drug usage, such as " Hey the weed
Reference: Varga, M. D. (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
The use of Adderall is steadily increasing everywhere and ex-specially in colleges. Students are continually pushed and pushed by the people and the things in their life’s that are driving them to be in school and to maintain certain grades to achieve their goals. With all this presser to do good in
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.
Brian,* a 20-year-old Northeastern University student, carefully lays out his “stash” of blue pills on a table one Sunday evening. As he organizes them into groups according to size and dosage, he mentally runs through his class work and assignments for the week.
Results: Prevalence of Adderall abuse among college students affects approximately 96 universities. College view it as a socially acceptable drug that can further enhance their academic performance.
Over medicating students with ADHD can affect their mental health. The medications that are commonly used to treat the condition are considered as a stimulant. Stimulants are defined by drugabuse.gov as increasing alertness, attention, and energy as well as elevate blood pressure heart rate, and respiration. Although the child is appearing to be attentive during class, are they mentally healthy and stable? The side effects of the medications range from
Everyone has heard of them. Adderall. Ritalin. Because of societal pressure to succeed, medication like these are sought after in America to improve academic achievement. These famous brands of stimulant drugs have become well known in the past few decades for improving concentration and attention span. They are now particularly popular among college students to compete in the cutthroat world of academics that young adults are subject to today. While an increasing amount of college students are achieving academic success due to the use of cognitive enhancing drugs, normalizing these drugs will have serious
From the very beginning of the research, the authors were very detailed with background information about the ADHD prescription phenomenon reporting that the rise in the number of
It’s just a way to give a little help to the brain. In Nixey’s view, “Taking a pill is no different to having a cup of coffee. It’s just more effective” “I don’t think this is cheating. I read a nice analogy, which said that people with a bad memory are no different to people who have bad eyesight. You let people with bad eyesight have glasses; why not let people with a bad memory have these pills?” (Nixey). Cheating or not, students are just doing their own job, and it is studying for their exams and classes. They are just getting prepare to attend their classes, and be ready for any question the professor have for