Lynsey Burner | Writer
March 20, 2018
We live in a hyper-competitive society where everybody is trying to do and be the best people they can be. By using stimulant drugs like Adderall, a person gets a step up, and the drug allows them to zone in and concentrate, allowing for fewer distractions and a better work performance. However, slowly the diagnosis for this drug is becoming more and more common for the average person, affecting even children as small as six years old.
The new documentary Take Your Pills showcases the effects and abuse of Adderall. Adderall is a performing enhancement drug that is usually prescribed to people who suffer from ADD and/or ADHD. ADHD is a real disorder that people are born with that affects a person’s ability to focus and remain calm on a day-to-day basis. This documentary shows that the average person can easily be prescribed or get access to Adderall from their peers and doctors.
The people interviewed admit that most college students who take Adderall usually sell some on the side for extra cash. Since this drug is so widely known, nobody really sees it as a drug and takes it seriously as other drugs. Individuals are able to justify abuse of the drug on the basis that they want to perform better. Since we live in such a competitive society and so many people take Adderall, there was never really an even playing field. If you see somebody taking Adderall at your school or work place who is doing better than you, you will want to take the same pills to perform the same as them.
Adderall, Ritalin, and other prescription stimulant medications boost your memory, concentration, alertness, attention, and motivation. People without a prescription have a high chance of becoming addicted. Like other drugs, you build a tolerance to the drug and are unable to function normally without it. It increases your dopamine levels in the brain, which is the “feel good” chemical. Since Adderall is an “upper” in the drug community, people usually use a “downer” like alcohol to counteract the effects, doubling their dependency on the drugs. When drinking on Adderall or Ritalin your body allows you to drink more until the Adderall wears off, resulting in a “black out” and making it very dangerous, especially for college students.
Overall, there needs to be a stricter diagnosis platform for doctors to go by when prescribing medications. Too many people and children are on performance-enhancing drugs that can lead to addiction and long-term damage to the brain.
San Clemente High School senior Alex Perez commented adding, “It is sad seeing teenagers my age use these drugs because they still are drugs, and nobody but me is worried for them.” It is too commonly known and used throughout society. Nobody sees them as a bad thing because the drug is known to improve your schoolwork, work performance, motivation on a day-to-day basis to get what you need done. This documentary could be a first step in the right direction toward changing our approach to over prescribing Adderall.
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