Stimulants: The Academic Choice

It was first assumed that kids were in danger of going to their parents liquor cabinet. Now it seems that the medicine cabinet is the new hot spot.

What was first known as a drug for young children with ADD or ADHD, has now turned to a students solution for getting A’s.

“This is a population that is really good at keeping it under-wraps,” says Johanna Hammer, Clinical Therapist and Social Worker.

“For these students, this is the jackpot drug,” she said. Hammer explains that the reason these students love medications like Adderall is because it’s a stimulant.

“It’s not like an anti-depressant which has a much lower rate of success,” she said. “With amphetamines you are able to feel the effects immediately.”

Stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta affect the central nervous system. When a person has ADD or ADHD they are not able to keep focus, and can very distracted in mid-conversation.

These drugs are able to send neurotransmitters to the brain and create an "alert" or "wired" feeling and then can cause the person to feel very focused on a task.

Sarah Hall, 24, is a pharmacy student at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS). She has been struggling with a severe case of ADHD since she was a junior in high school.

"I remember looking at the teacher in the beginning of the class, and then all of a sudden class was over," she said. "I had no idea what went on... I would just look outside, or just look at the text in my textbook."

Sarah had no idea that it was ADHD, and it wasn't until she went from getting A's to getting C's, that her parents took notice.

"They were very surprised," she said. "But once it was figured out that I had it-and I was medicated... I started to perform well... academically again."

But now her biggest challenge are her friends.

“It seems that as soon as they find out that you have Adderall, you get harassed for it,” she said. “I can’t even tell anyone that I have ADHD because then you get friends of friends offering you money for them [medication]."

It is now very common for any student to get there hands on Adderall. And according to Boston University senior, Nina Sugawara, she has seen students offer as much as $50 for each pill.

“People can get addicted to this,” Hall said. “I’ve had my medication stolen from me in the library. They didn’t take my wallet, or my phone...just the drugs.”

When the Administration of MCPHS was asked how the issue of students stealing/abusing drugs was being addressed, they only issued this statement from Michael Ratty, Director of Communications:

Per federal guidelines, the impact of abuse of a diverse array of drugs (including stimulants) is addressed in the drug policy section of the student handbook. Also, Counseling Services and the Dean of Students office keep regular supplies of brochures about prescription drugs and abuse of prescription drugs in our waiting rooms. In addition, Resident Assistants are trained to discuss the issue with students. Last year, the College also produced a poster campaign about various types of drug abuse.

“If you feel that you need to take something in order to to do anything...That can be a sign of addiction,” Hammer said.

Doctor Chavin at Tufts Medical in Boston says that there are a lot more students who try to convince him that they have ADD.

The symptoms unfortunately are not too hard to fake. The symptoms include being unfocused, distracted, and fatigued.

“I’m not just going to give a prescription to someone who says they can’t focus,” he said. “I always suggest to try turning off the TV first.”

Hammer says that this particular drug is hard to fight.

“These students are not taking this to get high,” Hammer says. “They are taking these drugs to excel.”

This could be the reason why it is so hard to address. Because how can you fight something that is actually bringing good.

“I use to get girls who were cutting themselves,” Hammer said. “I now get scholars and students. These people don’t have pot dealers. They are getting legal prescriptions for it.”

Prescription for Addiction

In Brookline, he is known as “The Doc” amongst his friends. It could be because he is knowledgeable about prescription drugs. Or the fact that he has been on over 40 prescriptions in the last four years. And he is only 20 years old.

Out of fear of getting arrested again by Brookline police, he prefers to be called A.J. for the sake of the article. But he is trying to right his wrongs by seeking employment and weening off the drugs.

A.J.’s journey started when he was a sophomore in high school and he started feeling strange pains around his body.

The doctors first prescribed Motrin, then increased to Percocet, which then increased to Oxycontin and then Vyvanse- both very strong narcotics for pain. Narcotics are usually prescribed for someone who just got out of surgery.

“The pain was so strong, I felt that I needed something to help... And these helped...,” he said. “I just didn’t know how far it was going to take me.

A.J. turned into an addict. He took advantage of his medical care just to get more prescriptions. But then he started to involve his friends.

"It’s amazing how much money a person can make by selling pharmaceutics,” he said.

A.J. was given several prescriptions which included Viagra, Vyvanse, Cialis, and Opana. All of which he took, but would later sell to his friends for a profit. This behavior would lead him to almost drown in troubled waters.

Just last fall, A.J. was arrested while driving through New Hampshire for drug possession. They were all pharmaceutical drugs. But not all were from him. A.J. refused to answer how he got the others.

He explained how strange it was that young people were turning to prescription drugs. And he talked about how he wanted to create a program to warn parents of the risks.

However, the Brookline High School staff, felt that A.J. needed to get his act together first, before talking to students.

Hope Schroy is the substance Abuse counselor at the school. She has tried helping him in the past and says that there is no need for such a program.

"It's a good idea, I just can't allow (AJ) to come into the school and speak with students or even their parents."

According to a survey taken by the Monitoring the Future study last year, more young people were taking prescription drugs. Whether these medications are necessary has to be considered on a case by case basis.

Unfortunately, A.J. is struggling with his addiction. And when asked why he kept doing this, he just shrugged. His eyes remained glued to the floor and he couldn't say one word to answer the question.

So when asked which drug was his favorite, he re-focused, there was eye contact, and he felt comfortable again.

“Lyrica has the best high! I feel amazing after taking my dose. The only problem is that now I can’t survive the day without it,” he said.

Lyrica was originally prescribed to him for his fibromyalgia. His doctors are now trying to get him off of it because they feel that diagnosis may no longer be accurate.

But A.J. doesn’t believe that taking his medication orally is the best way. So when asked what is the best way, he just reached into his pocket and pulled out his snorting spoon.

“This is the best way...,” he says while holding it up.

When holding it up he seemed almost proud but also shameful at the same time.

“But I am trying to decrease my doses... It’s just going to take some time...,” he said.

But for now, he feels that inhaling allows the effects to be felt even faster.

A.J.’s mom is very supportive of her son. And she is very happy that he wants to spread awareness. But the problem is that he is still suffering from his addiction.

When she tried to respond to his arrests and his addiction to pharmaceutics, she started to cry.

“You didn’t know him.... You don’t know how he was before...,” she said. “My son was class president... he was in AP classes... He was planning on going to college...,” she says as tears roll down her face.

She then looks down at her feet. “But he is my son, and the doctors say that he is getting better... I sure hope so.”

Note: As of last week A.J. is now only taking two medications. His physicians are becoming more serious with him and A.J. hopes that won't have to depend on drugs like Lyrica.

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