We all know it. We have an exam in the coming weeks and it seems so far away. But it’s really not that far. Most students will procrastinate studying for their exam though until the last minute. In fact according to the American Psychological Association 80-95% of college students procrastinate. That study was done as a meta analysis experiment by the University of Calgary. Even allowing room for error that’s a staggering number!

But this blog isn’t about procrastination. It’s about those students who decide to take “study drugs” to compensate for their procrastination problem. The most common types of drugs that students take to help them study are prescription medications used to combat the adverse effects of ADHD. There are many different types but the most common ones are Ritalin, concerta, and vyvanse.

But what really is happening in your body when you take those drugs?

Do you even know? Sure it might help you study a little bit longer by keeping you awake but is that all it’s doing?

According to a health guide published in the New York Times  concerning these drugs the side effects for those who aren’t prescribed them are quite lengthy. These side effects include hallucinations and paranoia, aggressive behavior, sleeplessness, and loss of appetite. That’s quite a list for just one good night of studying and that’s not even all the side effects.

Even a test at an unnamed ivy league school showed that at least 18% of the student body has admitted to using stimulant drugs in order to achieve a higher grade in school.

This is becoming a serious problem in college life today and is quickly spreading across the nation’s universities and colleges. But can it really be harmful? The list of side effects I mentioned above seem bad but none of them are long lasting so what’s a few uncomfortable hours for that grade? Well it might not just be a couple hours.

The fact is the human body is only able to handle so much. When a student introduces a stimulant into his body he opens the door for a possible fatal event. The strain that the stimulants put on the cardiovascular and immune system are severe and in some cases can result in death if not treated properly.

So remember next time you have an exam coming up… Start studying early! And skip the study beans.