Adderall: A Study Drug

[Jon Snow]

A search on this subject turned up a couple of older articles, but not a ton of discussion on the subject, so I thought it merited its own thread.

The question at hand regards the use of Adderall and similar drugs (stimulants designed for ADHD sufferers) as study aids or cognitive enhancers. Use of Adderall has been widespread on college campuses for years now, allowing students to pull all-night study sessions without blinking an eye--but the focus, energy, and productivity associated with its ingestion is seeing its popularity rise in both high school and the post-collegiate workplace.

What are the short- and long-term ramifications of using stimulants as cognitive enhancers, whether taken on a regular basis or just occasionally? Are students who take these drugs without having been diagnosed "cheating"?

I am very curious as to what everybody thinks.

Here is an article from the New York Times that is comprised of dozens of short anecdotes from people who have direct experience with this method of cognitive enhancement. It's quite an interesting read.

[Fortis in Arduis]

What is frequently mentioned here is drug tolerance, addiction and side-effects.

Unfortunately it seems as though so many people are taking speed to study that it has become the norm for excellence, and that is twisted and false.

[Breedingvariety]

There are two mutually related reasons for the phenomena: selfish and egoistic culture and social belief in superficial signs of accomplishment.

Students strive for higher grades, not for understanding of studied subject. That is superficial.

Higher grades are not enough. Grades have to be higher than other students grades. That is egoistic and selfish.

Students are like domesticated animals who work for food or pat on a back and gestures of approval- grades.

Working together for common good, helping each other, empathy and compassion are disregarded. That would be too anti- Satanistic.

[Contusion]

Impotence, sleep loss, hunger loss and god knows what else.

I used to take adderall in high school and no, it was not for medical or academic purpose.

[ETKearne]

I am prescribed the drug, but for adjunct therapy for treatment-resistant depression, not ADD. Before Adderall, despite years of psychotherapy and at least a dozen SSRI's and SNRI's, I still found no joy in life even when doing something "fun". I also would sleep in excess of 13 hours per day. In fact, I may also have a mild case of narcolepsy (for which it is also prescribed).

It is a VERY powerful drug, and I will fully admit that it does make you feel "high". But despite at least 5 years on the drug, I haven't needed to raise the dose, nor do I often take more than prescribed. However, to be truthful, I occasionally take a half of a tablet extra if I have to stay up late socializing since I get so incredibly tired easily. But then I usually don't take the next morning's dose to make up for it.

It is no surprise to me people are horribly addicted to it. I mean, all it is is a mixture of different isomers of Amphetamine. It is 75% Dextro-Amphetamine and 25% Levo-Amphetamine. The D-Amp helps with vigilance and motivation while the L-Amph helps with general "awakeness".

Too many people take it, however. Most cases could be helped better by simply making lifestyle choices like moderate exercise or psychotherapy.

[OneWolf]

I was prescribed the drug once but chose to "discontinue" the drug after tweeking,full blown,for three days straight.I don't now if it was a misdiagnoses or what,the pill just did not work for me.

I'm hyper active and after my experience with the drug,I just don't see how it works for people who suffer from hyperactivity.I think the drug should be taken off the market!

[ETKearne]

Surprisingly (and perhaps due to my mild narcolepsy), I have never "lost sleep" on the drug. And I don't take a low dose either (I take 15 mg three times per day). But I still end up falling asleep at 9:00- 10:00 pm every night and getting at least 8 hours of sleep.

But yeah, I have heard some horror stories of people on it. That is why it should be a "last resort" type thing.

[ETKearne]

Does anyone else besides me take this drug, or another Amphetamine medication, for example Dexedrine or Benzedrine? I would be interested to see how other people think about it, such as if they think it works well compared to other medicines, if the side-effects are nasty, and if they feel addicted to it even if they take it just as medicine?

Less "hard-core" than Adderall is also Ritalin (Methylphenidate), which is still a stimulant that increases Dopamine levels, but does so in a milder way than Amphetamines. Pharmacologically speaking: Amphetamine is a releasing agent of Dopamine and Norepinephrine, while Methylphenidate is simply a reuptake-inhibitor of Dopamine and Norepinephrine.

I tried Methylphenidate before Adderall, but it didn't help my depression at all. In fact, it made me more tired and more irritable.

[Óttar]

I can't get a hold of any. I like it. I took some for my last week of college. I was in the library and I just wanted to hug all the girls. Not surprising since amphetamine is half of the ingredients in ecstasy. It made it so I wasn't distracted by pesky things like eating. I took it in Germany once too. Would that I could get a hold of it. Would that I could get some more.