The college student cop-out
By Chelsie Merone
The technological age is here! Everyday we find ourselves using at least several different forms of technology (iPods, cell phones, lap tops, gaming systems, etc.), and sometimes it’s all at once. But in a culture where getting information fast, first and efficiently prevails, we have started to ignore the medical repercussions that these habits have on us.
ADD, ADHD and ADT are all forms of attention disorders brought on by a genetic defect or chemical imbalance, but now there is a new trigger: technological overstimulation. Yes, the very entertainment entities you have come to know and love are slowly turning your mind to mush.
In recent years, researchers have started to see an increase in the misdiagnosis of these disorders in children and college students. Why? Because in a world where leaving your house without your phone, or going for a run without your iPod is unheard of, people have lost the ability to simply disconnect themselves from their various forms of social media.
Yes, there are certainly some cases where individuals that have severe attention disorder symptoms, such as forgetfulness in regards to everyday activities, hyperactivity, disorganization, and tendency to shift in conversation; but these symptoms customarily present themselves during childhood. So what about all of the college students who have prescribed or self-diagnosed ADD?
Statistics show that up to 25 percent of students [on college campuses] have admitted to taking neuroenhancers. So the question presents itself: are students using drugs like Adderall, Concerta and Ritalin as cop-outs?
Obviously it’s easier to attribute your attention issues (or laziness) with a disorder, but just because you have a hard time concentrating doesn’t mean you should run to the doctor and cry the ADD-wolf.
Studies have shown that because we constantly are using multiple technologies at once, we have trained ourselves to multi-task on an intensified level. Take a second and think about when you study. Do you find that you have a hard time focusing? If yes, look at what you are doing. Do you have your cell phone next to you, are you listening to iTunes, are you browsing the web, are you watching TV? More importantly, are you doing them all at once? Well, there’s your problem: unplug and focus on one thing – your work!
In an article written by Sam Anderson for New York Magazine, he comments: “our attention crisis is already chewing its hyperactive way through the very foundations of Western civilization. Google is making us stupid, multitasking is draining our souls, and the ‘dumbest generation’ is leading us into a ‘dark age’ of bookless ‘power browsing.’”
Because of these observations, doctors and researchers are now starting to see how large of a role technology plays in our lives and the development of cognitive skills in young adults; but for some its too late. These medications can become addicting, causing severe dependency issues and being more of a problem than a solution.
So when you sit down to study and find yourself struggling to focus, take a minute and look at what you are doing. Some students tend to use these drugs as an excuse to justify their indolence, but if you have conditioned yourself to constantly be connected, you need to stop and see that what you are doing is not healthy and probably not prescription worthy either.