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Volume CXXXIII, Number 12 |
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Various "study drugs" keeping some students up all night
BETH KOWITT
ORIENT STAFF
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| While some students have turned to prescription drugs, Red Bull and other caffeinated beverages remain popular at Bowdoin. (Hans Law, Bowdoin Orient) |
While most students are well schooled in consuming caffeine in order to stay up and study, recent college surveys have shown thatsome students are now turning to prescription drugs such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Dexatrin to enhance their study habits.
"It's pretty clear that these kinds of drugs are being used by students who don't have prescriptions," said Bob Vilas, Director of Counseling Services at Bowdoin, but he also noted that it is difficult for the staff to keep track of this data.
Results of a survey run by the Department of Institutional Research at Bowdoin and completed by students beginning their first year in 2003 showed that three percent had taken drugs not prescribed to them one time within the last year and that one percent had taken these drugs six times within the last year.
These numbers have decreased since previous years with 96 percent of first years this year saying that they had never taken unprescribed drugs compared to 94 percent of students who began their first year in 2002. This is a one percent drop from 2001.
A similar survey in the spring of 2002 that asked students how often they used stimulants prescribed for others showed that just over one percent of students surveyed used them everyday, seven percent a few times a year, five percent a few times per month, less than one percent one to two times per week, and less than one percent a few times a week.
Christine Cote, Director of Institutional Research, said that there was no difference in usage between men and women and very little disparity between athletes and non-athletes.
The survey, which was completed by 184 students composed of a random sampling of the student body, showed that first years were least likely to abuse unprescribed drugs. This survey that showed 85.6 percent of current students asked had never used unpresribed drugs compared with the average of 94.3 percent never using as incoming first years, suggests that some students have picked up the habit since attending college.
"We have no evidence to suggest that it is worse here than on any other campus," said Vilas. However, Vilas explained that Massachusetts has the highest rate of people diagnosed with ADD and ADHD. Since more Bowdoin students come from Massachusetts than anywhere else, there is a higher percentage of students with their own prescriptions.
The Health Center and Counseling Services are careful in making sure students receive the proper dosage of medications. "The initial prescription is written only by psychiatrists at the Counseling Center," said Jeff Benson, College Physician and Director of Health Services. Eventually a release is signed saying that only Benson can write the prescription.
"There's only one source," said Benson, "which helps to control the flow of medication."
Despite the best efforts of the College, there is a large amount of sharing of prescriptions. "It's almost universally the case that when people come to me who think that they have ADD," said Benson, "they have already tried a friend's prescription, which has increased the idea that he or she should be diagnosed this way."
While there are few long-term side effects of using these drugs with the prescribed dosage, Benson explained that the significant effects come out of missing a night's sleep. "During sleep, biochemical restoration takes place. It's also important for mental well-being," he said. "All higher levels of function are compromised."
According to Benson, there are a number of reasons behind usage including peer pressure and an ambition to succeed. "These students are pushing themselves harder than is good for them," he said.
One Bowdoin first year said that he has taken Ritalin, Adderall, and Concerta and that he took them everyday during last semester's finals. "I focused better on the test. I did it to help me concentrate because I wanted to improve my test performance," he said.
While the use of study drugs does occur on Bowdoin's campus, it appears that only a minority of students are using them. "If this is happening on a larger scale," said Vilas, "it's a mystery to us."
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