Midterms are back. And, as many of us already know, these times
can be very stressful. That’s why some Bruins go so far as to
illegally obtain prescription drugs, such as Ritalin and Adderall,
to get through the week. But exactly how risky are these drugs? And
are there ways to moderate and manage them?
Expectably, different drugs offer various levels of effects and
intensities. But a variety of brands, such as Ritalin, don’t
pose a serious risk to the occasional user. In fact, the side
effects typically associated with Ritalin can be found in many of
the pills students purchase at local and on-campus drugstores.
Of course, health should be our No. 1 priority, but some drugs
that seem so “off limits” and so potentially harmful
may not be as bad after all.
Last year, a cautionary story in The Ithacan, the school
newspaper for Ithaca University, warned students about Ritalin and
other hyper-active drugs. In short, the article characterized these
drugs as dangerous, hands-off material. They were exclusively for
licensed prescription users.
“Procrastination,” the article began,
“doesn’t pay off.” It ended with a quotation from
Michael Leary, the school’s assistant director of the Office
of Judicial Affairs: “I get the feeling that the students who
are doing this get the feeling it’s not dangerous to take
someone else’s prescription,” he told The Ithacan.
Medical histories vary greatly, and some may be susceptible to
problems overlooked or unknown. It is better to manage our time and
get our work done without the help of drugs.
But Leary and many others exaggerate the facts. In reality,
small doses of Ritalin, for example, work similar to caffeine pills
(which are drugs we can all buy at our neighborhood pharmacy and
UCLA stores).
Essentially, Ritalin stimulates the body’s central nervous
system, which grants users increased focus and energy, dubbing it
the “academic steroid.” And like caffeine pills,
Ritalin’s side effects may include feelings that are
uncomfortable but relatively innocuous: insomnia, lack of hunger,
paranoia and stomach pains. These drugs can’t beat getting
your work done early, but they still manage to help many people in
stressful times.
This is not to say, however, that Ritalin is risk free. The
Physician’s Desk Reference Guide states that “chronic
abuse (of Ritalin) can lead to marked tolerance levels and
psychological dependence with varying degrees of abnormal
behavior.”
Ultimately, these drugs are meant to produce chemical shifts in
bodies that need them. In the case of the other users, such changes
could prove detrimental to the mind and body. Chronic abuse is
never a good idea.
Also, some drugs ““ such as Adderall ““ aren’t
as safe as Ritalin. It’s best that Adderall be considered
off-limits for students without prescriptions. Unlike Ritalin,
which is based on methylphenidate, Adderall is a dextral
amphetamine ““ a stronger, more potent chemical. Basically,
Adderall produces the same results and side effects as Ritalin but
with an unmatched intensity. It is also more habit-forming. If
Ritalin is like coffee, one law school graduate offered in a New
York Metro article, Adderall is like cocaine.
These drugs aren’t anything like a “best-kept
secret.” People know that they float around, and many of us
can easily access them. The difficulty comes in deciding where to
draw the line and how to go about it.
The problem with using these drugs is that there aren’t
clear rules. On the one hand, it’s admirable when students
care enough about school to work hard ““ even with pills. But,
on the other side, students simply shouldn’t over-use these
drugs.
In the end, the key is moderation.
Know what your body needs ““ and what it doesn’t
need. Take time to work in advance. Write your essays as early as
you can. Be healthy. Don’t save things for the last
minute.
But let’s be honest ““ these are ideals, not reality.
Sometimes, our midterms deliver more stress and more tight squeezes
than we can reasonably handle. In that case, choices have to be
made. Of course, it’s never the best idea to use drugs not
meant for your body. But, for those who do use Ritalin, only taking
it a night or two probably (and hopefully) won’t hurt.
Fried is a second-year history student. E-mail her at
ifried@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to
viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.