Dr. Peg’s Prescription

Dear Dr. Peg,

What is the harm of taking Adderall if I don’t have a prescription? It always helps me get my work done, and I don’t feel any negative side effects. Could you shed some light on the subject, especially with midterms around the corner?

Dear User,

Well, aside from the fact that what you are doing is illegal, dangerous and not the wisest decision you have ever made, there’s no harm in it whatsoever.

Sarcasm aside, I am glad you asked, because I happen to know you are not alone. Drug sharing is shockingly common among college students. Honestly, it blows me away that people are willing to play Russian roulette with their own lives like this. Why is it a bad idea? Let me count the ways.

I’ll start with the legality issue. Adderall is a controlled substance. Controlled substances are “drugs that are regulated by state and federal laws that aim to control the danger of addiction, abuse, physical and mental harm, the trafficking by illegal means and the dangers from actions of those who have used the substances.” In other words, controlled substances are dangerous and addictive drugs with street market value.

Controlled substances are divided into groups called Schedules, from Roman numerals I to V — one to five. Schedule I is for very strong drugs that have no medical use, like heroin. Schedule V is for relatively mild preparations like cough syrup with codeine. Adderall is a Schedule II drug, right below heroin and above Vicodin and Valium. Pretty potent stuff.

If you even possess a controlled substance that was not prescribed for you, you are breaking state and federal laws, and you risk fines and jail time. So there’s that.

Next, there is potential danger to your health. Prescription drugs require a prescription for a reason. They are complicated chemicals that need to be matched with your complicated chemistry. Not every person can or should take every drug. Doctors go through years of training on this.

Before we prescribe a medicine, we evaluate a patient carefully.

In addition to the details of their current problem, we need to know their other medical problems, their past medical history, what other medications they are taking, their family health history and so on. We do a physical exam to look for conditions that might contraindicate certain drugs. We then choose a drug and dosage that is right for the person and the situation, and we follow up with them closely to make sure all is well, making changes as needed.

When you borrow someone else’s medicine, you are getting a form of the drug and a dose that was intended for someone else. And by the way, that someone else probably had to sign a contract with their doctor promising that they will not share their medicine and agreeing that they will only receive a certain amount every month.

So people who sell or give away their Adderall are breaking their contract, which might mean their doctor will stop prescribing for them. They are also risking the legal consequences themselves, as a dealer.

But back to you. By taking a medicine that was not prescribed for you by a trained professional, you are risking bad side effects, drug interactions or worse. Just because you feel okay for now does not mean it is safe for you.

Adderall is a stimulant drug and an amphetamine, like speed. The list of potential side effects is daunting and includes fast or irregular heartbeat, fainting, increased blood pressure, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, seizure, tremor, hallucinations, diarrhea, change in sexual ability or desire, agitation, anxiety, delusions, depression, hostility, numbness or tingling of an arm or leg, one-sided weakness, painful or frequent urination, peeling or blistered skin, severe headache, severe stomach pain, shortness of breath, sudden dizziness or vomiting, slurred speech and uncontrolled muscle movement. There’s more, but I can see your eyes glazing over, so I’ll leave it at that.

All drugs have potential perilous interactions with other drugs.

Adderall and related medicines can have bad interactions with some common, over-the-counter substances like cold medicines, antacids and Alka-Seltzer.

If you have an undiscovered heart condition, Adderall could kill you. So there’s that too.

Still think it is a good idea to take this drug without a professional’s advice?

There is also the possibility that what you are taking might not be what you think it is. If your supplier is a good friend and they show you their prescription bottle, you might trust that it is what they say it is. But otherwise — who knows? Especially if you buy it on the street, you could be getting something else entirely. Do you want to risk that?

Adderall is prescribed for Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. People with those conditions have a certain brain chemistry and function.

For them, Adderall acts to help focus attention on one thing at a time. In general, these folks do not overuse or abuse their meds. They take them only when they have to. They use them as a tool for success, because without the drugs their brains can’t manage as well.

If you don’t have ADD/ADHD and you use stimulants anyway, you run a significant risk of getting too much in your system without knowing it. Unintentional overdose can be an emergency, requiring yet another drug to calm down. You also run a greater risk of becoming dependent or addicted. I doubt you want that additional headache.

Focus and concentration are important when you are in college; I won’t argue with that. But there are other, healthier ways to achieve them, like meditation, mindfulness, focus exercises or simply improved study habits. You are better off not being dependent on a drug if you don’t really need it.

If you think you might have ADD or ADHD and therefore a legitimate need for Adderall or something like it, get some help. You can start with an appointment at Student Health and Counseling (SHAC).

Call 277-3136. If you want help figuring out healthier ways to improve your focus, one good place to start is SHAC’s free workshops, courtesy of our counseling services. See shac.unm.edu/forms/counseling-workshops.html for details or call 277-4537.