The Fast Track To Studying?!

By Sania Dastagir | 26th February, 2023

Do you ever feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to study for that big exam or write that paper? Do you find yourself reaching for a pill to help you focus? While it may seem like a quick fix, taking ADHD medication like Adderall or Ritalin without a prescription can have serious consequences. In this article, we'll explore why some people turn to these drugs and offer some tips for staying focused without them. So put down that pill bottle and read on to learn how to study smarter, not harder.

Introduction

👉ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

History 🧐

Most ADHD drugs are stimulants; they activate your nervous system within 15 or 20 minutes ⏰of popping a pill. Caffeine is also a stimulant, but ADHD drugs are much more powerful. They are kind of like coffee ☕️ on steroids. Adderall is one of the most commonly prescribed stimulant medications in the US, and the active ingredient is a version of amphetamine that has been around for a long time. 

Adderall was first synthesized in the late 1800s in Romania and hit the US in the 1930s under the brand name benzedrine. It was prescribed for many things, such as head colds, weight loss, sleep disorders like narcolepsy, and even depression 🤕.

During World War II, soldiers were given amphetamines to keep them awake 🥱and focused, and it’s rumored that Adolf Hitler got daily injections of this stuff. And by the time the war ended in 1945, it is estimated that 30 million tablets of amphetamine 💊were being produced every month. These pills continued to be gobbled up by Americans till the 1960s, which is when the doctors started to notice all the dangerous side effects like a spike in blood pressure and the potential for drug-induced psychosis😱. And this is no joke because we’re talking about things such as paranoia, delusions, and even hallucinations. After all, they took too high of a dose. But probably the biggest problem was an addiction because, by the 1970s, over 3.2 million Americans were addicted to amphetamines.

Present ⏰

College students nowadays in highly competitive and stressful environments 😥such as medical schools, often have to cram a lot of information in a few days. And for many, having a cup of black coffee isn’t enough to keep them focused during their studies 📚As a result, they move significantly beyond just drinking black coffee and begin taking Adderall for purposes unrelated to their mental health 😬This, in the long run, makes many college students start becoming addicted to Adderall to focus on even a minimum amount of studies. Which leads to severe drug addiction😦.

Consequently, this teaches that Adderall is undoubtedly not the best way 👎to stay focused on one's tests or exams. So here are some ways to help us focus on our tests without popping pills into our mouths.

• Minimize distractions 📱 - Switch off your phones or put them to "Do Not Disturb"


• Find a suitable environment. 🏡 - Having a comfortable study space with some natural light helps you stay way more focused than a messy dark study space.


• Schedule study time 📑 - Rather than scramble to meet deadlines, set aside time in your weekly schedule to study. Can certainly help you avoid unnecessary stress.


• Make healthy snack choices 🥗 - Don't let food drag you down. Choose snacks that will give you energy rather than ones that will make you lethargic.


• Take breaks 😌 - Our brains aren't meant to study for hours on end without any type of break. Instead, focus on a project for a 30- to 45-minute sprint, then take a break for a few minutes, before moving onto the next.

In Summary...

👉Addarall or any other pills are not the solution to your problems with school or college stress. Making sure that your surroundings are healthy, such as by finding a suitable environment to study without any distractions and taking breaks on time, will help you with your studies immensely.