Adderall abuse increasing

As fall semester kicks into high gear, students across the country begin to brace themselves for heavy workloads. For some, this means regular trips to Starbucks for a caffeine fix, but for others, it could mean a little pill to help get through late-night cram sessions.\nThe popularity of prescription drugs, especially Adderall, is spreading across campuses nationwide, and the high demand for it among many college students is growing rapidly. \nAdderall was approved by the FDA in 1996 and is used to treat the conditions Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.\n"I didn't even know what Adderall was until I came here, and then I realized that a lot of people take it at college, even if they are not prescribed," sophomore Nichole Birky said. \nAccording to The Johns Hopkins News-Letter, a November 2002 University of Wisconsin study found that as many as one in five college students have illegally used prescription drugs such as Ritalin or Adderall. \nUnder Indiana state law it is a Class D felony for a person to possess or use any prescription drug that is not prescribed in that person's name, punishable by up to three years in jail and a $10,000 fine.\nDespite that risk, many students on IU's campus without a prescription are finding Adderall to be an easily obtainable and extremely helpful study aid. \n"When I use Adderall to study, it makes me really focused, and I will be studying at the library for like four hours and not even realize it until I'm done with all of my work," sophomore Victoria Campbell said. \nMany students come to the Health Center with concerns about focusing in class to get a clinical assessment for ADD, Health Center Director of Counseling Nancy Stockton said. "I have an impression that psychostimulant abuse is a problem on the IU-Bloomington campus," Stockton said.\nNon-prescribed students who use Adderall often find no problem with taking someone else's medication because the drug is known to help maintain concentration and focus throughout stressful times, such as the night before an exam. \n"Psychostimulant drugs such as Adderall are more likely to be abused by young adults because of the many pressures of college and the easy accessibility of them" Stockton said. \nAdderall is classified as a psychostimulant, which has common side effects that may include insomnia, weight loss, feelings of anxiety, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. Stockton said that if psychostimulant drugs are used improperly, there is the potential for abuse and addiction. \nIn recent years, there have been debates over whether diagnoses of ADD and ADHD are seen as quick fixes, resulting in the possible over-prescription of Adderall and similar medications. \n"Some people are overly quick to diagnose the condition, but it is an issue which is in need of more research," Stockton said. \nThere are many outlets for non-prescribed students to obtain the drug, including friends, parents of friends and classmates who sell it.\n"It's so easy to get a hold of because everyone knows someone who's prescribed to it," junior Daniel Nathanson said.\nRegardless of the physical and mental consequences, many students make the sacrifice to make the grade. \n"It helps me concentrate, but it also makes me really mean and agitated," Campbell said.\n-- Contact staff writer Jessica Lobel at jlobel@indiana.edu.