Needless to say that high school is not always the best time for most of teenagers, but at least there is a bright side about it for some, which is the fact that college is on the verge. College might be one of the most exciting times for students, especially those who were brought up by strict or overprotective parents because, for them, it is the time when they get to be aggregately free. Being far away from home teaches college students to be independent and liberated, but some of them actually take this freedom way too far by getting themselves involved in entirely inappropriate activities like extreme partying, doing drugs, and getting engaged in unsafe sexual activities.
And because college campuses, unlike schools, are not supervised, it is easy for students to do whatever they want without restrictions, and taking such a path will eventually lead them to be dismissed due to constantly failing their courses. Sadly a lot of college students have abused prescription drugs, using them to get high and experience the feeling known as a temporary euphoria, which is an extreme joy or excitement. In this article you will be introduced to the top 10 prescription drugs frequently get abused by college students and their dangers, check them out.
10 Adderall
It is a psychostimulant drug that is mainly used for treating those who suffer from narcolepsy or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly known as ADHD. Adderall helps in highly stimulating the brain, aiding in increasing the concentration and lingering the attention span. College students usually abuse this drug for improving their academic performance, but unfortunately, excess use of it could lead to serious and strange addictions, resulting in several symptoms such as severe migraines and high blood pressure. Constantly using this drug can also escort students to develop sleeping disorders and, throughout time, much worse consequences can occur and, in that case, they are going to need help.
9 Valium
It is also known as Diazepam, but it is popular under it brand name, which is Valium. It is a medication used for treating those who suffer from high levels of anxiety disorder or disturbed patterns of sleeping. It is also used as a treatment for patients of addiction who experience the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, as it helps to lessen these symptoms, and also relieve severe muscles contractions. Although Diazepam might be very useful for the treatment of multiple disorders, excess use of it can lead to addiction which consequently leads to serious problems. It is one of the most misused prescriptions by students on college campuses.
8 Fentanyl
Fentanyl is a very powerful painkiller that is usually given to people who undergo surgeries or suffer from serious diseases like cancer and already take other multiple medications. This drug can be taken in different forms; it could be orally taken, injected into the blood, directly inhaled through the nose, or even smoked. Fentanyl is pretty much similar to heroin, and some experts claim that it might be even more dangerous as excess use of it rapidly leads to serious complications, and consuming overdoses can lead to instant death. Unfortunately, it is one of the prescription drugs that are commonly abused by college students, eventually leading them to severe depression or worse; death.
7 Marijuana
We cannot stress over the fact that this drug has been introduced in several movies multiple times, so it might actually be the least drug that needs an introduction on that list. Marijuana is the most illegally used drug in the United States and is usually referred to as weed or pot. It is actually extracted from natural sources like the stems and leaves of plants, and it is used for medical treatments, but it is usually abused leading to unfortunate consequences like hallucination, loss of concentration, and high blood pressure. Some studies have been conducted showing that Marijuana is mostly abused by college students, and also stating that almost 50% of the students have attempted it, even for once.
6 Morphine
Morphine is a medication used for treating different levels of pain ranging from moderate to severe. The highest consumption of this abused medication is in several countries in Europe including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, along with Canada and the US. It has been greatly abused throughout almost the last 20 years, whether by college students or others, for it helps them get high, lose themselves and experience that euphoric feeling. The excess use of morphine can rapidly lead to addicting it within a short period of time. Besides the high potential to addict Morphine, the symptoms of its withdrawal are extremely excruciating and throbbing which makes the process of breaking away from it very tough.
5 Hydrocodone
Big brand names as Vicodin and Lortab are the most popular medications that contain the often abused drug; Hydrocodone which is a prevailing analgesic used for relieving both mild and severe pains. It is sold as pills, but some people actually grind it into a powder and dissolve it in some water, or directly gulp it for a quicker effect. This drug is commonly misused by college students due to the euphoric feelings associated with taking it, which leads to addiction if used excessively, or even death when taken in great quantities which is medically known as overdoses.
4 Codeine
Codeine is the drug commonly found in syrup medications that are used for treating or suppressing coughs and is also available in the form of pills. Abusing Codeine is dangerous because it is highly addictive if constantly used over a short period of time. Nevertheless, it is one of the most commonly abused drugs due to the quick appearance of its effects. The worst part is that consuming this drug excessively can cause dire complications to include nausea, cardiac problems, and difficulty in breathing. These symptoms can often escalate swiftly leaving the victims in a prolonged coma or even sending them to instant death.
3 Xanax
Xanax is a medication that is often used for treating patients who suffer from disturbed sleeping patterns, panic as well as anxiety disorders. It could be taken in different forms; either swallowed in tablets form or directly injected into the blood for faster effect. Experts claim that the patient using this drug might experience confusion or loss of consciousness while being under its effect, but sometimes it is actually part of the treatment, however, that does not make Xanax any less dangerous, especially since it is greatly addictive when used consistently even if for short period. And when it is misused or taken in large quantities, it results in multiple complications including sudden dizziness, constant exhaustion, and unclear garbled speech. In some cases, it might result in hostile behaviors, a short temper, and anxiety. What makes this drug on the very top list of the danger zone, is not only the fact that that it is hastily addictive, but also that treating this kind of addiction is way too challenging; the abuser goes through tough withdrawal symptoms to get the drug out of his system, and its usage can eventually lead to death.
2 Ambien
Ambien is, in point of fact, the brand name under which zolpidem is sold, and it is actually a medication prescription used for the makeshift cure of disorders; mild as insomnia, or severe as brain syndromes. It is also one of the most dangerous medications for being highly addictive, and the reason it is actually commonly abused is that it takes its users into a totally tranquil state, aiding them in experiencing ecstatic and overjoyed feelings that they are often after. Although it might be very operative in treating sleeping disorders like insomnia, abusing it can actually worsen the condition, especially because it is always recommended by physicians to be only taken over a short period of time, besides the abuser might also experience hallucinations or go into a delusional state.
1 MDMA
MDMA is an illegal drug that is commonly known as Ecstasy or Molly, and it is always used with its abbreviation, MDMA, for it has a very long complicated name. This drug comes in the form of pills, meaning it is always swallowed which easily leads to consuming large doses of it. When MDMA is disproportionately used, the abuser’s brain gets highly stimulated and alert, leading to hyperactivity and extreme energizing. Eventually, it results in several complications including severe depression, anxiety, hostile behaviors, failure of several organs, and in severe, but very rare cases, it can lead to death.
Although medications were primarily made for treatment of several illnesses and disorders, it has been unfortunately abused by a lot of people, especially the young ones. It does not matter whether you are a college student or not; if you, or someone you know, have any of the previous symptoms due to the usage of any of the listed drugs, do not hesitate to seek help and go to a rehab facility to get treatment as soon as possible. Stay Safe.