Do You Really Need Drugs to Succeed ?

    

Studies have shown that there are drugs that can enhance some students’ academic performance. Recently, I have read an article called “Attention disorder or not, Pills to help in school” by Alan Schwarz that focuses on drugs that are used for different purposes, to treat disorders like ADD, ADHD, and using those same drugs for enhancement in academics.

           

In the article, Schwarz tells about the usage of a drug called Adderall and how it is used not only to treat ADD and ADHD, but also to help children in schools with poor academics. In the article it says, “We’ve decided as a society that it’s too expensive to change the kid’s environment, so we have to change the kid”. What the author is saying here is that when children are placed in the wrong environment, such as schools with poor academics, they tend to do wrong. But when children are placed in an environment with high standards they tend to work hard to meet those standards.

 

I think that it is wrong for doctors and physicians to prescribe Adderall to students who have a hard time focusing in schools with poor academics. That is not a fair way to have student advance to the next grade, or get out of the basic/below basic learning facilities. Nor is it a good way to see a student succeed. Adderall has some serious side effects that could harm one’s mind; therefore, it should only be taken when it is needed.

 

            This article makes me wonder how many parents put their children, who do not have ADD or ADHD on Adderall to increase their grades and enhance their academic records.