I agree with all posted comments so far but would like to add that as a person of 59 I lived through the years of open drug use of my generation and I used uppers, downers as well as hallucinogens...and I consider myself somewhat of an expert from my own personal experience. I found the comments of the students to be very similar to all the feelings and experiences of most people who have taken any form of 'speed' (myself included) I see no conclusive evidence from your story that the drugs disgussed do anything except make the users 'speed' and 'imagine' the benefits just as my generation experienced. Ofcourse I found it also interesting, listening to the students making the same rationalizations, regarding drug addiction. (Isn't it always the same? No one thinks they will get hooked until they are hooked or their teeth are falling out?) Additionally, I also was upset to find that our own government condones use of such drugs in our military while people in the general puplic are sent to prison for such usage and drug tested daily...how hypocritical, makes me so proud to be an American, NOT.
I am curious about this report. Certainly students try anything to have an advantage in school, social activities or whatever, however, were any of the students interviewed ever tested for ADHD? How many users are undiagnosed ADHDers? Did any of the studies run determine if the users are undiagnosed ADHDers? None of that was presented. Clinical data show that non-ADHD people feel overstimulated when taking ADHD medications, just as ADHD people feel over stimulated if their dose is too robust. The number of undiagnosed ADHD people is legion and this report was not helpful to those who receive appropriate treatment for ADHD. The accuracy of diagnosing ADHD is +/- 82%. Not a bad true positive hit rate! I guess it is too much to expect for 60-Minutes to conduct science, as by doing so, the sensationalism drops dramatically. Apropos of the addictive nature of ADHD medications, that runs about 0.05%, as in this world there are just a bunch of people who are garbage cans and will take anything. The ADHD medications are among the best researched and safest medications on the planet. it is easier to kill oneself with aspirin than with Adderall or Ritalin. Thanks for the balanced report, as it only helped to increase the hysteria about very helpful medications.
Good piece man. How many students took a car and crashed and killed innocent lives after pounding 10 beers at the closest pub? How many students did the same after taking a Ritalin? Do we have to critize everything, even if it helps?
This story reminded me of the claims LSD was the next step in psychological evolution in the late 50s and early 60s...if I remember correctly, Timothy Leary was a professor at Harvard too.
I can understand why boosting one's brain power and having a "leg up" on the competition is appealing. However, the long term affects this doping has on our society is rather haunting. What is wrong with doing the work naturally with study, research and just plain hard work. As humans we have been given the ability to boost our brain power naturally. Our nation is already popping pills for anything we can think of. Pretty soon we will be walking zombies. Addiction to prescription medication or any drug needs to be handled through the professionals at addiction treatment centers. http://www.drug-rehab-tennessee.com
To see more comments on this piece go to the on-line print version: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/22/60minutes/main6422159.shtml?tag=contentMain;cbsCarousel
There are over 80 comments and interesting dialogue in reaction to this story.
I had to twice rescue our son from a schizophrenic psychosis so severe he couldn't sleep, couldn't fill out a form, paranoia so bad he couldn't fly home. This all caused by an adderall perscription given to him while attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology that we were unaware of. By the time we were done he had seen 6 different physiatrist. I could go on...but the good news is he will graduate from MIT in June drug free (we hope).
Was it the adderall? So if 50% of the students of the surveyed college take adderall how come your sons event is not more common? Some people are genitically predisposed. Not everyone reacts the same way to stimulants.
This severe psychosis is one of the most common side affect of using any methanphetamine. The point that has not been made clear here is that a properly diagnosed person with ADHD can benefit greatly from these drugs, but in a person without this illness the drugs act adversely and can be extremely dangerous.
You answered your own question. If you give speed to 50% of the students at a school some proportion of them will have severe side effects. Genetics and other medical characteristics, diet, and, god forbid, contradindicated medications, could all play a part in adverse reactions to amphetamines. That's why they're controlled substances.
I can't believe 60 Minutes did not discuss the FDA "Black Box" warning that's associated with these drugs. The drug companies and doctors have no disaster recovery plan when you have a psychosis or seizure. They don't want to know you or help. I took the drug for 6 day and had both. It cost me my family, my career and my lifestyle. Its been 6 years and everyday I question "Why did I take that drug"? It hurt me to watch last night.
After we discovered the problem was the Adderall...I found that a son of a friend experienced the same symptoms and dropped out of college with a bipolar diagnosis. I also found my other son's close friend had been on Adderall for years and it has taken him 8 years to get a degree and he goes through his 30 day perscription in 15 days during this time he is totally detached. This is a hidden epidemic that has yet to be researched. If your son or daughter is having problems in college or has recently been told they are bipolar or worse schizophrenic then dig deeper and see if they are coming off high doses of Ritalin or Adderall. If you are taking these drugs God help you!
BLINDSIDED!! It was a methanphetamine based drug. They started me at the highest dose 54mg (red flag). It was an overdose and my doctor never check me into the hospital. The next 90 days was the worst. I couldn't sleep, I lost 40 lbs, memory lost, paranoia. This reaction should have been treated like a "heart attack". I couldn't get the right help. The drug effects your Central Nervous System which controls everything in your body. When I called the Pharmaceutical company and reported the event, they had nothing in place to help. I'm struggle to put the piece of my life back together again. What hurts the most is it cost me my marriage and family. My situation is complicated to understand, but if I can save one person on the fence about taking this drug then I will share it.
I am a sociologist who has been researching Adderall/Ritalin use among college students for several years. For this generation in particular, students are actively weighing medical use on a regular basis. Students and I have written a show called "Ritalin Monologues" to bring attention to the issues raised in our research - we have performed it on several liberal arts campuses. On the topic of negotiating Ritalin/Adderall use during and after college, please see our co-authored piece -- Grappling with the Medicated Self: The Case of ADHD College Students. Meika Loe, Leigh Cuttino. Symbolic Interaction 31(3):303-323 (2008). Or see this article in Contexts magazine: http://contexts.org/articles/spring-2008/the-prescription-of-a-new-generation/ Best, Dr. Meika Loe Associate Professor of Sociology Colgate University
the last comment in the report from the young man saying morally they are okay with it, they obviously aren't listening to the scientists who are saying the risks and potential consequences are not worth it in the long run. if these drugs are like cocaine, you can see from Billy Mays the blue shirt screaming salesman it can lead to early death and ruining your reputation. these college kids are not all-knowing, they are acting irresponsibly and ignorantly taking illegal drugs
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Clinical data show that non-ADHD people feel overstimulated when taking ADHD medications, just as ADHD people feel over stimulated if their dose is too robust. The number of undiagnosed ADHD people is legion and this report was not helpful to those who receive appropriate treatment for ADHD. The accuracy of diagnosing ADHD is +/- 82%. Not a bad true positive hit rate!
I guess it is too much to expect for 60-Minutes to conduct science, as by doing so, the sensationalism drops dramatically.
Apropos of the addictive nature of ADHD medications, that runs about 0.05%, as in this world there are just a bunch of people who are garbage cans and will take anything. The ADHD medications are among the best researched and safest medications on the planet. it is easier to kill oneself with aspirin than with Adderall or Ritalin.
Thanks for the balanced report, as it only helped to increase the hysteria about very helpful medications.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/22/60minutes/main6422159.shtml?tag=contentMain;cbsCarousel
There are over 80 comments and interesting dialogue in reaction to this story.
You answered your own question. If you give speed to 50% of the students at a school some proportion of them will have severe side effects. Genetics and other medical characteristics, diet, and, god forbid, contradindicated medications, could all play a part in adverse reactions to amphetamines. That's why they're controlled substances.
After we discovered the problem was the Adderall...I found that a son of a friend experienced the same symptoms and dropped out of college with a bipolar diagnosis. I also found my other son's close friend had been on Adderall for years and it has taken him 8 years to get a degree and he goes through his 30 day perscription in 15 days during this time he is totally detached. This is a hidden epidemic that has yet to be researched. If your son or daughter is having problems in college or has recently been told they are bipolar or worse schizophrenic then dig deeper and see if they are coming off high doses of Ritalin or Adderall. If you are taking these drugs God help you!
Or see this article in Contexts magazine:
http://contexts.org/articles/spring-2008/the-prescription-of-a-new-generation/
Best,
Dr. Meika Loe
Associate Professor of Sociology
Colgate University