A story in the most recent New Yorker, called “Brain Gain,” describes the burgeoning underground market in neuroenhancing drugs. These drugs, such as Adderall and Ritalin, are meant to treat disorders such as narcolepsy and ADHD.
Many high achievers use them without a prescription in order to improve their concentration, reduce their exhaustion and give their work a boost.
This problem is especially rampant on college campuses. 4.1 percent of American undergrads have used neuroenhancers to get through a long night of studying. At one small college, over 35 percent of the students admitting to using the drugs.
The verdict is still out on the exact effects of using neuroenhancers. While many users claim they experience a definite boost from regular doping, studies have been inconclusive as to the benefits of the pills. More ominously, medical researchers have no idea what negative health effects regular use might incur.
In today’s stressful academic environment, the pressure to succeed can be overwhelming. It can also make the use of neuroenhancers tempting. But that doesn’t make it a good idea.
While drugs like Adderall may improve cognitive functions such as memory and concentration, they may also dampen creativity. Many of them are addictive. No one knows what might happen to users in the long run, but it’s generally never a good idea to take prescription medications intended for a disorder you don’t have.
Web sites like ImmInst offer advice from users about which pills mix best together and what doses have the maximum effect. Hardly a substitute for a doctor’s opinion.
Just as importantly, these drugs only reinforce a culture already damaging college students’ health. Stress can cause all kinds of health problems. Students skip meals frequently when they don’t have time to sit down and eat. Pulling an all-nighter may be necessary, but it is also a killer for your body. Widespread use of neuroenhancers would only further pressure students to engage in these harmful activities.
It seems like we get busier every year. We join more clubs. We take more hours. Those double-majoring seem like slackers compared to some triple and even quadruple majors. We feel compelled to work ever later into the night. I know my definition of a good night’s sleep has shifted from eight hours to five. Many nights, even that is a luxury.
It’s time to slow down. We need to take a collective breath, relax a little, and treat ourselves better. We need to chill out.
Neuroenhancers serve an important function for those who need them to treat medical disorders. Those that don’t should stop abusing prescription pills-and themselves.
-Nathaniel French
Opinion Editor
