How Drugs Can Ruin Your College Life
College life brings about many opportunities and exciting new experiences. Among some of the major attractions in college for young adults, experimenting with drugs top the list for many. Students initially get to experience nightlife for the first time in this phase of life and are exposed to substance abuse at raves and parties. Some students experiment with the use of prescription drugs to improve concentration or to get increasingly better at their academic endeavors. It has been observed that many of the same drugs sometimes have dissimilar effects on different individuals. Mostly, it is the drugs that are used to make one feel high and alleviated that lead to frequent usage and even result in over dose and death.
Common College Drugs
The prescription drug Adderall is being consumed by college students at an alarming rate, even though it is a known causative agent of psychosis. It is prescribed by doctors to improve symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and by students to increase their concentration. The use of Adderall at parties, where it is often mixed with alcohol, has been causing most of the emergency room visits caused by recreational use of ADHD drugs. College life can be jeopardized when the subject becomes a victim of this drug and faces paranoia, anxiety and severe depression. Moreover, students undergo nausea, vomiting, weight loss, heart palpitations and headaches that only make academic life more of a challenge.
The most common drug abused by college students is cannabis, or marijuana. Teenagers and young adults who smoke cannabis regularly suffer decreased cognitive abilities, lesser career achievements, compromised social lives and unstable physical and mental health. Marijuana smoking in college students can lead to increased absences, tardiness and accidents. Cannabis severely affects a person’s memory and can cause heart problems.
Party Drugs
Socially active students frequently attend parties and end up consuming both drugs and alcohol. A sedative like Valium mixed with alcohol it puts the brain at a severe risk which can even lead to death.
Students also commonly use other drugs, like ecstasy and cocaine. Cocaine is a very strong stimulant and is highly addictive. Cocaine abusers are unable to focus on anything except their need to find their next high. This can be a severe detriment to their academics and general wellbeing. A gram of cocaine costs around $80, making it a very expensive and dangerous habit. Addicts become susceptible to committing crimes in order to meet the demands for this addiction. Drug addiction can also estrange family and friends, leading to isolation which can make the urge to do drugs even greater.
Students who use heroin or other highly addictive analgesics such as Vicodin can have increased concentration, but there is no surety that they will concentrate on the right thing. Heroin costs about $100 to $300 per gram in the U.S., another costly and health-damaging habit.
Drugs not only ruin the academics and health of a student but can also land them in jail. If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction, it is wise to aid them in finding a drug treatment center so that they can recover from this problem as soon as possible.
This article was contributed on behalf of Bay Area Recovery, your number one choice when looking to get back on the right track. Check out their website at www.bayarearecovery.com today for more information!
