By Kate Snow, Deirdre Cohen, Sarah Koch, Nina Tyler
Rock Center
For Stephan Perez, attending the prestigious Columbia University was more than just a dream; it was a goal he set his sights on when he was only 13 years old and a goal he willed himself to achieve.
“I enrolled into all A.P. and honors classes. And that was my vision. I had only one goal. I woke up in the morning, it was Columbia. I went to sleep at night and it was Columbia,” said Perez in an interview set to air Thursday at 10pm/9c on NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams.
The Georgia-bred teenager worked tirelessly over the next few years and even stopped playing sports in order to focus all of his attention on his academics. His hard work finally paid off when he learned not only had he been accepted to his dream school, he received a Gates Millennium Scholarship that would pay for his tuition expenses.
But his inspirational rise to the top would end in a disastrous fall. It’s a cautionary tale for driven students and their parents.
Perez entered Columbia and before long began to feel overwhelmed by the pace and workload. But just as he started to adjust, Perez suffered a big emotional blow. His grandmother died. One night after his grandmother’s funeral he was in the library with a friend, studying for midterms and struggling to concentrate.
“I tell him, you know, ‘I can't concentrate. Like, I just can't do it.’ He said, ‘This is what you need’ and pulls out this pill,” Perez said.
It was an Adderall pill. Adderall is the prescription medication commonly prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, but the stimulant has become increasingly popular among ambitious high school and college students looking to focus for extended periods of time and perform better academically. ADHD drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin boost levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, chemicals associated with attention and behavior, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. For someone with ADHD, characterized by impulse control difficulties and inattention, the medications are calming. For people without the disorder, the drugs can be dangerous, especially if not monitored by a doctor.
WATCH ROCK CENTER VIDEO: Student says Adderall like an 'academic steroid'
His decision to take Adderall ended up changing his life. That night Perez says he powered through his work and was capable of reading for eight hours nonstop—absorbing all of the information. Before long, he said he asked his friend how he could get his own Adderall prescription.
“He said, "Go to Health Services. Tell them that you're having trouble studying, focusing. You're going to meet with a psychologist. They'll ask you a couple questions. And you'll get a prescription like that. They give it out like it's candy."
Perez says he met with a psychologist on campus and filled out a short questionnaire with questions like ‘were you fidgety as a child?’ Then, he met with a psychiatrist for what he said was no more than 10 minutes. He walked out with a prescription.
In a statement to NBC News, Columbia University said that its student health service uses “…a detailed clinical protocol for evaluation of ADHD and related conditions…” and takes a “…holistic approach toward treatment for ADHD, including short-term counseling…”
But Perez soon experienced negative side-effects from taking Adderall. The drug caused him to have bad mood swings, so when he didn’t need to study he didn’t always take the pills, leaving him with extra pills that he would give away. After a while, Perez began selling his extra pills to students on campus for anywhere from $10 to $30 per pill.
Perez had no idea at the time that some of those sales had been to an undercover police officer, nor did he know that his life would completely unravel; using Adderall as a study drug would destroy his Ivy League career.
In 2010, Perez, along with four other students, were arrested in a drug bust on Columbia's campus dubbed Operation Ivy League. Perez pleaded guilty to selling Adderall and did 300 hours of community service. He was permitted to take his final exams to complete the first semester of his junior year.
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This is nothing new. I had a roommate about 16 years ago who was from a upper class family and him and all his friends bought Ritalin for fun and for school. It's basically speed and if you have ADHD it's suppose to have the opposite effect. Same with caffeine. If you don't have ADHD though....
There are many doctors and psychiatrists out there who are misusing this drug and prescribing it to kids who do not need it as a study aid. These medical professionals need to have their licenses revoked. These drugs have serious side effects and have even been found to create long term emotional and psychiatric problems for children who are prescribed the drug at a young age. I am stunned that NBC would publish an article designed to make us feel sorry for a kid who fraudulently obtained a prescription and then got caught trafficking in the drug. There is a reason that it is illegal to give or sell prescription drugs unless you are a pharmacist or health professional filling a valid prescription. These medications can do just as much damage as illegal street drugs when they are misused. This kid deserves the punishment he received an there is no reason anyone should feel sorry for him.
He should have been kicked out of school to allow a more worthy student to take his place.
It's true if you have ADHD it calms you down. Same with caffeine. This has to fall on the doctors. I did terribly in school. At 37 years old someone suggested I should "get tested" for ADHD. I scheduled an appointment with a psychiatrist. It took him a year to decide if I was ADHD or BiPolar or both. Turns out It's ADHD and OCD. The point is I feel the same way about Adderall. It does calm me down and help me think, but it also makes it VERY easy to concentrate for long periods of time and absorb information. I always thought it was due to the difference between non medicated ADHD and properly treated ADHD. Maybe the concentration part is an added bonus.
One difference I gather from this article is I don't find the experience of using Adderall pleasant at all. I'd rather not take it. Without it I'm all over the place, which is fine with me. Just nobody else can stand me.
I like to joke you know you REALLY have ADHD when you feel high because you DIDN'T take drugs.
Oh and it's actually amphetimines. Every time I take a drug test for work I have to give them my prescription number to confirm I'm not a meth head.
he had good intensions for the most part. He didn't know about any bad side effects. its not like he was doing hard drugs for entertainment. The kid was busting his chops trying to get ahead in life. Theres a big difference between someone like him and a street addict. The worst part that he did was sell them to other students for profit. but again, when youre in school money can be tight. The sentence wasen't to harsh, and now he's trying to educate others on mistakes he's done. I think he deserves another chance at that institution.
My son has ADD. He went through some of the same issues such as the death of two family members in one year in high school. He is extremely bright but could not focus. He would get straight A's without cracking a book then he would struggle. He has close to a photographic memory but you still need to crack the book open. At a private college an on a D1 swim team and a science major he eventually just quit going his junior year. He was a gamer with one of the highest scores in the world but just lost touch with reality. ADD for him is a constant struggle. He eventually went back to college and recieved a degree in molecular cell biology. He would score the highest grades in the course with master students & future doctors in the classes. The drugs he has taken must be monitored very closely. They can do wonderful things for some kids. On the other hand they can be very destructive if not taken as prescribed.
"ADHD drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin boost levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, chemicals associated with attention and behavior, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse."
Hmm, I wonder what other drugs boost dopamine levels in the brain... I can take a man made pill or something that grows naturally out of the ground... One is legal one is not... Someone is making $...
Chemicals in general have an effect on how young minds grow and develop. Once the brain is done growing so to speak then drugs do not make nearly as much of a difference. Until then the pathways are still forming so drugs being given to children should be a no-no for the most part.
I am sure this may surprise you, but there is a "bad" side to being able to concentrate for hours on end and being able to absorb information. It makes it hard to do other tasks, and time has a tendency to fly by. Before you know it 15 minutes has passed because you were lost in thought and are now late to work. Great for doing single tasks, bad for multitasking unless you train yourself to do those boring (for me anyway) repeated tasks.
What grand Doctors are coming into practice today---they get kids addicted to Drugs and they diagnose by means of lists on the internet--becuase it is easier on them, yet they fail their client/patient by doing so.
And hey Doc did you know that most of the drugs you are prescribing for kids and young adults in school are being sold to friends! Last I heard 1 pill of Ritilan can bring your patient $10 in excess funds. Imagine a whole perscription would give them $300 bucks. Great Doctors we are producing huh---they rely on the Internet rather than knowledge and experience to diagnose!
I remember this, except it's been around a lot longer, remember doing Pink Lady's and the Monster. I'm 56 yrs old now, would still luv to do this stuff, but my heart and blood pressure couldn't take it. Still miss it though, Thank God I don't have a source, cause I would be first in line. Ain't that F--ked Up. Just miss it a lot and if ever got any, screw my heart and blood pressure. Just sayin, be careful when you play with this stuff, I wasn't. Just wish I had more.
First off, taking Adderall has nothing to do with being rich or poor, the drug is colorblind. Also, there is nothing that grows out of the ground that affects you like Adderall or Ritalin. Adderall has nearly the same chemical make up as crank (speed) only it's clean and made in a lab. Regardless, these drugs have exactly the same effect as speed, they are highly addictive and they make you feel good only they will kill you in an instant. Danny above is right on the money, once you do it you're hooked. I'm 55 and I too like the stuff but have the brains to stay away. I had never tried any Adderall up until a few years ago, but I had done plenty of the street stuff. I was driving cross country and a Doctor wrote me a script for Adderall to keep me awake. It was identical to street speed except better. That was the one and only time I ever tried it, I knew I liked it too much.
Danny--Ecstasy and oxycontin? Dude, you have a serious problem. It's better you don't have a supplier. That combination will kill you in a hurry.
Albert--never tried Adderall, and after this I don't think I will.
My daughter has ADD-ADHD. It is associated with her birth defect, TSC II. She was diagnosed as mildly retarded and developmentally delayed as an infant. She has over 20 seizures a day without her anticonvulsives (2 in combination), and takes 7 prescriptions. she sees her therapist monthly, her neurologist for her brain tumors every 6 months, her nephrologist every year for her kidney tumors, her gynecologist for her fibroid cycts on her ovaries every 6 months, and has had surgery on her cervix twice - all due to her birth defect. She has been on meds for her ADD ever since early childhood, but only when she is having difficulty concentrating - not on a regular basis. Her doctor has said this is the best course for her. She is 30, and finally graduated from A&M in August, after being told she would never be able to complete high school, which she did with a high B average and was told she was too retarded to go to college - which she completed with a 3.26 overall for the years she was in school. I attribute her success to a lot of things, but part of it was that we didn't overburden her and secondly, she has excellent medical supervision with her medications. I don't recommend amphetamines for anyone who is not properly supervised and know ADD-ADHD is diagnosed way too often. But for those truly in need of it, it is a Godsend.
It's more than basically 'speed'. Adderall,
a.k.a. Mixed Amphetamine Salts, is equal parts d-amphetamine sulfate,
d-amphetamine saccharate, dl-amphetamine sulfate, and dl-amphetamine aspartate
monohydrate. And, incidentally, the noun amphetamine is a contraction of
Alpha-Methyl-beta-PHenyl-ETyl-AMINE. The Adderall formulation was largely a way
to bring a stimulant that has been around going on a hundred years back under
patent in order to increase profits. With the added advantage of being sickly
sweet instead of amphetamine's natural bitter taste which, along with the bright
orange and cobalt blue tablet color, makes it (draws circle in the air with
finger), you know... for kids. I recently contacted Shire, talked to one of
their medical staff, and ask what the advantage of having included a substance
known to cause cancer in laboratory animals (the saccharin salt) and they
quickly and cheerfully replied they could not discuss that due to the
possibility of litigation. The cost of generic dextroamphetamine (Dexies) are
less than a quarter of the price of even generic instant release Adderall and
has a Lethal Dose for 50% of the test subjects,(LD50), in rats of 120 mg per
kilogram of body weight. This would approximate to a fatal dose for half of a
statistical group of humans weighing 150 pounds being 9 grams (9,000 mg) in a
single dose. A GSK pharmacist typified it to me as "the safest, most effective
pharmaceutical agent in current use" (with the disclaimer "when used as
directed" implicate). In recent tests with a group of 5,000 subjects the group
receiving amphetamine therapy had a lower incident of cardiac events than a
comparable general population. The common negative side effects, otherwise
describable as "limits of therapeutic effectiveness", are anorexia and insomnia.
Please note that three days without sleep has caused death by immune system
failure in animals involved in sleep deprivation experiments. It has been given
a CII classification as in some abuse-prone individuals it may induce what is
called an "escalating dosage, binge pattern of abuse" which may often terminate
with sleep deprivation induced psychosis within several dozen hours. Otherwise,
it is known to typically produce a five pound weight loss and five point rise in
blood pressure with therapeutic use. Military use to overcome human limitations
in bomber pilots in WW2 was known to cause gremlins. I understand use of
Adderall is generally required by flight surgeons for astronauts performing
re-entry maneuvers and military jet fighter pilots. Amphetamines
are not banned from football and boxing for nothing even thought in the US
before the early 1970s amphetamines were freely prescribed on request with
little or no supervision. It is an over the counter item in Mexico and many
other countries.
Amphetamines are not addictive as there is no
danger of a medical crisis after withdrawal of the substance such as there is in
the case of alcohol or barbiturates. They are considered to be "dependency
producing". I would place this aspect of the drug as somewhat to considerably
less marked than the average individual's dependency on using an automobile
instead of taking a bus or walking; and suggest the personal, social, and
environmental cost of amphetamine dependency is considerably less than the same
costs in the case automobiles.
As a person treated in a medication only program
for Adult ADHD I've been often surprised by health care professional’s lack of
understanding of the effects of amphetamine preparations, that is before
recalling that there is seldom any legitimate reason they should have personal
experience with it. The effect of the medication is always that of stimulation.
I find the so-called "paradoxical relaxation" to be the direct effect of being
reasonably confident that I'm not most likely about to be blindsided by
the unforeseen consequences of an oversight.
This article might remind us of the primary
concern the DEA has expressed with the medical application of
psychostimulants: that careless over prescription might tempt the patient into
illegally disposing of the surplus medication. Nevertheless; one might wonder if
such preemptive and parental concern for our wellbeing on the part of the State
might run contrary to the freedom to make the sort of mistakes which are reputed
to be the genesis of wisdom.
best drug ever, more consistent (quality wise) than cocaine, easier to get, and cheaper!! Adderall is just legal and regulated cocaine! Just like Sativex is going to be legal marijuana prescribed to patients... take your pick, or mix. There is nothing you can do to stop it.
Sad Fact but a true one!
Helped me go from a D to an A in 2 days flat. Adderall is awesome... in moderation.
That's the key. I've used it before in certain work situations....and the stuff is amazing. The only thing I'd recommend starting with the XR dose is 10 mg....I tried the 30 and while I was effective I felt like I had creepy crawlies all over me for a few hours. And the insomnia can be a bitch.
I've been on 20 MG Adderall XR for 10 years, my life, grades in college while I was just starting back to college, always busy and still am raising four boys and was, now he's retired, military wife, I know that when I started doing better in school, remembering things and my patience with everything as well as my memory improved that my answers had been found.... I wasn't "broken" as I always thought I was... and am grateful that though I had to jump through a year of hoops and appointments with many different docs/counselors etc... the time, research and study put into ME has made a HUGE difference.....for myself and my family
I applaud you, but I noticed some stuff in your commentary, you've been doing this stuff for 10 years and that's cool, it makes you better, that's totally OK, however, I have a question. How often does your doctor do a total examine? I mean like every year, he need to do a total examine, not just a script refill. It's for your well being and I would have a problem if I had your issue, would not want a refill, but an exam checking everything. Just saying, if everything is cool with you, than it's cool with me.
And in other shocking news: Kids drink alcohol and smoke pot.
And have been for over 5 decades to date or more---nothing new here!
And just how is this mental/physical enhancement 'shortcut' morally any different than Lance Armstrong? Should we strip college students of their academic awards because they 'doped' themselves? Such a double standard, when it comes to hero worship in this country.
If there was not a medical monopoly on the dispensing and distribution of such substances, this man would not have a criminal record. The harm was not in the drug use, but the drug laws themselves.
To Mr. Day - Morally, no different than Armstrong, and I checked 'like' because of that. However, IMO any drugs that mess with your brain should be carefully monitored and not prescribed to students who are not ADHD and just want an A in school. I also have a problem with doctors who diagnose ADHD and prescribe the drugs without advising parents of possible side effects to look for and fail to require follow-up discussions with the parent/child to see if the meds are still required. At some point, they could become addicted to taking a pill just because it has become part of their lifestyle.
Adderall is a harmful drug when prescribed to those for whom it isn't medically necessary. Long term use can cause ill effects. Blaming drug laws for this situation is foolish and simplistic. It's a straw man attack. Your argument is invalid.
Rick Day--the young man did not get in trouble for taking the drug, even though he procured it semi-fraudulently; he got in trouble for selling a prescription drug.
This drug is not good--the young man was already suffering the ill effects of taking it, and would have suffered even more if he had taken it for a long period. I hope that he will get some counseling and someone will take a bit of pity on him.
If the young man is a "victim" of anything, it is the stupid idea that going to Columbia is so much more wonderful than going to Random State University. I am sure that Columbia is a very good school, but one gets out of one's education what one puts into it--and as long as the curriculum is sound, one gets just as much out of going to Random State U.
Well, this is the case if the young man was studying a field that is of some use; it might be of some benefit to go to "Selective Ivy League University" if the young man was studying humanities--because humanities is a fairly worthless area anyway, and people are selected more on their pedigree than their abilities. Liberal elitist academics--which is a group that is distinct from liberal academics and does have a counterpart among conservative elitist academics--seem to feel that studying with Major Professor who studied with Major Professor who studied with Major Professor back to infinity in some way makes a person smarter and better than studying the material by oneself and getting really good at it. There's this metaphysical something-or-other that one supposedly picks up from being in the company of the Great Wo/Man--but which really just serves to reinforce the class strata because it isn't possible for someone from a lower middle class family (who doesn't put him/herself through the trauma that this young man did) to get access to the hallowed halls of learning where the Great Wo/Men hang out.
Just reading the books and thinking about them on your own and watching videos of the Greats (and reading their commentary) apparently isn't good enough. One doesn't get that hands-on blessing, I guess.
But, yeah, many drugs are harmful if they are given to people who do not need them--some are deadly. I have a few in my drawer that might well kill you in about an hour--so, if I were to sell them to someone looking for a near-death thrill, I would also expect to go to jail, and would deserve it.
I wonder if anyone has done a study on students who use Adderall to ace a test or dozen. Do the drugs make them smarter than they think they are? Is this one reason why young people with advanced degrees are often thick as a brick? That is, is the "enhancement" quite short term and do they then turn around and lose the ability--rather like Charly in Flowers for Algernon?
It might actually be worth the money to study this.
Rick Day, I haven't read anywhere where someone is recommending stripping College Students of grades, you're way over reacting. The article is trying to warn kids that Adderall is a dangerous drug, just because it's legal doesn't make it safe. But if you sell your prescription you should go to jail. What's wrong with a law to prevent you from selling an addictive drug to someone who was not presribed for it, you must be on some drugs yourself. What happens when this kid sells or gives some to his room mate who takes it, blows a valve and dies? That's not the laws fault, its the seller of the drug. Sorry Rick but some laws are needed and help, not all drug laws are wrong either.
I don't quite get your "medical monopoly" statement either. Do you believe Pharm. Companies should spend millions of dollars on research and testing so they can hand it out to the Citizens for free? Making drugs to fix a medical problem isn't like cooking in the bath tub. There are medical reasons for requiring RX usually to treat medical problems, Adderall wasn't made for A-cing test.
Lesson to be learned: Don't sell drugs.
I have ADHD and I found that this drug...wow look at the bird out my window it's very pretty....what was I saying something about drugs?
soooo don't sell your adderall to cops and you will graduate top of your class and have the career of your dreams. All the top students at my college took this, its nothing new.
I've been pointing out the hypocrisy of stripping colleges of their championships, student athletes of their scholarships, for using banned substances to increase their athletic prowess. Yet, academic students still continue to warp the curve, by use of pharmaceuticals to enhance their grades.
The kids who sell their physicality in an effort to get a college degree, get noticed by the scouts for Pro teams are punished, stripped of their records. I agree its wrong to warp the talent pool in sports. But no one stands up to address this hidden (and often encouraged) cancer.
I guess its OK for "Sherlock Holmes" to stock up with his 7% solution - to help him catch villans. But Bobby Joe has to undergo drug testing on and off the field, at anytime if he is looking forward to career in Professions sports?
Sheldon Cooper " is only one Lab accident away from becoming a comic Book Super Villian"!
I am newly diagnosed with ADHD and I'm a grown adult at 40 years of age. Stories like this make me very upset for a variety of reasons. First off, they make me mad because I wasn't a privileged child who could 'buy' pills from classmates. Whatever success in college was all due to my hard work - despite my ADHD. To this day, I can't read a book and I can't read a paragraph without skipping words.
Secondly, people like these make it hard on people who actually have ADHD to be taken seriously by doctors and psychiatrists. I've known something was 'off' about me since I was a child and through the years therapists have said it was hormonal (ADHD is severely undiagnosed among females) or part of the stresses of life or because I was lazy.
Yet, these students who are supposed to be the best and brightest are no better than baseball players who juice or Lance Armstrong - they are cheaters. No doubt there are hundreds of students who don't have to take Adderall to perform well who are denied the chance to attend Columbia. I hope karma remembers them.
I'm with you. I was diagnosed at 37. I had a terrible school career. I never even considered college because I HATED being in class that much. The way the school treated us back in the 80's should have been a crime. If I'd known about ADHD back then, I'd have lead a VERY different life. These kids who don't really need it use it up so those of us who are trying NOT to get fired for running late or forgetting stuff or mouthing off without realizing you even thought what you said let alone actually said it, can't get it when we have a prescription and the insurance to cover it.
Sad.
It kind of sucks that the schools make it SOOO tough to get in that kids feel like that have to amp up just to get by. I guess I'd never have a chance.
Perhaps you folks should be grateful you are now diagnosed and your needs can be met rather than being angry. Twenty years ago some uninformed and unenlightened doctors were still chalking up this disorder to Brain Damage in spite of the fact that ADHD was first observed in the 19th Century.
Google Fidgety Phillip. Dr Heinrich Hoffman observed him in 1843 and wrote a poem about his inability to remain still in spite of himself. It's not new regardless of those who want to blame it on television and video games.
I, too, was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. The overprescription of ADHD medications makes me very angry. Many of these doctors put down a diagnosis of ADHD and write a prescription and think they're done with treatment. But medications are only a very small part of treatment.
However, the only doctors that receive adequate training on non-drug treatment of ADHD are psychiatrists. I strongly encourage anyone, of any age, with ADHD to visit one.
This kid does not fit the diagnosis, should never have gotten this prescription, and is basicallly an obcessive speed freak. The drug has abuse potential but also has very valuable and legitimate uses.
well it does now Mr Thumbs I have fat fingers as well but
I would never use DOPE because thats what it is DOPE, crystal, METH, methamphetamines are dangerous very dangerous period and its haphazard use with children is ever more so.....
ADHD way, way overprescribed. I have a few college kids that I prescribe to but their record of treatment goes back to grade school, and pretty obvious by the feedback from parents and teachers. I get other kids who come see me, when I ask for grade school report cards or parent-teacher conference feedback I get a blank stare. Maybe they have it, maybe they don't but I won't be known as 'the dealer'.
Can't fix stupid!
You demonstrate that very well
almost as well as you do...BOB .. jeesas what a pack of dolts and imbeciles and idiots
DOPE is DOPE
Who cares. Stop the war on drugs.
Mt son, 7 yrs old, has ADHD. While I and his mother are both against medicating, before he was even diagnosed we kept getting told by physicians how many different variations of drugs there are to help him. Just one appointment and you got it. The prescription medication ring has taken over this country, and is the downfall of out future. You got an ache? here is a pill. You sneezed? Here's a pill. You woke up in the morning? Here's a pill.
My son was on ritilan when he was 7 and at that time Stanford University in Palo Alto,CA was duing a study on the drug. They sent someone to observe him in his class before they would accept him in the program. My wife and the teachers loved the drug because it slowed him down. He was hyper active and had dyslexia. Stanford learned that while the kids behaved better they did not retain as much knowledge. This study was done in 78 or 79 and I believe it was 79 . They might still have some info on the study. I believe the drug made him think that a pill could cure any thing and I also believe that it makes the more addictive to other substances. I would not put my child on these drugs if I was you. I have also heard that it can shrink the brain and inlarge the heart
maybe they loved it because they took it for him its DOPE man methamphetamines are extremely addictive and the side effect well search youtube for the faces of Meth
Hey Bob,
As a former Sped Teacher know that Black coffee---1/2 cup in morn and another at noon works just as well. Much better for the body than another pill reliance!
Thirty five years ago in the med school students talked about cross prescribing ritalin. A new article about something that has been going on for 4 decades. Woop-de-do!
To those that want to learn the truth about ADHD, I strongly suggest Sir Ken Robinson's piece on education paradigm (find the RSA version on YouTube, it's pretty entertaining). Don't let the media and the various industries fool you AGAIN.
Redo of the Stone's Mother's "little helper", but this time it's our kids, not our moms:)
Mommy's little helper was valium not Speed and you are right they are feeding this crap methamphetamine to the children like its candy its Insane to the membrane with out a doubt
I don't understand why someone would take drugs to do well in school. Don't they realize this enslaves them to the drug in order to carry on the same level of performance once they advance in school or graduate and start working? He is a victim of his own poor judgment and vanity. The same goes for the physicians committing malpractice at the school's clinic. I hope all of them get what they deserve: to be knocked down to the bottom of the ladder.
Adderall is just mixed amphetamines. It is not "meth" or "coke." Amphetamines are very safe over the past 100 years, overdoses are rarley fatal and take years of massive abuse to produce long term effects. Honestly over the counter pain killers are much more dangerous than these drugs on the body.
I have had an adderall perscription since high school, going on 15 years now. I would argue that everyone should have access to these drugs. They make repetive tasks tolerable, increase learning and focus and productivity. All this with hardley any risks.They only enslave you if you abuse them, otherwise they are a super coffee's mental stimulation without the jitters (when properly doesed).
Back in college in the 60's we took Dexedrine that we got from general practitioners by telling them we needed to lose weight. Worked every time....get the stuff right before finals and you could raise a D to a B with one test. Only problem; you couldn't remember a thing about the subject after you crashed and got back to 'normal.'
I am sorry but I have ADD and have taken adderal; for 10 years now and it not only helped me retain information that my brain was not able to retain, I have a short term memory deficit, but my grades went up, my patience improved and I overall improved myself as a person and student by admitting I HAD A Problem with finishing things, concentrating etc. I have three boys with ADHD and with a doctor overseeing their medications they are doing great in school. My one son who had a short term memory deficit has stopped taking his adderal and I am very proud of him for being able to train his brain and mature, be an Honor Student with his goals set at West Point. Those who need the medication should have to jump through the hoops that we did, not only did we have to see our PCM, but get referred to a counselor, a pyschiatrist, a psychologist and a neuropsych for tests all prior to being diagnosed, given medications and be seen every six months for re-evaluations. I know what I felt like off my medicine, I know how much better I am when I am on it the same goes for my other boys.... If the day comes they are able to function without their medications then Awesome for them and I will be the first one to take their meds back to the Pharmacy on Base for disposal. Don't judge those who have done what I have done prior to medications, years of eliminating foods, food dye etc, allergy tests to see if a food allergy could cause such things, therapy etc, and ended up with doing what they thought was best for their kids. Only things I would change as a parent is for my three other boys to NOT have ADHD, and be the loving geniuses and awesome Young Men that I know they are and always will be.
You have the disorder. You had children. They have the disorder. Wanna make odds on the grandkids having it? Your choice to have children or not. My older kids need glasses and my younger ones probably will as well. I don't feel guilt over that. I might if I passed on an inability to think or participate normally in society without being on speed. Perhaps you will share with them that you have it and all of them have it before they make a decision on whether to have children. I'm glad you found a way to cope with the condition and hopefully there will be no ill effects on your sons from the medication that helps them cope. Hopefully they will be able to make an informed decision on whether they pass it on or not.
LOL conservative. Studies show ADD people have way higher IQ's than those without. When I was in the 3rd grade I scored 3rd in the nation and 1st in my state on a nationwide criterion exam. We also have the ability to see and understand the view of other people better because of hyper-focus tenancies. It's only a disorder to poeple like you who can't see past the end of your nose (not because of your vision). Thank God we don't pass down egotism and bigotry, and thank God I don't need glasses.
This is not only an epidemic in colleges but also on the high school level because the pressure put on the kids these days, not only from their parents but also from schools and society in general. Kids are expected to be perfect but unfortunately they are human and also are not allowed to make mistakes and move on and learn from those mistakes, as we were when we were all children many years ago. Because the United States has become a liturgical nightmare, no one uses common sense because you either have someone video taping you and your stupdity or in the case of the police, people are always playing gotcha which takes the common sense argument away from a situation and always goes to arrest and judicial system for all kids mistakes. I am in no way saying this particular child, while dealing the drug was absolutely wrong but the pressures from parents, schools, etc. are forging this type of behavior to occur because unfortunately, all kids are not perfect and society is putting that type of pressure on all the kids.
I suffered a stroke of the cerebellum several years ago that left me with such severe cognitive deficits that I could barely function let alone practice medicine. I was prescribed Ritalin which has completely restored my intellect and given me my life back. I do not approve of its misuse but for those of us with devastating neurological conditions such as post-stroke syndrom or ADHD, Ritalin can profoundly change one's life for the better.
Adderall is dextromethanphetamine sulphate. Take that Latin apart: Dextro=speed. So you have a speed-meth-salt mix. Essentially, doctors have been turning children into meth addicts for years and years now, for SCIENCE! It's no good, people. It's too easy now a days to put your children on drugs than to parent and discipline them accordingly. Gotta love the ideology that a kid that is just hyper is given uppers to make him focus.
My best friend growing up was misdiagnosed ADHD when he was 13. He's now 28. He is a drug addict to whatever he can find, can't hold down a straight job for more than a month, and is in a terrible marriage of codependence, drugs, and violent rages. He's tried to kill himself at least a dozen times that I am aware of. He thinks society owes him for f^%king him up the way they did, starting with the Adderall.
Actually you're wrong, there's no methyl group on amphetamine salts and structurally it's different from street meth made from the ephedrine molecule. If used correctly it can help a child or adult with focus and attention when these are true symptoms of pathology. The only problem really lies on where clinicians are drawing the line in the sand concerning "hyperactivity" and whether it is a result of poor discipline versus a true pathological state. I have witnessed true ADHD and it does exist and is a real thing. I don't know your friend but with all due respect, your friend's issue appear to go far beyond some adderall therapy when he was a teen. And most teens hate the way the meds make them feel and usually don't take them as prescribed or only sporadically at best.
Bring back Ludes---they solved everything for a short while. With all the drugs these days doing more harm than good---why not bring um back---at least people will be happier!
Its Methamphetamine Its DOPE..... CRYSTAL..... its one of the most odious drugs ever created and very addictive AND THEY ARE FEEDING IT TO CHILDREN LIKE ITS CANDY
just because they are eating it and Not smoking it its still the same damn thing Enough is enough if they are feeding this crap to your Kids why not legalize all drugs at the very least decriminalize them and allow for treatment of addict this is INSANE................................... Enough said this country is doomed
for chrisakes its just amphetamines - College kids have been using them for the past 50 years to study. In the 1950s, it was legal and over the counter. ADHD (otoh) is simply turning into a scam to get the drug. It's interesting that the disease didn't exist 25 years ago...
Kate Snow nice work by you and RockCenter to bring awareness to a dangerous drug. You never mentioned the "Black Box Warning" that goes with all ADHD meds. Please do an investigation story on the cover up by the medical industry on these mind altering, brain injury and deadly side effects caused by taking these drugs.