Last updated : December 16, 2024
It’s estimated that approximately 20–30% of college students are abusing amphetamines such as Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin and Vyvanse. Also referred to as “academic doping” and “taking the study drug,” amphetamine usage may start out innocently enough when these students borrow or buy the drugs from a fellow student in order to stay up to study for a test. Students from Boston University who were recently interviewed on the Today Show confessed that it was not unusual for everyone in the library to be “doing lines” (snorting amphetamines) to prepare for their exams. However, these same students quickly learn how much amphetamine usage enhances their focus, giving them an “edge” on the
competition—with more hours to study theoretically translating to better grades. The next thing they know, they’re hooked. But it doesn’t stop there. As a result, these activities can carry over into the workplace where they also need that perceived advantage to work harder, do a better job than the next person and stay competitive in an effort to advance their careers. If you used Adderall throughout college, quitting when you start working can be difficult. This isn’t just because ADHD medications like Adderall are highly addictive Schedule II controlled substances—putting them in the same category as cocaine and methamphetamine. It’s also because many users come to see them as a driving factor in their success. “It stands to reason that if you feel as if you succeeded in college partly because of these drugs, you’re more likely to feel as if you need them to succeed in the workplace,” Alan Schwarz points out in his new book ADHD Nation: Children, Doctors, Big Pharma, and the Making of an American Epidemic.
A recent study of 11 million U.S. workers found that workplace drug tests are coming back positive at the highest rates in a decade, and they’re continuing to increase. Amphetamines were the second most common drugs detected after marijuana. Meanwhile, the number of adults with prescriptions for ADHD medication is moving past 5 million, and prescriptions among 26- to 34-year-olds are the driving force. “You’ll likely see more [prescription stimulant use] in professions that are dominated by people in their 20s,” says Schwarz.
When legitimately prescribed for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), these drugs help those with the condition become more focused and calm. However, it is still believed that more than one in seven American children get diagnosed with ADHD—three times what experts have said is appropriate—meaning millions of kids are misdiagnosed and taking these medications for a psychiatric condition they probably do not have. The numbers rise every year. And it seems easy enough to be diagnosed. Just find the right doctor, convince him or her that you have ADHD and you’re on your way with a legal prescription for an amphetamine.
Many users say, “What’s the harm? I’m doing well, getting good grades, succeeding at my job and feeling fine.” But there are documented side effects for normal use as well as abuse: Heart palpitations can become serious cardiovascular events, and increased anxiety can lead to psychiatric events. This is why in Canada, for example, prescriptions of ADHD medications come with a suicide warning.
No doubt, it’s a tangled web. Research regarding the condition, as well as the medications to treat it, began in the 1930s. The condition can be difficult to accurately diagnose, which may be leading to overdiagnosis and, hence, the overprescription of amphetamines.
Typically, ADHD symptoms arise in early childhood. According to the DSM-5 (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), several symptoms are required to be present before the age of 12. Many parents report excessive motor activity during the toddler years, but ADHD symptoms can be hard to distinguish from the impulsivity, inattentiveness and active behavior that is typical for kids under the age of four. In making the diagnosis, children should have six or more symptoms of the disorder present; adolescents 17 and older and adults should have at least five of the symptoms present. The DSM-5 lists three presentations of ADHD—predominantly inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined.
Properly treating ADHD often requires medical, educational, behavioral and psychological intervention. This comprehensive approach to treatment is sometimes called “multimodal” and, depending on the age of the individual with ADHD, may include:
- parent training
- medication
- skills training
- counseling
- behavioral therapy
- educational supports
- education regarding ADHD
Without the benefit of a proper diagnosis and treatment, the vicious cycle continues with no apparent end in sight, at least for now. We remain an “ADHD Nation” of children, young adults and adults taking amphetamines (either legitimately or not) to enhance their performance—perceived or otherwise.
