Finals ADDictions

With the school year winding down, your workload is, no doubt, picking up. Not only are you studying for finals, but you also have papers to write and presentations to give, thus one must prepare herself for a few all-nighters! It may seem like there isn’t enough time in the day to cross off everything on your growing to-do list. You decide to bum a few Adderall from a friend to help you focus and ignore all those Facebook and Twitter distractions. Harmless, right? Not quite. Taking Adderall or any kind of ADD/ADHD medication without a prescription is not only illegal but can potentially damage your health. Here a few reasons why poppin’ pills during a late night study session is more dangerous than you think:
 
1. Addiction and Dependence:
Adderall is classified as a schedule II medication. These types of drugs have a high risk of abuse and dependence. Taking Adderall regularly over prolonged periods of time puts you at great risk of developing an addiction. You can also develop a tolerance after constant use and will feel a need to take greater quantities of the drug to achieve the desired results. Let’s say you start taking one Adderall before every exam; you may soon begin to feel as if you can’t take any exam without the pill and depend on it to get you through any kind of exam, midterm, paper, or all in all to help you survive end of the year stress!
 
2. Legal Risks:
The use and possession of a schedule II medication such as Adderall (when it is not prescribed to you) is a serious crime under the federal Controlled Substances Act. It is considered a class II narcotic, as is cocaine, and it is a felony to be found with this medication if it is not prescribed to you. Many people may not know that this offense is punishable with prison time. The legal risks alone should be enough for you to steer clear.
 

3. Weight Loss Myth:
Some people have found that taking Adderall leaves them with a decreased appetite and enhanced energy. Especially at a school such as Miami, many girls may begin to use this pill to lose weight and get more from their work out. However, the minute you stop taking it, you will gain any weight that was lost and may struggle to work out as intensely as you used to. So think about it logically: you can’t take this medication forever and you will eventually have an appetite again. Don’t use Adderall to cut corners in your diet. Healthy eating and exercise will provide more lasting results than any drug can.
 
4. Effects on the Mind & Body:
No matter the drug, if you take a medication without first talking with your doctor you are putting yourself and your life at great risk. You may think that because Adderall is so widely and commonly prescribed that it MUST be safe. You are WRONG. Taking Adderall poses great cardiovascular side effects. It may increase blood pressure, and also increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. You also don’t fully realize the risks involved when Adderall is mixed with other medication you may be taking.  No one understands your medical history as well as your doctor and you must consult him/her before taking any kind of drug.