Do “Smart Drugs” Really Make You Smart? October 5
The use of performance-enhancing drugs of an “academic” kind, such as Adderall and Ritalin, is a hot topic nowadays, especially since the fall term has just begun and students across various college campuses and universities are hitting the books once again. We have done a number of posts on this issue, and we continue to read about these drugs and their uses and effects. In doing so we came across a rather interesting feature by University of Texas Health Science Center doctoral student Joshua Gowin on Psychology Today.
In the feature, Gowin describes the effects of Adderall and Ritalin to the drugs’ primary receivers: people suffering from Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). They work by helping the patient focus on an activity at hand without being distracted. As a result, children with ADHD tend to do better in school and have a noticeable improvement in their behavior when taking the drug. These effects are what relatively healthy teenagers and college students would like to achieve in an effort to ahead in their school work, which earned these drugs the nickname “smart drugs”.
It is rather surprising, therefore, when reading further on we found out that taking Adderall did not necessarily spell great academic success. Gowin shared findings presented at the College for Problems of Drug Dependence by Amelia Arria, lead researcher for The College Life Study, which looked into the use of Ritalin and Adderall as study aids. Based on the data, Adderall users do not necessarily get the 4.0 we would think they would be able to get with this extra study boost. It turns out that Adderall users are those who need to cram in a few extra hours of study time because they did not plan ahead to begin with.
So, do smart drugs make one smart? Guess not, because the act of taking these habit-forming drugs probably dispels any attempt at being smart anyway. Bottom line, the surest way towards that A and a 4.0 average is to work hard and manage your time well. There is, indeed, no shortcut to success.
Tags: academic doping, adderall, adhd drugs, drugs to concetrate, drugs to study, ritalin, smart drugs, study doping, study drugs, success drugs
Tony Oct 8
I have suffered since childhood with ADHD. In growing up in a traditional home with significantly older parents, having chemical imbalances in the brain was unheard of. Due to this, my grades (which were poor always) were my fault. I suffered at school being looked at as the dumb kid and at home for not “doing my job” in school. At the age of 27 I took it upon myself to research the disorder. My wife was unable to keep my attention when talking to me and it was causing fights. I eventually signed up for “Gereral Psychology” at the local Junior college and set up an appointment with a shrink. Ofcourse due to my occasional use of alcohol, they refused to put me on a stimulant. Instead they put me on Stratterra. USERS BEWARE! This drung not only didn’t work, it cause more problems (sleep, temper, frustration and anxiety). Being fed up with this outcome I fired my shrink and found a new one. When asked if I drank, I said “NO”. This is all it took to put me on the right drug, Adderall. The stimulant was a Godsend. From that point on, my house turned from a mess to a palace. My work was nothing short of perfection (getting me a raise) and my relationship has never been better. If these “smart drugs” are not the answer, then nothing is. After taking my Psych class and receiving an A (99%), I enrolled in two more courses. Both of these were not only easy to me, they were a joy. I am not 4 courses in and on my way to an Associates degree. I average a 4.0 GPA for the first time in my life and it brings me to tears every time I speak of it. I am happier than I’ve ever been and thank GOD that someone came up with Adderall. Thanks for your time and if you have any questions, email me at benelliwolf@live.com
Tony