Adderall Abuse on College Campuses

The use of Adderall and other prescription stimulants on college campuses has increased dramatically over the last decade.  Stimulant abuse among students was examined and determined that the main contributing factors of this abuse included, pressure to succeed, socio-cultural expectations, the collegiate lifestyle and increased access to prescription stimulants.  20% of the students report abusing Adderoll and Ritalin on a college campus, but this lacks the information regarding the large number of students that have not reported it. 

The drugs are typically reported as being used for the use of staying up late for purposes of, studying, social gatherings, and to aid in the exhaustion from participating in multiple clubs and organizations. The college campus environment provides increase accessibility to these drugs, due to the number of students that are being prescribed these drugs for the treatment of various diagnosed mental disorders.

The parental pressure on students to do well is also a leading factor in the number of students reportedly abusing these drugs. Parents are now more likely to have graduated from college themselves, so they, therefore, understand the high significance of maintaining good grades, as well as other aspects of college that will help stimulate a student’s career path post-graduation.  Students that become obsessed with their grades are not likely to lower their standards and therefore will seek alternative means of maintaining their academic status.

It was suggested that students are also more willing to take prescription drugs because they retain a more positive connotation, as in they are prescribed by a doctor and therefore cannot be as harmful as other drugs that would have a similar effect. 

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Source: Matthew D. Varga (2012): Adderall Abuse on College Campuses: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 9:3, 293-313