Study Drugs: Where are we now?

"Study Drugs: Where are we now?" by Michael Drucker

Adderall. Ritalin. Vyvanse. Concerta. They are all stimulants, classified by the DEA as Schedule II controlled substances. We call them “study drugs…” And they are all over our campus.

The drugs are primarily prescribed to treat patients diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). They have gained minor celebrity amongst other campus issues due to their misuse by students without a prescription. Higher education administrators have been aware of stimulants’ pervasiveness for a while and have had the scholarly documentation to prove its existence for the past few years (DeSantis, 2008; Aikins, 2011). What, however, does this mean for our students and where are we now?

In 2008, The Journal of College Health published a survey study revealing that illegal use of stimulant drugs was well established on our campuses (DeSantis, Webb, & Noar, 2008). Dr. Ross Aikins (2011) qualitative study on the licit and illicit use of stimulants was published in the Journal of College Student Development. It was and still is one of the most honest recordings of our students’ habits and culture surrounding study drugs (I highly recommend reading this text if you have further interest in the topic). His portrayal highlighted a few major themes that are consistent across national commentary: academic dishonesty, criminal activity, effectiveness of the drugs, and wellbeing of users. DeSantis et al. (2008) and Aikins (2011) are two scholarly texts worthy of mention to describe where we are now, but many pieces of writing have been published in blogs and in news media that touch on one or more of these themes.

It is very important for me to emphasize the theme of health and wellbeing. I found it disheartening to read as many articles as I did that debated the philosophical integrity of “cognitive enhancing” drugs. I was saddened not because the question of academic dis/honesty isn’t important or interesting, but because in my opinion stimulant abuse is a matter of public health. Adderall and its counterparts are, after all, schedule II controlled substances (on par with cocaine and vicodin). This means that the government believes they are at a high potential for abuse and physical/psychological dependence of its users.

I very much hope that the next step in scholarship is to dive into what Aikins referred to in his (2011) publication as “unpleasant side effects,” which I know for many would be a grave understatement of their experiences. These drugs are of an addictive nature. They interact with depression and anxiety in unsafe ways. They can keep a user from eating for long periods of time. They have been known to build a particularly unhealthy relationship with individuals with prior addiction struggles. So, taking these drugs without a prescription is illegal… yes. The use of these drugs may be academically dishonest… maybe, but not in all cases. Nevertheless, I feel confident that they can be dangerous and cause more students to be sick than we really realize. To me, as a college administrator, that is very important.

The way that I’ve been writing about these drugs so far may be coming across as sinister, but they can also be crucial to one’s treatment… as they were for me. When I was a first-year student in college, I started therapy with my campus’ counseling services for a number of issues including symptoms that I now understand are under the umbrella of ADHD. I didn’t start medication until my second year. I took stimulant-based ADHD medication for a year and a half. My treatment for my ADHD during that period was immersive and comprehensive. I combined medication with counseling, reading materials about ADHD to understand it better, and intentional lifestyle changes. That year and a half was a big turning point and one of the greatest gifts I received from my college education. The drugs helped me make the most of my treatment and learn new skills that I carry today to manage my ADHD. I still have moments when I’m struggling with my executive functions or memory and I utilize the memories of my experiences on the drugs to help me complete the task at hand. It’s a strange experience, but it’s true. I ultimately stopped taking the medication for several reasons, some of which included the negative side effects described here already. It is just as important for me to draw attention to the positive, life-changing benefits ADHD patients can experience with these drugs as it is also important to speak of their potential dangers. This is why I chose to share my story so publicly.

In 2013, The New York Times reported on a new pattern of stricter regulations on ADHD stimulants (Schwarz, 2013). The focus of many regulations targeted the offices for health services provided by the institution, making the process of obtaining ADHD medication longer and more complex. This means that students at some schools must go through waiting periods, seek more thorough testing, and provide detailed documentation among other requirements. These regulations are imposed using the logic that ADHD imposters do not misuse the pills or distribute them on campus. Some schools have removed ADHD testing and diagnosis from their list of services of all together and refer students off campus for all treatment including prescriptions.The ADHD advocacy group’s chief executive, Ruth Hughes, explained, “If a university is very concerned about stimulant abuse, I would think the worst thing they could do is to relinquish this responsibility to unknown community practitioners… Nonprescribed use of stimulant medications on campus is a serious problem that can’t just be punted to someone else outside the school grounds.” I agree with this sentiment wholeheartedly.

What we must understand about these drugs is that they are a uniquely academic phenomenon at the center of campus life. Stimulant study drug abuse is our problem and, thus, our responsibility. Yet, through all of this I believe we, as a campus community, are presented with a powerful opportunity. Study drug abuse is often as a strategy for managing the demands of academic life… a student’s in-the-classroom life. The actual abuse, however, happens in the library, the residential halls, and public spaces wherever students study.  Often times, it’s easy to compartmentalize the different aspects of student life amongst the administrators and faculty. Homework goes to the professors. Health and wellness go to the student life administrators. For this issue, however, we are talking about a matter of health and wellness that in and of itself is academic in nature. This, for us, can lead to greater opportunities for collaboration in campus response and academic support.

This is where I find myself on the issue right now: I don’t believe in an abstinence approach. I don’t believe those with legitimate prescriptions should be given a hard time nor should it become exponentially difficult for students to attain one if needed. I do believe, however, in having the conversations and working together.

I believe in taking this issue as one of public health…

I believe students who struggle with stimulant-based addiction need and deserve our attention….

I believe we should go about our response with nuance and respect and reduce the stigma for all kinds of treatment…

Most of all, I believe we can and must do better.

References

• Aikins, R. D. (2011). Academic Performance Enhancement: A Qualitative Study of the Perceptions and Habits of Prescription Stimulant–Using College Students. Journal of College Student Development, 52(5), 560-576.
• DeSantis, A. D., Webb, E. M., & Noar, S. M. (2008). Illicit use of prescription ADHD medications on a college campus: a multimethodological approach. Journal of American college health, 57(3), 315-324. 
• Schwarz, A. (2013). Attention-deficit drugs face new campus rules. New York Times, 20.