Study Drugs!! "You have to be joking....right??"
STUDY DRUGS
I would like to share with you a conversation I had with a very good friend of mine yesterday who is studying in his last year at University and is hoping to take a Masters next year.
I have known this friend for about 5 years now and he is a very level headed, intelligent, smart, clever and conscientious individual who is always looking for guidance and often asks me for advice.
Over the weekend we were having a chat and he threw in a low ball question and asked me if I had ever taken drugs in the past whilst I was studying.
I thought he was winding me up and asked him to repeat the question.
This is a joke....right?
"Have you ever taken a Study Drug?".
Study Drugs!! "You have to be joking....right??" was my response.
Then the discussion began.
At first I couldn't believe it so I asked him to explain actually what a Study Drug was.
He explained that at his University Campus approximately a third (30%) of university students are actually taking a Performance Enhancing Study Drug in some form or another.
It took me a while to actually understand the benefits and the whole concept behind it.
He explained it to me that it was not unusual for a student to cram as much learning in as they possible can in a short period of time by effectively boosting their learning capacity by taking this kind of drug.
Old School
I come from the old school having earned my stripes to be a member at the age of 50, with a great secondary education in a Grammar School, and are pretty much level headed.
I decided I wanted to do a little bit of investigating.
My findings were shocking and for anyone who has never heard of a Performance Enhancing Study Drug, it is very real.
When I did my digging I found that there was clear evidence that this is happening and for me it raised a simply question and that is where does Study Drug taking and Drug Testing come together.
Performance Enhancement Drugs
As we all know there is a huge issue surrounding Performance Enhancement Drugs for athletes at Olympic Games and other sporting events, including: running, swimming, cycling, football and all other activities.
Now these athletes are tested on a regular basis to find out whether they are taking Performance Enhancing Drugs.
As we all know these Performance Enhancing Drugs are frowned up in the sporting industry so why is Performance Enhancing Study Drugs not the same.
THE EDGED
A simple question therefore must be raised and that is does a Performance Enhancing Study Drug give you the edge over a student that doesn't take them.
If it does give you the edge then surely it would push you to the top of the pile ahead of the one's who don't.
I was shocked, the more I dug into it the more question it raises..!!
EMPLOYMENT AFTER UNIVERSITY
One of the shocking parts of the discussion I had with my friend was that some students have debates as to whether taking these Performance Enhancing Study Drugs would land them better grades and thus a better chance of obtaining a higher paid job after University.
Apparently some students believe that the benefits out way the negatives and are willing to take a chance for no longer lasting side effects post University..!!
NO CLEAR EVIDENCE (YET!)
Studies prove that there is no proven side effects as of yet whether taking these Performance Enhancing Study Drugs have any long lasting side effects as the trials have been inconclusive.
I guess only time will tell therefore if this form of Studying is set to have long lasting consequences down the line and whether or not your brain does get bigger..!!
Thanks for reading
Stephen
From my experience as an undergraduate, there are a number of drugs that can be used to enhance your ability to focus. These are typically extended release amphetamines i.e. Adderall, which they give to people with ADHD, and Nootropics.
Adderall is common because of the ease of getting a prescription in the US for it. All you need to do is tell a doctor you have trouble focusing and they will probably give it to you. Which is sad to me, as they get kids put on this while they are still in middle school and it definitely effects your behavior (you become more pacified and focused from my experience). A lot of students use Adderall because of its ability to help them focus on the topic, and work for extended periods of time (i.e. all night and day) to wrap up that research paper they should have started weeks ago. I've read that learning under the influence of Adderall makes it harder to recall that information when you are off the drug, so I never used it in class. Only for the use case I mentioned above, where I needed to work on sometime for an entire weekend straight to turn it in on time. That being said, I'm probably in the minority when it comes to that... I think it is heavily abused.
Nootropics on the other hand are probably closer to the subject matter of your post, as they are referred to as "smart drugs". There are some nootropics that you can buy legally, but from my experience they did not do anything (I tried them for about a month). Apparently the good stuff is Modafinil, but I have never been interested in getting ahold of it to try. Personally, I do not like the idea of using drugs as a crutch for my cognitive ability. That's why I only used Adderall to stay awake yet focused, instead of all the time for learning.
Unbelievable. Thanks for the comment I appreciate your reply. Stephen
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Sounds like a reprise of the amphetamine era (~early 1960s.) Johnny Cash used to rely on amphetamines as a "performance enhancer" (sorry!) and so did the early Beatles when they were in Hamburg.
Given these, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that students back then also took "diet pills" for the same purpose.
Funny: marijuana is often called a "gateway drug" - but back then, speed was the gateway.
Thanks for the comment I appreciate the reply. What surprised me most about what I learnt talking to my friend was that the drugs were actually prescribed under a prescription. I don't ever recall this in the early 80's when I was studying. Stephen
We never had stuff like that, Our drugs were purely recreational! LOL
Great post!
I thought it was a wind-up when he asked me. We are always winding each other up and when he told me that there was such thing as a "Study Drug" I started laughing. Then when he didn't, I knew he was serious. I have been doing some digging and its pretty shocking really. All I had was a Ford Capri MKII to worry about..!! Stephen
Even Ginko was not commonly used during study time. And I had to worry about working part time during my finals! What I would have given for some!!
Too much pressure is put on kids to perform and get good grades. It's only a matter of time before these kinds of drugs get out of hand and ruin countless peoples lives.
The conversation lasted over an hour and we talked about whether or not these students would carry on taking the drug when they begin to work..!! The thought is simply mind blowing to think the long lasting effects..!! Stephen
Was at our uni also widespread, especially ritalin was very popular. Good post!
Unbelievable. I had absolutely no idea this is so common. When I asked him how many and he reckoned 30% was pretty much a conservative estimate. At one point he was talking 80% take some form of drug whilst at university. I guess I lived a sheltered life..!! Stephen
Yes I think 50% depending on the institute are realistic. Many do it and it is communicated in the community part openly. A result of the performance pressure ...
Wow, I didn't know this was so common! I wonder if it gets used a lot everywhere, or mainly the US. I don't think I've ever heard of it here in the Netherlands...
Apparently they are used widely across all universities in the US, UK and Europe. I was shocked to find out they even prescribe them on prescription..!! Shocking really. Stephen
Oh really, that's just typical of modern day society, isn't it? We all have to do as much as possible in as little time as possible. No time for breaks! We don't want to appear lazy and stupid.
If those drugs are Dopamine enhancing, like Cocaine and Aphetamine, then the brain actually might shrink. If they are more like a bunch of Vitamine rich food additives they might even do you good in the long run. The question is also, if the student actually can retain anything past the exam date, and if he can be more than just a parrot. Can he use whatever he has learned on these drugs to think for himself?