im just amazed at how much everyone feels the need to write about how others should make their own personal choices. i pity you.

Unfortunatly many of these comments are proof of the REAL problem : morality (or lack thereof) We are either a country that abides by ethics, morals, and laws. Or, we do whatever it takes to get to the top...including the purchase of illegal drugs. You that try to justify your "study aids" are disillusioned and will have an even tougher time in the real world one day. Focus on self-discipline and time management while education is your "job"!! You better learn to deal with the competition and be thankful you do not have a condition or handicap requiring medication. Comments about Adderall and other prescription medications trivializes (and is disrespectful of) patients that need them. The way to make changes in our society is through education, not making your own rules. Cheating is doing something wrong and illegal. Our society has moral laws. When you try to justify breaking them for your own gain, you will end up paying. (one way or the other!) I completed 10 years (college,graduate, doctorate) without the "aids" and fortunately without medical issues. And, the competition was tremedous! So guys, grow up before it is too late!

i have adhd and i am prescribed adderall. many of you writing are clearly misinformed about this drug. people who are feeling adverse effects to adderall are taking too many mgs than their body can handle. when first getting prescribed, you work your way up in dosages to see how you react to the medication. depending on how your doctor assesses the severity of the adhd, you can start with 5, 10, 20 mgs. Many people start with 5 mg and work up to 10, then to 20 or maybe even 30 depending on what dosage is most effective for the person. those who are not prescribed this drug and take 10 or 20mgs will feel adverse effects to the drugs because they are not used to stronger dosages. those who claimed adderall was a stimulant, that is true. however, it doesn't just increase your heart beat and help you stay awake. as someone previously commented, it increases the blood flow to the frontal lobe of your brain, which helps people calm down and focus. Just as drinking a cup of coffee helps your focus, adderall can too. just don't take too much, start with 5, and work your way up until you know how much you should take at once without feeling severe side effects. also, make sure you don't have a heart condition. as for the people who are so concerned that adderall serves as a means to cheat in school, get over it. i mean, would you argue that the beatles became one of the most successful bands because they were taking dexedrine every night to stay up and perform and to write songs in the early years of their musical careers? (if you don't believe me watch the first disc of the beatles anthology). so yeah people, get over it.

Adderall and ritalin have legitimate uses for some individuals. These individuals typically are reluctant to talk about their use of these drugs, as they are inappropriately seen as an 'advantage.' Often individuals prescribed these drugs are reluctant to even use the drugs, unless it is absolutely necessary, as they do not want to be dependent on them. There are awful labels and stigmas attached to these drugs that cause issues for legitimate individuals, while casual users like to talk about it ad nauseum. Attention deficit disorder and other learning disorders have chemical bases, as do the drugs that help to correct these issues. It is very medieval to think that these and other disorders involving the brain are made up. We all don't walk around taking blood pressure medication, do we? Seems ludicrious. So does taking adderall & ritalin when you do not need it. Stick to the old fashioned stimulant-- caffeine.

My friend takes it, and she does get heart palpitations and she honestly looks terrible. She doesn't hang out because she feels like crap; she's pale, her blood pressure is high and she's a mess. *But* her grades are awesome, way better than mine. So when I tell her she should lay off the drugs a bit, she always says she's in control of her dosage and the results are worth it. As for me, I'm always tempted when I see her grades, but I figure I'd rather risk having to work a little harder and maybe score a little lower than have heart palpitations.

This one goes out to the self-righteous person who claimed that "the only people who really believe that crap [that stimulants = cheating] are people who don't take the stimulants and still get crappy grades". Well, I get great grades, I don't depend on stimulants, and I absolutely believe them to be methods of cheating. How is it NOT cheating?? I laughed when I read "it doesn't allow anyone who takes it to compress an abnormal amount of information into their memory." Um... simply, yes it does. Why else would people use it? It allows a person to study not only for a longer period of time, but also to RETAIN the information more efficiently. There has been one time in my life that was an extraordinary situation where I used a Daytrana patch (basically Adderall in a patch form), and I fully admit that it was cheating. Did I HAVE to use it? No. I easily could have just pulled an all-nighter the old-fashioned way with some coffee and energy drinks to keep me up. And if some people think "well, isn't that the same thing?", the answer is no. On the surface they may FEEL the same, but they serve different purposes. Not that I drink coffee or energy drinks much, but both of these things are intended to simply keep you awake. Adderall and Ritalin take it a step further. They help you CONCENTRATE and they help you retain the information so your brain is essentially a sponge. It's wildly unfair to say that students who don't use Adderall or Ritalin "aren't keeping up with the competition" just because we don't want to jeopardize our health! People that use these substances illegally need to realize that they got into BU for a reason. They have a brain, and they need to put it to real use, instead of injecting it with more chemicals. Oh, that reminds me. The person who talked about Dopamine and schizophrenia.... that's a huge stretch. It is only a THEORY that schizophrenia is linked with Dopamine levels in the brain. Bottom line is that Adderall and Ritalin are straight up academic steroids. People need to gain some confidence in their natural studying ability.

I wouldn't go so far to make the bold statement that taking adderall is cheating. Adderall does not allow you to suddenly gain information that you would not otherwise have, and it doesn't allow anyone who takes it to compress an abnormal amount of information into their memory. My psychiatrist at a reputable Boston hospital has told me that patients who have been diagnosed with ADHD typically exhibit low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the frontal lobes of the brain. Dopamine plays a large part in facilitating the mental processes of memory, attention, motivation, and problem-solving. Stimulant medications, such as adderall, work to increase dopamine levels. An excess of dopamine levels in the brain is significantly linked to schizophrenia and psychotic behavior, which involves disorganized thinking. When a person who has normal levels of dopamine takes a drug that increases dopamine levels, the resulting changes in his or her brain processes may be quite different than someone with low levels. Therefore, I disagree with this idea that taking adderall is cheating for people who haven't been diagnosed with ADHD. If one's performance is facilitated by taking adderall, then this person quite possibly could be lacking normal levels of dopamine. However, if one who has sufficient levels takes it, their ability may not increase in tasks such as studying. I have met many people who have experienced significant hyperactivity after taking adderall, which decreased their ability to concentrate on studying. They all described the effects as similar to those of caffeine -- as if they drank a few cups of coffee. Adderall doesn't necessarily help everyone concentrate better. Since it is difficult to know where your dopamine level stands, (unless you enjoy shelling out large amounts of money for brain tests), it is hard to predict how a medication that increases these levels will affect you.

This article is eerily reminiscent of the drug talks in my high school health class. I was always told that marijuana was a "gateway drug", and that once you had used it for a while, the high wasn't enough anymore and you inevitably moved on to coke or heroin. Now that I'm older and have met people who do all kinds of drugs, it's clear that this is not true. Similarly, this article seems to imply dire consequences from the use of Adderall. I have never personally used it, but I know many who have. It's clearly not anything you should be using all the time without a prescription, but it won't kill you the first time either. There are two things in particular I want to address about the article. First, it's interesting that the author suggests that because Adderall is Schedule II, it must be dangerous. Pot is Schedule I (the 'most dangerous' rating), right up there with heroin and the date rape drug. Given that I have smoked pot but do not have characteristics of a heroin addict, I'd say pot's classification is unjustified. So why should we trust Adderall's? Secondly, for such a "dangerous" drug, I'm surprised that there were no accounts from students, SHS, or administrators about deaths or even just hospitalizations. For a dangerous drug, it seems like Adderall has caused very little damage to our community.

I've been on adderall for 15 years, every month I have to go to the doctors and get prescriptions. The first question I ask is, is there anything harmful that has been discovered about the long term use of adderall. Every single time I get the same response, no. So if there is any element that is wrong with this drug its that not enough studies have been done to scientifically prove the fact that it is harmful and more importantly, doctors aren't informed well enough of the possible harmful effects the drug can have.

So every year someone is going to write an article for whatever university newspaper warning students about taking stimulants such as adderall and ritalin and every single year students still take these prescription drugs whether legally or illegally. I read an article in the New York Times Magazine last semester about how adderall is considered the academic steroid- giving students an advantage over their non-stimulant using peers, but the only people who really believe that crap are people who don't take the stimulants and still get crappy grades! Wake up people!!! I am not saying take adderall or ritalin, but don't blame your peers getting better grades than you on the fact that they take adderall or ritalin and you don't. Don't judge others because of their chosen study methods, but instead blame yourself for not doing everything in your power to guarantee that high grade- whether it be going to the library for 10 hours straight- or extra help- or study sessions. Just because students take adderall does not guarantee that they are going to do better- it just helps them stay awake and focus, but sometimes it cant even do that- it all depends on the individual. I am prescribed adderall and take my prescribed amount everyday- without the adderall my mind races- i cant stand still- i am way too hyper- cant focus- and worst of all i hesitate worse than a freshman girl approaching a scale. PLEASE stop making all of these rash generalizations about adderall like the ever genius comment about how people really don't need it and how its all in the person's head- or what about the amateur status diagnosis that if a person does take it they will automatically do better than the students who don't! All of these assumptions are reserved for those of you who are too scared to face the fact that you live in a world that will leave you behind if you don't keep up with the competition. If your not prescribed adderall and are going to take it- don't take enough to make you a crack head because you wont do well on an exam without SLEEP and FOOD! If your not going to take it- then don't be an ignorant fool and call those who do take it "CHEATERS." People like you will be spending their whole lives COMPLAINING instead of COMPETING. I LIVE IN A WORLD that: "run's on Dunkin" Donuts- has energizer bunnies that keep going and going and going- and markets pills called FOCUS FACTOR for a better memory (is that cheating too? or is it not cheating because it is legal for all to use?). I mean common even Bank of America promotes "HIGHER STANDARDS"!!!! America advertises to be the brightest- strongest- and fastest- so why look down on those who try to be just that? Everyone is responsible for their own health and what they do to their body is their own fault and they must be prepared to suffer future consequences if they should ever come across them- just like any smoker- or drinker! If BU is really that concerned about how kids are going to cope with final exams maybe they should worry about how there are not enough desks in the library for everyone to study!

Frankly, I agree with this article. Unless the illegal users above have a doctorate in Medicine they have no right to tell you that these substances are not dangerous. Any drug, prescribed or illegal that has such a dramatic influence on the brain must be taken with caution. Nobody knows the long term effects of these drugs. Though they seem like a miracle cure for those who suffer from ADD or ADHD for those of us who do not have these diseases the drugs mess with brain chemicals that were not "broken" to begin with. Time management and some motivation will help you study for that test or write a long paper, most college students (or at least half) do not take these drugs and they manage to do just fine!

Speaking as someone who has just started adderall, the side effects are not always the same. My doctor started me on an extremely low dose because of the side effects and we have gradually moved up from there. I do experience various side effects and we are dealing with that. People who take this drug don't realize that there is more than one type of Adderall -- not each type is right for each person. The type that I am on at the moment releases slowly but steadily, and I hardly notice any differences until I am about ready to go to sleep. Dosages also vary -- I am currently on 15mg but was started on 5; my point is that if you take this drug from someone illegally not knowing your threshold you could cause yourself more harm than good. I had a friend who decided to try it once and instead of studying she couldn't stop cleaning. If you're feeling stressed and like you can't handle your amount of work then go see the BU Mental Health services or speak with your professors - you'd be surprised at how willing some of them are to help you. If you get a negative response from your professor try going to your college's advising office (I know the people in CAS 105 are quite kind).

Exaggerated. Both this story and the guy who posts "A cup of coffee isn't the same thing." My amateur point of view is that 10mg of adderall never hurt anyone. 40mgs could make a little girl "feel like her heart is going to burst out of her chest," maybe. My argument is, it's all about the dosage.

this is another prime example of the problems baby boomers see with our generation. Did you know that many neurologists will prescribe these medications at the drop of a hat? they will prescribe over the phone even, having not met the patient. Thus, judging from one who has his medical license, the risks of these medications are minimal. Doctors give these medications out like candy, which they would refrain from doing if there were significant dangers. Did you know bottled water causes cancer? did you know eye-shadow can lead to blindness? Did you know that tap water can lead to liver disease? Do you see my point here? relax. college has become what it is in America--a cut-throat, competitive environment. This pressure has been put upon these kids by our culture. Do not question the manner in which they search for success. Know your place. Your job is to hug your child when he comes home with a good report card and the "freshman 15". How dare you anything else.

After reading this article and reading some of the comments, I felt it is right for me to make some comments. I want to let everyone know that what I am about to write is my personal story with Adderall. My freshman year of college, I illegally tried adderall to stay up to write a paper. After trying it a few more times, I thought it would be best to see a doctor. Once I saw the doctor, I was prescribed adderall. I started taking adderall pretty much every single day to study for tests, do homework etc... It got to the point where I would take 50-60mg of adderall every day, then about 5AM I would drink a bottle of Nyquil to try to fall asleep and be back up at 8AM. I did this routine 2-3 times per week until my second semester Senior Year. I can't tell you how many days I felt like a zombie after having stayed up all night and abusing this drug the way I did. Since graduation, I completely stopped taking adderall. I have random chest pains, my blood pressure has risen and I have all kinds of problems with getting an erection. I have done alot of stupid things in my life, but I can tell you that without a doubt taking adderall was the single biggest mistake of my life. There are still days now where feel like my brain is mush and I can't complete a thought. There is no doubt in my mind that adderall has caused all these problem. Just my story. Take it for what its worth. Charlie

I know plenty of people who are prescribed adderoll, not because they need it but because they fail at time management or just plain like the drug. These drugs are not prescribed out of necessity, prescriptions are easy to get and there for the taking (pun intended). Spastic behavior in children can be dealt with other ways besides narcotics.

Thank you for writing that story on adderall in BU Today. It is especially relevant since this week is Finals Week. Unfortunately though, I don't think it captures how severe this problem is. I believe more then 30% of the students out there are using adderall, most illegally and unprescribed. Walk around the SMG library and you will see adderall drug dealers making their rounds. The users are all types of students: Average, non-campus active students to people in the student government. They are in West Campus, Mugar, the GSU: everywhere. But just as important of an issue, aside from the health affects, is the affect that adderall and similar drugs have on student performance. I believe unprescribed use is cheating. Students hyper-focus and study in such a way that themselves, and everyone else, cant study without the drug. It is today's cheating epidemic. People are less frequently looking for answers in an exam from other sources, and are instead filling themselves with adderall. It is why they take it in the first place, to do better on exams. Put two students in a week of the same exams. One with adderall and one with out, and the one with adderall can condense much more information in their brain then the one without it- this is an unfair competitive advantage: cheating. If someone is prescribed the drug from a physician who truly feels they need it, then please take it! But if not, then they better not for the sake of an equitable playing field. What must me done is not just the annual BU today or DFP article, but an on-going campus-wide campaign to end the epidemic. -Geoffrey Weg

Individuals who use ANY substance to cope with a situation may have addictive tendencies, and should be careful. This article mentions how 90% of students admit to being overwhelmed at finals (well obviously), while only 10% are known to illegally use prescription drugs. This reveals that most students cope with the stress of final exams, while the smaller percentage is using. I am sure some students will never develop an addiction, while some may. It is the risk of developing an addiction that should discourage students from partaking. Until it hits home, you may think that you know. In a side note: I have ADHD, and believe that if an individual chooses the medicine route that it should be strictly under a doctor's supervision.

As a user of Adderall as a study drug, I have to agree with some of the responses here of the article being overly dramatic. If a responsible student takes 10mg of adderall to work through a large paper then doesn't do it again until two weeks later for another large paper, the effects are truly minimal. It does not make "your heart feel like its going to burst out of your chest in the middle of class, or your stomach so queasy you feel like you're going to vomit any second". Not at all, not in the slightest. If it does, then you have overdosed, and that is irresponsible no matter who you are. You can even overdose on caffeine and get those same effects. I find that almost every article written about drug use is written by people who have never used them, or doctors who's job it is to scare you into not using them. the truth is, most drugs are not as spectacular as they are made out to be. I feel that is the people in charge of giving information on these drugs were more truthful in their approaches we would have less of a drug problem. In this article, it is obvious that the doctors words are in regards to taking an overdose. That can be confirmed by looking up the drugs information of Google and reading the "overdose symptoms". What about his words on the effects of taking a regular dose....a dose, I might add, that is prescribed to many people with ADD. The confirmation that what the doctor says in simply a list of overdose symptoms confirms that the people with the obligation to inform the public use that authority simply to scare them. Take this article with a grain of salt, and if you do choose to do adderall, research it yourself first and be smart about it. It is my advice to you and what this article should have told you in the first place.

As a person who takes Adderall legally, I am not sure I agree with the tone of the article, and couldn't disagree more with the previous comment. I think the actual physical side effects of Adderall and Ritalin are secondary to the culture of addiction the proliferation of these drugs aid and abet. As a previous cocaine addict, and someone who more recently has been greatly helped by the LEGAL use of adderall, I caution anyone who relates to the 'one little blue pill' argument. Furthermore, the whole notion that just being in a competitive environment like BU is going to adversely effect your health is suspect and pure rationalization. Currently in a graduate program at BU, I view school as a reprieve from the competitive nature and daunting hours of the real world. If anyone feels they really need ADD or ADHD medication, see a mental health professional. Otherwise, recognize what borrowing 'study drugs' from your friends really is, addictive and dangerous behavior.

The author of this article is being entirely too colorful and dramatic. The use of stimulants in moderation will have almost NO negative side-effects whatsoever on ones health. The side-effects the the author mentions occur when one ingests substantial amounts of said substance causing them to over-dose, which leads to those side-effects. Im not a proponent of the use of illegal prescription drugs, but if students choose to use them infrequently there is almost no health risk to them.

You make the mistake in assuming that the side effects of a cup of coffee are the same as those associated with "one little blue pill" when they're not. The little blue pill packs a much greater punch (why else do you think people would spend the ridiculous amount of money that they do in trying to buy it when they could just get the "supposedly equally effective" coffee?) and it has more severe side effects as well. If an individual can't handle being at a competitive school without having to resort to taking these drugs, then perhaps they should do something or go somewhere less challenging. Coffee doesn't make your heart feel like its going to burst out of your chest in the middle of class, or your stomach so queasy you feel like you're going to vomit any second but you can't because oh, that's right, you haven't had any appetite at all and can't bring yourself to eat more than a cup of yogurt. You're burning up yet experiencing chills at the same time, and you're so jittery you can barely hold your pen. The problem with prescription drugs is when people who don't need it get their hands on it and use it in ways it isn't meant to be used. These drugs are prescribed out of necessity, for those who need it on a daily basis, not for those who fail at time management and need to cram for a few days.

Stimulants increase your heart rate and keep you awake. That is what they do. Caffeine is a really terrifying stimulant, and yet it's totally unscheduled. Articles like this serve to perpetuate the arbitrary distinction that already exists in our culture. Going to a competitive school is going to adversely affect your health, the question is, which is worse: drinking liters of caffeine cocktails, or taking one little blue pill?