Adderall

[ForeverBlowingBubbles]

Just curious.

Do adults rely on this drug to help them with their performance as well?

I take it about once every 6 months or so when I have to do 15+ hours of straight work (like today, 2 papers and whats basically a finance final to study/finish for tom). It doesn't effect me really in any bad way I can tell and helps me concentrate when I need it most - about 100x more effectively than coffee or any sort of product like that does.

I'm looking for opinions? Do you think Moms or Dads might ever take one from a child for a big day at work? Are there any huge reasons why students or anyone else who does not have a real perscription should not ever under any circumstances take aderol? Is it bad on a "huge day" to rely on a drug to improve the quality of your work?

Is this a moral purgatory or something else?

Please excuse me if I misspelled the thread title.

[bluebutton]

I only know what my students have told me:

1) There is an apparent black market at my university for the pills. They're normally $4/pill and go up to $20/pill around exam time.

2) Some of my students do think that their friends are addicted to adderol; whether this is psychological (I can't only study if I've taken one) or physical (My brain isn't working; I need one) I don't know. None of them admitted to taking any themselves, and those in classes graded on a curve thought it was cheating.

So basically, I'm useless. But I do think your desire to get informed is a good one. Best not to be doing permanent damage unknowingly. Have you tried an internet search on the matter?

**Found the spelling: Adderall

[Jfrosh]

I've never taken it but I studied it for quite a while before putting my son on it. With his ADD he is somewhat of a basket case without it, but on it he is a gifted straight A student. I read a lot of material about how adults have been using it, both college students and just Mom's trying to get through the day.

[Cavlaw]

Just curious.

Do adults rely on this drug to help them with their performance as well?

I take it about once every 6 months or so when I have to do 15+ hours of straight work (like today, 2 papers and whats basically a finance final to study/finish for tom). It doesn't effect me really in any bad way I can tell and helps me concentrate when I need it most - about 100x more effectively than coffee or any sort of product like that does.

I'm looking for opinions? Do you think Moms or Dads might ever take one from a child for a big day at work? Are there any huge reasons why students or anyone else who does not have a real perscription should not ever under any circumstances take aderol? Is it bad on a "huge day" to rely on a drug to improve the quality of your work?

Is this a moral purgatory or something else?

Please excuse me if I misspelled the thread title.

With all respect, taking prescription medication without consulting with a doctor is among the dumbest things you can do. If you do go down that road, you should make absolutely certain that you understand the drug (and particularly what it shouldn't be taken with). The nature of your post, which suggests that you're just now thinking about whether or not it is a good idea to take it, indicates that you don't have complete understanding, even though you've already used the drug.

[Bluedog]

Yeah, not the smartest thing to take without a doctor's prescription. I've heard of other students taking it, although I have never taken it myself. There is a reason that government has classified Adderall under the same category as cocaine, opium and morphine (i.e. high potential for abuse).

http://www2.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=410902

Side effects include insomnia, irritability and loss of appetite. In extreme cases, the drug can cause paranoia, hallucinations and heart attacks. Adderall and other ADHD medications have been reportedly linked to the deaths of 25 people in recent years. U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisers are recommending warnings on the drugs' labels.

A survey of students at 119 colleges nationwide found that, on certain campuses, up to 25% of respondents had misused ADHD medication in the past year.

[pamtar]

ADD is no joke. Its a serious medical condition that affects thousands of people young and old. I've taken adderall for about 10 years. Unfortunately, I have to take it to function as a normal human being - just ask my wife. However, taking it as a pick me up can be dangerous and addictive. I take 10mg a day, well below the normal "study dose." Once its in your system it tends to take progressively less to work properly (at least to me). I am also properly monitored by a doctor.

All side effects subsided over the first few months, and I actually enjoy the hallucinations. I now cant even tell that I take it. I can definitely tell when I don't. Hope that helps...