When it comes to being productive, focus is key.  For some people, slowing their mind and focusing on just one thing at a time is difficult.  Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) plague children and adults alike.  These conditions make it more challenging to focus on the task at hand and follow it through to completion.  But with the help of prescription medications like Adderall, the symptoms are reduced and focus improves.  People feel more in control and are able to work more productively.

A Growing Trend

Adderall has become a commonly prescribed medication to help people with ADD and ADHD.  When used correctly, they are very beneficial in helping people to improve their focus and concentration.  Students find it is easier to pay attention in school and get their work done.  Adults find that they are better able to focus on the responsibilities of their job.  Doctors carefully prescribe the medication for each individual based on their height, weight, and level of need.  They often start with the lowest dosage and slowly adjust it from there, continually monitoring the person’s condition.  When used under a doctor’s supervision and for the prescribed conditions, it is a safe and beneficial medication.  However, many people have begun abusing it for its short-term benefits.

There are an increasing number of college students who are turning to Adderall to help them study.  They are obtaining it from friends and classmates and taking it without a prescription.  When faced with studying for a big test or finishing a project, they are using the drug to improve their focus and stay up longer to complete their work.  However, under the Controlled Substance Act, Adderall is a Schedule II controlled substance.  This means that it runs a high risk of abuse and dependence.

Getting Hooked

Once students feel the effects of the Adderall and see their focus improving, they begin taking it more often.  They become addicted to its effects.  But it is not just students who abuse this medication.  Adults do too.  Those who feel pressure at work to be more productive and who are faced with looming deadlines find themselves using Adderall to get more accomplished.  The problems come when they begin abusing the drug and get addicted.

Prescriptions are tailored to each person. If someone is taking a prescription that was intended for another person, they results will not be the same.  If they weigh more or less, they will have different amounts of medication running through their system.  Also, the more they take it, the higher the tolerance they build and the more they need to feel the same high.  This can become very unsafe.  For people with ADD/ADHD, the medication often has a calming effect because of how it works in the brain.  But for people without ADD/ADHD it can have very different effects.  Short-term side effects of Adderall can include:

• Restlessness
• Nausea
• Nervousness
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• Loss of appetite

When taken without a prescription and supervision, it can have more severe side effects including:

• Shortness of breath
• Excessive fatigue
• Dizziness
• Weakness in the arms or legs
• Paranoia
• Blurred Vision