High School Students Abusing “Good Grade Pills”

It’s long been well known that many college or university students use the so-called “good grad pills” (Adderall, Vyvanse, Concerta, Focalin, Ritalin) to pull all-nighters and keep themselves focused. Now, a new story by the New York Times claims that the drugs are increasingly being abused by high school students as well.

The drugs are not available without a prescription, but the crafty students admit to lying to their doctors to get pills, and the doctors seem only too willing to oblige. One anonymous teen said “I lie to my psychiatrist — I expressed feelings I didn’t really have, knowing the consequences of it. I tell the doctor, ‘I find myself very distracted, and I feel this really deep pain inside, like I’m anxious all the time.’” The Times article also says that in the past 5 years, prescriptions for ADHD medications have risen by 26%, and that’s just for patients between the ages of 10 and 19. Not only the drugs have immediate health effects, but the Times speculates that they could lead to other drugs such as cocaine or heroin, or health problems like psychosis, depression, or heart irregularities.

Though they might seem harmless, “good grade pills” can have disastrous consequences. Thankfully, there is hope: there are excellent treatment plans available. Medications and therapy have proven to be effective in treating drug and alcohol addiction. At Seabrook House, we specialize in customizing our treatment plans to meet each individual patient’s needs, so you know that you’ll be getting the right remedy for yourself or for a loved one. Seabrook House has rehabilitation centers in New Jersey (NJ), Pennsylvania (PA), and an outpatient center in New York (NY). Contact Seabrook House today for any questions about drugs, alcohol, addiction, and treatment.