"There just isn't enough time in my day to get good grades, hold down my part-time job, play sports, and still stay connected to my friends. Most nights I only get four or five hours sleep. When exams come or I have to write a paper, I try to get by with energy drinks but sometimes I need something stronger. Luckily, I have friends who have access to legally prescribed amphetamines. I'd never be able to do it all without the pills."

                     ~ Rob, age 16, honors student and baseball player.

It's hard being an adolescent and young adult in 2011.

Pressure to perform socially and academically competes with intense self-doubt and lack of organizational skills. Like Rob, many adolescents are chronically anxious, exhausted, and fearful of disappointing parental expectations.

When they look around at how adults handle deadlines and feel overwhelmed, the message is clear: Find a chemical that will provide momentary energy to complete the task.

In my day, No-Doz, with its concentrated caffeine content, was the over-the-counter drug of choice for studying. Kids today have a variety of high-caffeine, high-sugar energy drinks to choose from.

When caffeine is not enough, there are a range of prescription-strength amphetamines that are readily available from peers, the Internet, or even from the home medicine cabinet. They work fast, give the illusion of mastery and self-confidence, and are not perceived as dangerous.

"How can there be anything wrong with taking them?" asks one 14-year-old girl. "I mean, a doctorprescribed them."

Unfortunately, there is a lot wrong with taking prescription drugs that are prescribed for other people and other conditions.

It is critical that parents monitor the performance-related stress level of their children and educate themselves about amphetamine use so family conversations can begin on how to cope without using these powerful drugs.

What Are Amphetamines?

Amphetamines are a class of psychotherapeutic stimulants that increase energy and alertness, elevate mood, increase feelings of well-being, and decrease appetite.

The government considers amphetamines to be "controlled substances," meaning they have a great potential for both psychological and physiological addiction and therefore cannot be bought or sold without a doctor's written order.

When legally prescribed and overseen by a physician, amphetamines are an effective tool in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young people. Readers are probably most familiar with Adderall as one such drug, but Ritalin and Dexedrine also have a history of being prescribed for this purpose. 

Abuse of these products – using them independent of medical guidance or purpose -- may involve simple swallowing of the pills, or it may involve crushing and snorting them to hasten the onset of the sense of euphoria, or "buzz." 

Street names for amphetamines have not changed significantly over the years. They include "speed," "amp," "hearts," "uppers," "jolly beans," "bumblebees," or simply "A." Ritalinis sometimes called "vitamin R."

How They Work

Stimulants such as amphetamines work by increasing levels of dopamine in the brain. This brain chemical (or neurotransmitter) is associated with pleasure, movement, and attention.

When used therapeutically, dosages of the stimulant begin at a low rate and are slowly and systematically increased, based upon the response of the patient. This mimics the natural production of dopamine in the brain and is fairly easily tolerated.

When amphetamines are abused, dopamine levels are rapidly increased, and this disrupts normal communication between brain cells. It is this unhealthy confusion that produces the feeling of euphoria, as well as the multitude of dangerous short- and long-term effects on the mind and body of the chronic user.

Amphetamines have a high potential for addiction because over time, the brain responds to increased dopamine levels by lowering its natural dopamine production. The user is forced to use stronger and/or more frequent doses of the drug to produce the same result.

Who Is Abusing Them?

Amphetamine abuse is found at all age levels from middle school through college. 

A 2009 study reported significant use (at least once in the past year) of amphetamines in 8th-graders (4 percent), 10th-graders (7 percent), and 12th-graders (nearly 7 percent).

Nonmedical use of Adderall was about the same for 10th- and 12th-graders (5.7 percent and 5.4 percent respectively). Two percent of 8th-graders also reported using Adderall at least once during the previous year. [1]

The academic pressure to achieve on a college level makes Adderall and other amphetamine use increase for collegians.

Among persons aged 18-22, full-time college students were twice as likely as their counterparts who were not full-time college students to have used Adderall non-medically in the past year (6.4 vs. 3.0 percent) [2]

There is no reason to suspect that these figures are significantly different for South Brunswick youth.

Negative Consequences: Hitting a "Speed" Bump

Side effects of amphetamine use include headache, stomach pain, sleeplessness, dizziness, nervousness, tics, allergic reactions, increased blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, mood swings, suicidal thoughts, aggressive behavior, hallucinations, and even death. [3] 

Chronic intoxication with Adderall can produce

  • · irritability
  • · personality changes
  • · hyperactivity
  • · a form of psychosis that is clinically indistinguishable from schizophrenia

Abruptly stopping Adderall following prolonged high dosage can produce extreme fatigue, depression, and sleep disorders. [4]

As if the above is not enough reason to stay away from non-prescribed amphetamines, a recent study strongly suggests that amphetamine abuse during the teen years can permanently change brain cells that control memory, decision-making, and impulse control. [5]

  Having the Conversation

Signs that your teen or young adult may be using amphetamines include:

  • Unusual elation
  • Hyperactivity
  • Rapid speech (sounding "wired")
  • Shaky hands, restlessness
  • Weight loss, diminished appetite
  • Insomnia followed by long periods of sleep

Since amphetamine use is so closely associated with academic stress, parents should carefully monitor their child in this area. Is he or she: 

  • Struggling in school, according to teachers?
  • Worried about getting all "A" grades?
  • Staying up late studying every night?
  • Having difficulty organizing term papers?
  • Worried about getting into college?

If academic stress is an issue, help your child find a balance between high achievement and relaxation. Sometimes just talking about these stressors and making it clear that your love is unconditional will defuse the issue.

When kids need additional help acquiring organizational skills, tutoring may help. If stress-related issues seem deeply ingrained, brief therapy with a trained counselor can be invaluable.

As always, talk to your children about the power amphetamine use has to negatively impact their life. Ask them what they know about Adderall, Ritalin, and Dexedrine. Be honest when they ask why you order the new 30 oz.-size Starbuck's coffee or buy a case of five-hour energy drinks.

The impact of talking about strategies for healthy stress relief may change the way your entire family approaches life. It certainly will affect generations yet to be born.

[1] http://www.nida.nih.gov/Testimony/9-22-10Testimony.html)

[2] http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k9/adderall/adderall.htm

[3] http://www.emaxhealth.com/1357/37/33064/adhd-drug-abuse-among-teens-rising.html

[4] http://www.drugs.com/pro/adderall.html

[5] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101116104311.htm

Subscribe