Students Turn to Adderall For All-Nighters

Like so many students at UB who take Adderall, Beth didn't have a prescription, and she didn't have ADD. And although she was taking the drug illegally, she wasn't looking for a buzz.

"I was first introduced during finals week of sophomore year from a kid in a residence hall," she said. "I was extremely stressed about a test that was coming up and I wanted to stay up all night to study, so I snorted a pill."

But long after finals week, Beth continued to take Adderall, and soon realized she had become reliant on the pills and was addicted. "My friends would tell me that I looked horrible," she said. "I lost a lot of weight and felt very worn out."

With finals week inching closer, and as students feel the increasing pressure to finish papers and study for tests, many will turn to Adderall to relieve some of the stress and survive the end of the semester.

Some students who need that all-nighter say snorting a pill is no big deal, while others, like Beth, say they didn't know the risks. According to one UB expert, whether you know the risks or not, Adderall isn't the answer.

Frank Carnevale, director of Health Services, said he believes there are several legal and medical concerns regarding the abuse of prescription drugs like Adderall, a stimulant that doctors prescribe to treat individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Not only can abusing it have a multitude of side effects, he said, but Adderall is considered a "controlled substance" by the Drug Enforcement Agency, which means there are also legal consequences for its inappropriate use.

One UB student who takes Adderall said he knows the legal ramifications, but isn't worried.

"Just like any other prescription drug, having it when it's not yours, or selling it, is a crime," said Matt, a senior history major. "Maybe because of its wide appeal or its large market, something makes it so people don't worry so much about getting caught with it."

Like Beth, Matt said he primarily started using Adderall for academic reasons.

"Though I have occasionally used Adderall for recreation, its main purpose is for pulling all-nighters," he said. "I use it mostly for studying purposes."

"Adderall basically is, more or less, medicated speed," Matt added. "It does just that, speed you up, and it keeps you up all night, depending on how much you take. For me, it makes my normal attention span, and ability to effectively study stretched out for hours. It really allows you to get a lot done."

According to Carnevale, unnecessarily taking Adderall in amounts not specifically prescribed can do a lot more than just stretch your attention span. Among the drug's side effects are lack of appetite, insomnia, upset stomach, nervousness, fever, dizziness, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rate, dry mouth, psychosis, tics and headaches.

"In addition, these medications can have serious health effects when combined with other drugs," Carnevale said. "For example, when Adderall is inappropriately combined with the commonly used pain medication, Darvocet, convulsions can result."

Carnevale stressed that it is "unwise" for students to take Adderall without a medical professional's advice.

"The stimulant medications for ADHD tend to be more psychologically than physically addictive," he said.

According to Matt, he's not worried about something bad happening to him due to his Adderall usage. "If I ever have a lot of work to do, Adderall always crosses my mind as an option," he said.

But that doesn't mean he doesn't know the risks.

"I know Adderall, and other drugs like it, are harmful. Anyone taking a drug that's not prescribed to them runs the risk of something bad happening," Matt said. "I've seen a few of my friends take Adderall on a daily basis, if they were doing schoolwork or not. It's obvious to me that they were dependent on it, one way or another."

According to Carnevale, the abuse of prescription medication on college campuses is a problem that is difficult to quantify.

"It is a topic that college health professionals are looking at as an issue of increasing concern," he said.

"Adderall, in my understanding, is extremely popular, especially for college students," Matt said. "It's relatively inexpensive costs and the popularity of all-nighters to reduce work loads make Adderall a perfect choice."

Matt added that the drug's popularity is probably helped by its availability.

"I think anyone could ask around a little and find it. Realistically, the kid down the hall most likely has some," he said.

And it's often a question whether the ADHD students selling Adderall actually need it.

"It shows how over-prescribed it is, if anything. It's a case of profit over well-being," Matt said.

For Beth, a junior nursing major, taking Adderall paid off in the short term, but it took a long time for her to realize she should stop using it.

"It made me feel sharp and concise, and concentrating was so much easier," she said.

"After a while I decided Adderall was causing too many problems rather than making them go away," Beth added. "I just wish there could be a way to inform students about the drug before it's too late."