Premium Essay

Adderall Research Paper

Submitted By
Words 871
Pages 4
For my research paper my topic is Stress in Schools, but how stress in schools are related to Adderall. When thinking of the problems that warrant this topic I think of the death, dropout, and addiction rates. Due to school stress most students turn to drugs such as the “study drug” known as Adderall many students use this drug in order to focus more and get better grades. I have described what Adderall is and each of my research questions as the heading using primary and secondary sources along with my findings.

What is Adderall
According to an article What Is Adderall (Adderall XR) from Everyday Health, Adderall is the brand name of a prescription medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adults and narcolepsy. …show more content…
While I conducted a survey School stress related to Adderall, three of the 10 questions I asked was what is your age,? do you use non-prescribed Adderall,? why do you use Adderall,? and how do you receive it? Before gathering the data I made the prediction that high school students between the ages of 16-18 would be the most likely ones to use Adderall and receive it by a friend, but the data I collected was that more of the college students were the ones who used non-prescribed Adderall. They mostly receive it from a friend who is not prescribed or a friend’s, friend who are prescribed. Using the website National Center for Health Research the article “Study Drug” Abuse by College Students: What You Need to Know, states that not surprisingly, around three quarters of prescription stimulant-abusers use the drug for academic purposes—to help them stay awake, focus, and study before a big exam. However, ADHD medications do not make students ‘smarter.’ It may help them focus and stay awake, but abusers should not expect the drugs to help with more complex learning such as writing better papers or studying for college-level

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Adderall Research Paper

...1. The drug I am researching is Adderall. According to an article from drug-forum.com, Adderall was first introduced by the British pharmaceutical manufacturer Shire group. Adderall was originally used to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; it is a human made drug. According to google, some side effects of Adderall are trouble sleeping, headache, restlessness, dry mouth, false sense of well-being, feeling of throwing up, nervous, loss of appetite, and easily angered or annoyed. Some street names for adderall are: eye openers, speed, uppers, and pick me ups. 2. Adderall acts as a central nervous system stimulant that can improve symptoms of ADHD; it increases concentration and decreases impulsiveness. Some symptoms...

Words: 518 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Adderall

...Adderall Is Not The Way To Go Margaret Talbot exposes the “underground world of neuroenhancing drugs” in her article entitled “Brain Gain”. Talbot discusses the new craze in taking cognitive enhancers such as Adderall and Ritalin to boost success rates in both academic settings and professional environments. Normally, medications such as Adderall and Ritalin are prescribed solely to patients who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (A.D.H.D), but today more and more people are finding ways to elicit these drugs. In her research to uncover the truth about cognitive enhancers, Talbot meets a young history major at Harvard named Alex, who admits to consuming vast amounts of Adderall in his academic career. The article holds truth that today’s society has become obsessed with a demand for overnight success and will resort to any means in order to obtain their desired results, no matter how detrimental it may be to one’s health. With that said, the illegal consumption of cognitive enhancers might be able to produce successful results in a limited amount of time, but only with the consequences of negative outcomes. Adderall is not a safe drug for anyone to consume without a doctors prescription. When used as an off label drug, it doesn’t have the approval of either the drug manufacturer or the Food Drug Administration. Therefore, it is not safe for the public to use an off label drug. It is the Food and Drug Administration’s job to approve...

Words: 1199 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Dean's List and More

...Dean’s List And More A Research Essay About Why College Students Are Using and Abusing Stimulants To Get By February, 2014 Abstract Prescription stimulant use as academic performance enhancers is increasingly widespread among college students and the prescription stimulant use as "cognitive enhancers" has been described among undergraduate college students. Adderall and Ritalin are the most popular among the students. Some use the drugs to stay awake to study to get by with good grades, even with acknowledgement of the dangers of using. However, the use of prescription stimulants among future graduated students is at risk. Table of Contents Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………... 2 Chapter 1 ……………………………………………………………………………..….. 4 Purpose of the Study ……………………………………..……………… 4 Statement …………………………………………………..……………. 4 Research Questions …………………………………………..…………. 5 Significance of the Study ……………………………………..………… 5 Delimitation ……………………………………………..……………… 5 Definition of Terms …………………………………………..………… 6 Chapter 2 Literature Review…………………………………………………………….. 7 Chapter 3 Research Methods …………………………………………………………… 18 References ………………………………………………………….…………………… 22 Appendix A ……………………………………………………………………………… 23 Dean’s List and More Nature of Study If you are a full time student with heavy load of courses while working to support your lifestyle, then you will be worrying where you can find the time. Undergraduate college students do stress...

Words: 4336 - Pages: 18

Free Essay

Adderall

...Abstract 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. Introduction Adderall, a prescription drug, was first developed to treat patients that suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Students and young professionals that have ADHD generally struggle paying attention in class and focusing on the task at hand, they also tend to be unorganized commonly forgetting or losing things and also becoming bored with things they must do. These may sound like many qualities everybody has when it comes to certain things and that’s because they are which is why the drug and competitor pills are scripted more today than they ever have been before. The purpose of this report is to inform about how common Adderall is found on college campuses, although a prescription drug, as well as addressing what the drug does for you. I will discuss both the positive and negative side effects associated with the drug as well as what the drug can do for you regarding your life at school. This...

Words: 1457 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Neuroenhancement; Stimulants in the Classroom

...Neuroenhancement; Stimulants in the Classroom In the current economy, people are competing to earn a decent living; meanwhile, only certain individuals receive a prescription for neuroenhancing medication. An individual receiving Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment is at an advantage compared to an individual with ADHD and no prescription. Neuroenhancing drugs, categorized as stimulants, are most often prescribed to people who’ve been diagnosed with ADHD. Students are the main focus of this research paper because data supports the claim that neuroenhancers are often used to improve performance in the classroom. There are positive and negative results that come from the use of neuroenhancing medication. A qualitative study by Margaret Talbot examines a Harvard student and includes personal insight from an Adderall user that earned a college degree. If a student doesn’t have access to prescribed neuroenhancers, and has a hard time focusing on schoolwork, is the student similar to someone with bad vision and no access glasses? The current situation in our information based economy with a growing need for higher education puts prescribed users of neuroenhancement at an academic advantage over people with similar neurological characteristics and no prescription. Defining the Drug ADHD medication has an intended purpose to improve the ability for the user to focus on a given task. More specifically, “stimulants increase the activity of the sympathetic nervous...

Words: 2287 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Adhd Research Paper

...Mackenzie Weiss ENC1101-Tuesday July 31, 2012 Research Paper ADHD Medications and their Abuse Today The medications used to treat Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are powerful, especially when abused, and have lasting impacts on the patients and the abusers. Treatment, in the form of prescription drugs is available to help these individuals, yet is harmful to others who either are misdiagnosed or abuse it. Additional laws and policies implemented by our elected officials will help ensure the prescribed medications reach the intended patients resulting in lower abuse. ADHD is described as the “most common neurological disorder” (“Facts”) and is a condition that affects many children and adults all over the world. The diagnosis and treatment for ADHD is on the rise in this country, and the signs and symptoms are important for people to notice. ADHD first appears in children who may show a combination of disruptive problems including impulsive behavior, low self-esteem, hyperactivity, and poor performance in school/work. Children, treated for this disorder, are more likely to carry it until adolescence, but for some, ADHD may become a life-long adjustment into adulthood. Specifically for males, hyperactivity is a huge signal that they need to be tested for attention deficit. For females, the signs are the opposite, leading to many underdiagnosed women. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “boys were more likely than girls to have ever...

Words: 2009 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

The Use of Ritalin by College Students

...school students, to use them for cognitive enhancement rather than to treat a condition. A study completed by DeSantis and Hane (2010) surveyed and analyzed information given to them by an undergraduate sample, to find out their justifications for using these pharmaceuticals illegally. Of the arguments presented by the undergraduates, there were four main contentions: comparison-and-contrast, all-things-in-moderation, self-medicating, and minimization (DeSantis & Hane, p31). This paper will focus on comparison-and-contrast, and how the arguments are inconsistent with facts and information available. Due to the amount of compelling research completed in this area, DeSantis & Hane completed an additional experiment to concur and elaborate on the great findings found in the other studies; one of which found as many as 34% of the student sample using a form of cognitive stimulant (p32). DeSantis and Hane surveyed a selection of 175 students from a South-eastern university who have used Adderall, Ritalin, or other stimulant for recreation or as a study tool. In order to understand the rationale of the students who use the drugs in this manner, participants were asked questions of ethics and morality and how they could justify using the drugs for illegal use, and were...

Words: 1350 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

ADHD Argumentative Essay

...Although people say that medicine for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) doesn’t work, studies show that the medication such as Adderall, Adderall XR, Ritalin, and Concerta help stimulate the brain. These medications shoe increases in patience as well as focusing on everyday tasks. Even though these stimulants work, there is also an argument that there are other ways to help with the disorder besides medication. Patients should still stick with the medication because it does show major progress, changes in behavior, and helps in the work and school place. Furthermore, ADHD had been researched for over 35 years. From that research, scientists have concluded that ADHD is acquired due to a chemical and structural mishap of the brain...

Words: 783 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Children and the Law

...Whispers soliciting a need for Adderall resonate throughout the halls. These students don’t have prescriptions for their drug of choice, but this doesn’t deter them. They know that the risk in purchasing and ingesting this “study buddy” is far outweighed by the extreme focus and potentially high exam scores it may bring. It’s not that these students are ignorant of the law; it is quite the contrary. These situations are now so commonplace that today’s youth perceives the law to be a technicality in their search to find a means to an end. This pervading attitude should come as no surprise to most adults. For as long as human history has been recorded, drugs have defined and reflected the attitudes of their era. In the 1920’s, alcohol was placed under prohibition and Americans were looking to every which way to circumvent this federal regulation. In the 1930’s, reefer madness swept the country and marijuana was criminalized. The 1960’s marked the era of a rising counter-culture fueled by the psychedelic drug LSD. Even the cocaine boom of the 1970’s and 1980’s define a period of American history marked by high crime rates and an evolving nightlife. Today’s society is no different. In many ways, people, particularly teenagers and young adults, are quite literally fueled by drugs. They will take methamphetamines to study, depressants to fall asleep, and psychoactive stimulants to take a break from the norm and disconnect from reality. The purpose of this paper is to explore three modern...

Words: 6890 - Pages: 28

Premium Essay

Adhd

... The attempt to classify it as a disease has failed. There are four categories of disease in the medical world: infectious, contagious, traumatic, and systemic. Infectious and contagious diseases have to do with germs so we can rule those out as classifications. Traumatic indicates an outside force such as head trauma or nervous system trauma so that is also ruled out. Systemic diseases happen when the cells or chemicals of the body begin to malfunction such as cancer. This is not correct for ADHD either and so it is not a disease (Stein 23-24). Doctors turn to other causes and classifications of this disorder including genetics. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often appears to run in families, and research studies have suggested that there may be a genetic component to this disorder. Individuals diagnosed with ADHD may have close blood relatives with the disorder (Muenke). Unfortunately, he mentions nothing about a chromosome link because there is no chemical proof of genetics. His statement is the same as if I were to say that my close blood relatives liked the same type of...

Words: 1919 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Neurodevelopmental and Neurocognitive Disorders

...Neurodevelopmental and Neurocognitive Disorders Paper PSY/410 Marice Lynnette Jones 05/09/2016 Karen Wood The brain is a magnificent organ within the human body. The brain controls everything from our movement, involuntary functions, thoughts and emotions. Due to its fragile nature, the brain is protected very well by thick layer of membrane called dura mater and encased by a skull (Butcher, 2014). The main focus for this paper is to describe one neurodevelopmental disorder and one neurocognitive disorder. The behavioral criteria for each disorder will be discussed along with incidence rates and their causes. Options for treatment based on two different theoretical models will as provide a valuable insight for the disorders. Neurodevelopmental disorders refer to a group of conditions that presents itself during the developmental period. These disorders impair development or the central nervous system causing an effect on emotions, learning ability, self-control and memory. The most common neurodevelopmental disorder is ADHD. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder causes children to have trouble paying attention, control impulsive behavior and overly active. There are no known causes or risk factors, however a recent twin research studies have linked ADHD with genes. Along with genes, possible contributors towards ADHD would be injury to the brain, environmental exposures, alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy, premature delivery, and low birth weight (CDC, 2016)....

Words: 603 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Adhd

... Of A.D.H.D Medication. James Sullivan Palomar College CHDV 100 T, TH 9:00-10:50am Abstract This research paper is looking at two articles I looked up online about the long and short term effects of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (A.D.H.D). Both articles have the same data and results. Robinson, Smith and Segal (2011) give good detail and outline various side-effects of several medications as well as many long and short term health Effects. Weathers (2012) also gives various details about side effects and more on long and short term effects. The Long Term and Short Term Effects Of A.D.H.D Medication. There is a lot of controversy about ADHD medications about the possible health risks with using certain stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and Dexedrine. Robinson, Smith and Segal (2011) research shows that these medications can have negative effects on brain development, heart problems, psychiatric problems, and a potential for abuse. In this paper I will be discussing these issues in depth. Weathers (2012) also states in their research that certain medications can lead to unhealthy heart problems, height problems, facial tics and high blood pressure. This paper will discus the research of Robinson et al.’s on the health effects as well as the research of Weathers. So the questions that are going to be discussed are, What are the long term effects of ADHD medication? And What...

Words: 1368 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Add and the Effects on the Lives of Adults

...Williams 1 Running head: ADULTS LIVING WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER Adults Living with Attention Deficit Disorder and How It Effects Their Lives Esha Williams Limestone University Author Note This paper was prepared for Intro to Success, ID 201. Taught By Ms. Johnson. Williams 2 ADULTS LIVING WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER Abstract This paper is Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) in adults and the effects is has on their personal and professional live. It explains many difficulties and challenges they face. Medications that are available to help with the disorder and how if treatment is received you can live a more successful life. I discuss the three subtypes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Sign and symptoms of adults with ADHD/ADD. Types of medication that can be prescribed to help with symptoms. Different techniques that can be used to help cope more effectively with the disorder. I also shared my own personal issues with being diagnosed. Listed below the reference materials I used for this paper. Nationa Institue of Mental Health (2010). Gabor, Mate'. Scattered: How Attention Deficit Disorder Originates and What You Can Do About It. New York: Dutton by the Penguin Group, 1999. Gunter, J. "An update on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder." American Psychological Assocation (2013): Formulary, 48(3), 98-109. "National Institue of Mental Health." (2010). Schwarz, Alan and Sarah Cohen. "More Diagnoses of A.D.H.D Causing...

Words: 1253 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Over-Diagnosis of Adhd

...Your name Professor’s name Class Information 06 May 2013 Final Argumentative Essay Zombie Children: The Over-diagnosis of ADHD in children Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral syndrome predominantly occurring in children (CDC 1). It is one of the most common childhood disorders. This condition is characterized by lack of attention, fidgeting, lack of organization, or squirming when seated. Children with ADHD often have difficulty paying attention to details and are easily distracted by other events happening at the same time; they find it difficult to complete their schoolwork; they put off anything that requires a lot of thought; they are prone to making careless mistakes, and are disorganized; they may seem as if they are listening when spoken to and often fail to follow through with tasks. The symptoms usually become evident in preschool or when entering into elementary school but can continue into adolescence and adulthood. There is no fixed test that can give an accurate diagnosis that a child has ADHD; therefore, over diagnosis has become difficult to avoid. Approximately, 9.5% (5.4 million) children, between four and seventeen years of age, are diagnosed with ADHD (CDC). This translates to three percent to seven percent of school aged children being diagnosed with ADHD. The rate that ADHD has been diagnosed has increased an average of three percent per year between the years 1997 and 2006 and an average of five and a half percent...

Words: 2154 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Persuasive Research Essay

... et al). According to Dr. Matthew Smith, Ritalin wasn’t even considered for use in children with behavioral issues until many years after its introduction. It was originally marketed as a “pep” pill. Advertisements were aimed towards the elderly, and housewives whom lacked the energy to get all their work done around the house. The pharmaceutical company Ciba, whom created Ritalin, did not receive approval to market the drug to underachieving school children until 1962 (Smith). ADHD later became the diagnosis for both children and adults who were observed as having concentration and behavioral issues. Whether or not too many people are being diagnosed and medicated for ADHD has certainly been a hot topic of debate for many years now. Research does show that medical professionals are overprescribing ADHD medications. Trends have indicated a rise in diagnosis along with drug treatment, the ADHD drug industry is booming, and ADHD prescriptions are easily obtained by those seeking them. Today, ADHD drugs are prescribed to both children and adults who have been diagnosed with the disorder. Many of us had friends, or at least knew of classmates, that were labeled as having ADHD back in grade school. It is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder of children, and the mid-90’s witnessed a huge increase in both ADHD diagnoses and Ritalin prescriptions (“Are ADHD”). The numbers have only risen ever since. Statistics were observed again in the 2000’s, and “a trend of...

Words: 1758 - Pages: 8