3 Dangers of Using Prescription ‘Study Drugs’ For Better Academic Performance

Keeping up with the workload at a top-tier school can be hard. You have classes to prepare for, tests to take, labs to participate in, not to mention the social aspects of going to university. With all this pressure to have it all and have it all done well, many students have resorted to taking ‘study drugs’ to help them have more concentrated focus while studying for rigorous exams or classes. And while this may seem like a quick and easy fix to time management or motivation problems, taking these prescription medications that are normally meant only for those with ADD or ADHD can actually be very dangerous. To show you how, here are three dangers that come with abusing prescription ‘study drugs’ for better academic performance.

Not as Safe as You Think

Because ‘study drugs’ are medications that can be prescribed to you by a doctor, many students don’t think that taking these medication is physically dangerous. However, HerCampus shares with the Huffington Post that taking these types of prescription medications when you don’t actually have ADD or ADHD can have a very similar effect as if you were to be taking street drugs. The nature of these medications causes them to be highly addictive if not taken correctly, which can lead to a lot more problems than simply not being able to perform as well as you’d like academically.

‘Study Drugs’ and Alcohol

The culture of many college campuses revolves around the party scene. While this type of lifestyle can be dangerous in and of itself, adding abuse of prescription medications makes this an even more treacherous situation. Brandy Zadrozny, a contributor to TheDailyBeast.com, writes that mixing ‘study drugs’ with alcohol can have very scary effects. Some things you could experience by abusing prescription ‘study drugs’ while consuming alcohol are paranoia, fever, convulsions, headaches, depression, muscle spasms and even issues with your cardiovascular system. While taking medication that isn’t prescribed to you is dangerous, simultaneously drinking alcohol is even more dangerous.

It’s Illegal

Unless you’re taking this medication for an actual problem that’s been diagnosed by a physician, using ‘study drugs’ is illegal. In fact, Arianna Yanes, a contributor to CNN, reports that these types of drugs are considered Schedule II substances, meaning they’re in the same class as substances like cocaine, morphine and meth in the eyes of the DEA. Getting caught with these medications could put you in serious hot water not only with the justice system but with your university or college also, making your reasoning for taking ‘study drugs’ in the first place completely pointless if you’re kicked out of school.

Although the use of these drugs can help you to concentrate and focus better, it comes at a major cost to your physical and mental health. Make sure you thoughtfully consider the above mentioned dangers before ever taking medication that isn’t prescribed to you directly.