A new study found that one in every five young adults abuses prescription stimulants for ADHD patients for them to stay awake and improve their work or school performance.
Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, a New York-based nonprofit organization, partnered with research firm Whitman Insight Strategies, for a survey involving 1,600 young adults, ages 18 to 25. The survey was launched during summer and 1,000 of the respondents were college students.
The results of the survey showed that 50 percent of the college students admitted that they had used ADHD stimulants to improve their academic performance while 25 percent use it to perk up during work hours. Two-thirds of the respondents claimed that the drug helped them get better grades at school and delivery at work.
The researchers identified that the common ADHD stimulants used by the respondents included Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse.
"The findings shed a new and surprising light on the young adult who is abusing prescription stimulants," said Sean Clarkin, director of strategy and program management for the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, to Healthday News. "While there is some 'recreational' abuse, the typical misuser is a male college student whose grade point average is only slightly lower than that of non-abusers, but who is juggling a very busy schedule that includes academics, work and an active social life."
The results of the study highlight the need for time management education to help young adults balance their time for work, school, and other social activities.
This study echoes previous research showing that one in four Ivy League college students relies on ADHD drugs, particularly Ritalin or Adderall, to earn better grades. About 69 percent of them use it for essay writing, 66 percent for reviewing and 27 percent while taking their exams. These students were able to have access to these stimulants from students who were diagnosed with ADHD.
