Ap English Synthesis Essay

Kelsey Brown
Professor Fenicle
ENG 121-4F3
3 December 2017
Synthesis Essay Among many colleges, students are using mind enhancement drugs to improve their performance in class. When a person uses the drugs (i.e. Adderall, Ritalin), it tricks their brain into rewarding itself for doing an unpleasant task which helps the user get more done (Matthew, Glaser, Gerhardt). College students are known to use these drugs for writing papers late at night or for taking exams. Staff writer at New York Times, Margaret Talbot, talks about an anonymous character named Alex, a Harvard graduate who used Adderall. In Talbot’s piece, written in 2009 titled Brain Gain, she speaks on the issue of “neuroenhancing” drugs being used for academic enhancement amongst college students. She talks about college students abusing these drugs, but when does this stimulant abuse start? The effects of stimulants are why a good majority of people think mostly college students (even without ADHD) use and abuse these drugs. Even if this may be true,

This study took place among people diagnosed with ADHD and take medication for it, and those who don’t have ADHD and take ADHD meds. The study shows that substance abuse does start more likely in older kids. Kids who were more likely to abuse drugs later on were reported to be 8 to 12 years old compared to those who are 6 or 7. Joseph Biderman, MD, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School said, “...[stimulant] treatment does not increase the risk of substance abuse in late adolescence and early adulthood.” The study also showed of those with ADHD who were treated at a younger age, 27% of them abused drugs by their mid-20s. Those without ADHD who were treated at a young age, 29% of them abused drugs by their mid-20s. In boys who were treated at an older age, 44% were found to have substance use disorders later on.