|
When it comes to making the grade, college
students are replacing coffee with prescribed drugs. These supplements
are referred to commonly as bennies, Vitamin R or jollies. With
so much homework and an active social life to balance, college
students are relying on these alertness aids to write their
term papers, cram for examinations or just squeeze more awake
time into a full day.
Gone
are the days where a cup of coffee is relied upon as the elixir
to pulling an all-nighter. Students complain that they do not
have enough time to meet the demands of their homework assignments.
Recently, it has come to the attention of college officials
that an emerging number of students are resorting to prescription
stimulants to provide an academic edge.
The
reason medical experts are concerned about the use of prescription
stimulants is because they are not being taken under the supervision
of a physician. Not to mention, these stimulants may trigger
detrimental adverse effects. A manic reaction or even a seizure
may transpire as a result of using these medications. The heart
rate may accelerate and the blood pressure can elevate from
the use of unauthorized prescription stimulants.
The
prevalent use of these drugs has been found to occur at highly-competitive
colleges; specifically at northeastern universities in the United
States. The usage rate of unauthorized prescriptions has jumped
by three percent. On the contrary, medical experts theorize
that a student who feels the dire need to use stimulant drug
to enhance academic performance may be an indication of that
some of these students suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder.
Until
college students seek counseling or academic support, the abuse
of these drugs will become persistent means of students coping
with the pressures of college life.
|
