College life can be difficult. Florida students who have a hard time transitioning might turn to “study drugs” to stay awake and alert longer and to do better on exams. However, these drugs can negatively impact those who turn to them.
What are study drugs?
Study drugs, also known as smart drugs, are stimulants that are often legally prescribed to treat a variety of medical conditions. Many of these drugs are meant to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or narcolepsy, a sleep disorder. Adderall and Ritalin, which are meant to treat ADHD, are among the most widely used. However, these prescription medications can be dangerous when they aren’t used properly. Even though they are legal, a person can become dependent and even addicted over time.
Why are these drugs dangerous when improperly used?
Although study drugs can help people who take them as legally prescribed, they can be dangerous when abused. If a person doesn’t have a medical condition the drug is intended to treat, they can put their health at risk. Stimulants can be addictive, which is dangerous enough, but there is an even higher risk of adverse effects when they’re combined with other drugs and alcohol. Heart problems, palpitations, paranoia, anxiety, nausea and vomiting are a few of the side effects that might occur.
Students who abuse these drugs can also suffer effects over time that can impact their college life. Eventually, because of the increase in dopamine study drugs achieve, they can crash once they have stopped taking them. This can quickly lead to needing more and more of it and a dependency issue.
Study drugs can also lead to sleep problems, which can negatively affect a student’s schedule. This could lead to missing classes and exams and the exact opposite effect of what they were seeking in the first place when they started taking the drug.
Drug dependency or abuse is never worth the physical, psychological or legal effects.
