The effects of Adderall on studying and learning

Some people use drugs like Adderall illegally, hoping to improve memory, focus, and overall performance. But what are the real effects of Adderall on learning?. Focus On Your Studies With Adderall 30mg ir

It’s the beginning of exam week, and you’re looking at your schedule: how will you study for everything? And pass?

You may have heard that more than just a medicine for ADHD, some people use Adderall for studying, even without a prescription. And you might be tempted yourself. After all, many of us have heard the dramatic stories from others of how prescribed stimulants like Adderall can improve focus and make studying more effective.

The actual effects of Adderall 30MG on studying.

Adderall is an amphetamine, which is a kind of stimulant. Like other amphetamines such as speed, Adderall keeps you awake and stifles your appetite. Both these effects are perceived, by users, to help with studying.

Apart from these changes, many users claim a long list of cognitive benefits that can be attained from taking the drug. And it can have those mental effects … on people with ADHD. Adderall increases the number of certain neurochemicals that are lacking in people with ADHD, helping them get up to baseline in terms of executive function. The result is that people with ADHD are better able to focus. Focus On Your Studies With Adderall 30mg ir

But for the average brain, it has been shown to have the opposite effect. Like in people with ADHD, Adderall stimulates the brain and increases central nervous system activity. While it helps you study better, people who already have regular exercise tend to get overstimulated.

Adderall’s effect on concentration and focus

It’s unclear whether using Adderall for studying is effective in people that do not have ADHD.

One main reason that people are attracted to Adderall is that it is supposed to improve your focus so you can study harder for an exam or cram a heavy-duty project for a limited amount of time. But does it really? According to numerous studies, the truth needs to be clarified.

Adderall may help you focus on the wrong things.

What Adderall does is mimic the effects of adrenaline in the brain, triggering a fight or flight response that brings with it added alertness, clarity, and focus. Evolutionarily speaking, the brain is put on high alert for danger, allowing you to focus all your energy on one area. You can go over complex material many times without distractions, because your brain believes that it is helping you avoid trouble.

Unfortunately, this focus comes with a downside. While you may be more focused, Adderall doesn’t help you choose what to focus on. Indeed, many people using Adderall may focus exceedingly well on distractions rather than getting work done. Speaking of which, is that a squirrel over there?

Adderall is not suitable for creativity.

Even when you manage to concentrate on the academic work, you may sacrifice creativity and flexible thinking for focus. But lots of our work and school actually require creativity. Thinking of ideas for what to say in that paper, trying to solve math or science problems, or coming up with research ideas are all creative processes. Adderall will not help for those.

For these reasons, Adderall can be counterproductive on many tasks requiring divergent thinking. You can actually be too focused to get the job done well. In the study, it significantly lowered the performance of high.

Memory and overall cognitive function

Another ascribed benefit of Adderall is improved memory: people hope that if they take Adderall to cram before a big exam, they’ll remember what they learn exceptionally well.

Again, though, the reality is somewhat more complex. According to researchers, while there is some evidence that Adderall improves basic recall of material studied while on the drug, an extensive review of studies suggests that the size of this effect is not very large. So there may be a benefit, but it’s small. Focus On Your Studies With Adderall 30mg ir

Unfortunately, Adderall also has a limited impact on working memory. In fact, it can even decrease performance in some people. One study found that in young adults who are sleep-deprived (precisely those people that may pull an all-nighter for a test), Adderall was not effective in improving cognition or memory. They didn’t perform any better. Interestingly, however, those who took Adderall believed it helped. The authors suggest that Adderall may improve confidence, even though it didn’t improve test performance.

This means that while Adderall may make it easier to mentally retrieve exact facts learned (as long as you get enough sleep), it does nothing to help you use or manipulate that information—which actually may be more critical come test day). Executive functions come no more easily when on drugs like Adderall. In the case of those already performing on the high end of the bell curve, cognitive function can be hindered. Focus On Your Studies With Adderall 30mg ir

[Learn how you do not need Adderall for studying.]

Other studies show that while your impulse control may be better on Ritalin or Adderall, you are no wiser. The focus that Adderall provides mainly encourages you to delay gratification and choose to study longer and harder. This can lead to improved academic outcomes in the short term; however, it only sometimes translates to long-term knowledge or improved performance with the continued use of the drug. Performance on active recall tasks aside, Adderall does not seem to improve your abilities related to complex thought.

Focused learning doesn’t automatically equal long-term memory retention.

Is it all just a euphoric placebo effect?

Interestingly, the benefits of Adderall related to learning may all be in your head. According to studies done at the University of Pennsylvania, people taking Adderall didn’t actually perform better on cognitive function tests—they only thought they did. When compared to those taking a placebo, students on Adderall reported more confidence in their abilities to perform cognitive tasks and believed that they had higher scores, despite average performance equaling that of their peers not on the drug.

In fact, some speculate that the short-term improvements seen while on Adderall are simply the result of the drug’s enhancement of your enjoyment of studying, not any actual cognitive improvements. Since Adderall triggers the brain to release the neurotransmitter dopamine, those on the drug experience a mild sense of euphoria, which may motivate the student to perform better. When combined with the strong perception of increased focus given by the drug, Adderall and similar drugs may be triggering powerful placebo effects. Focus On Your Studies With Adderall 30mg ir

Are the effects of Adderall on learning worth the risks?

So is Adderall worth taking illegally? Probably not, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Taking Adderall carries serious health risks that few casual users recognize, including an increased likelihood of anxiety, high blood pressure, sexual impotence, and even heart attack in otherwise healthy young adults. Plus, as an amphetamine, Adderall carries a severe risk of addiction and dependence. Focus On Your Studies With Adderall 30mg ir

While it can be tempting to take Adderall as a magic study aid, it may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Ultimately, Adderall may help you focus in the short term. Still, it’s essential to recognize the trade-offs that come with its use (not to mention potential legal issues and academic consequences associated with taking Adderall without a prescription). Considering that we still are not sure how much Adderall is actually helping academic performance, it may be worth thinking twice before popping a pill to get through your next exam.