Millennials are said to have brought their Adderall addiction to the workplace. College students are getting addicted to the stimulant and it's affecting their productivity and performance.
Quartz reported that Adderall is deemed as a "study king" by college students. Initially prescribed for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it has become a crutch for students with their academic goals.
"I was a little surprised by how much I loved it," Raphael, 25, who used the drug, told the publication. "It made me feel like a philosopher king."
According to Drug-Free Kids, one-fifth of college students admitted that they abuse prescription stimulants. Medications used to treat ADHD such as Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse are some of the most commonly abused stimulants.
Moreover, young adults are using these prescription stimulants to help them stay awake, study or improve their performance - whether at work or in school. Sean Clarkin, Director of Strategy and Program Management for the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, noted that male college students are the typical misusers. They only have a slightly lower grade point average than non-abusers, though.
Raphael got his prescription through his psychiatrist. "I don't really have ADHD. But after freshman year, I found a drug dealer with a PhD," he said. "I said that people thought I had ADHD in high school, and the psychiatrist just said, 'Okay,' and took out her little pad. I've had a prescription ever since."
He is part of the first generation Americans who are regularly prescribed with stimulants during childhood and adolescence. These are the same young adults who continue to abuse said stimulants in high school and college.
Quitting the drug may be difficult when a student starts working. While it is true that these medications are highly-addictive, some users also believe that these stimulants are the driving factor in their success.
Quartz noted that there is no concrete data yet that shows how many American adults are using stimulants in the workplace. However, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has found that more and more workplace drug tests are coming back positive and are expected to increase even more.
