Why is this unethical?

Question

I have posted a few times now about not having been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD but wanting to get my hands on some Adderall to aid in focusing... getting the most bang for my buck... in dental school. I am starting in August and this is an endpoint in my education from my standpoint now. I want to specialize. It's VERY competitive. I want to learn all I can to better serve my patients. I don't want to use this drug recreationally. If Adderall can help me to focus and concentrate, thereby helping me to learn the most information in a given amount of time, to eventually better help those that come to me for treatment why in the world would people consider this unethical? Can anyone explain this to me?

Answer 1

If you really require a medication like this, is it possible you do have ADD and were not diagnosed? Also, does it have to be Adderall? That's not so unethical if you really need it.

I should point out that Adderall is actually just the street drug SPEED (amphetamine) in a lower, controlled dose. It's quite addictive if not used that way it's supposed to be. I should also point that people don't use speed recreationally as much as they use if for the the purpose you describe: as a crutch for achievement. Without the supervision of a prescribing doctor, you will very likely get addicted and suffer side effects. The drug has been known to cause psychosis if the use is not regulated correctly

Answer 2

ADD/ADHD is more often than not a misdiagnosis. To simply want to focus better and be able to concentrate on a higher level is not a good reason to take habit forming medication.

The best thing for anyone to do is change their diet. I cannot tell you how to change it, becauses certain foods may or may not affect you as everyone is different.

ADHD (true) is a mental issue that is seen in very few kids. True ADHD children who really need to take the medication are not controlled by anything in their lives. They are usually loud, talk non stop and cannot focus for longer than a few minutes. They are usually what one would deem as socially inadiquate and never think before they act. Research suspects ADHD could be a form of asperger like autism or another comepletly different form of Autism. There may or may not be some sort of brain injury involved.

ADHD is NOT someone who just wants to focus or conentrate. If you find yourself unable to concentrate, it could simply be your diet. There are many overprocessed foods, dyes, chemicals and additives that might affect the bowel, thus in return causing the serretonin in the brain to lesson, thus causing an issue with the slightly different serretonin in the brain. A person who expereinces this may or may not have an issue with emotion.

Work on finding out which foods for you are going to help you conentrate.

What is unethical is the overuse and over prescribed use of this medicine. Teachers these days don't want a kid being a kid. Some mature faster than others, others don't. Those being misdiagnosed are often offspring of the very parents who do not practice or do not know how to practice good parental skills. It could aslo be that the parents are very active, emotional and high strung and the children learn this behaviour. To give a child a medication instead of behavoural modifications and therapy, doctors are quick to write out prescriptions for a problem that will STILL be there once the medication has been stopped. This is unethical!

An upper during the day is always followed by a downer at night. It is rather a see-saw way of life without the equality of succesful parenting.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Really, the prescription of those types of drugs is the last resort a professional psychiatrist should use. ADD/ADHD is more of a behavioral disorder so it should be treated as such. There are rare cases when ADD is caused by a chemical imbalance and can not be treated with a behavioral regime and then, and only then is when drugs may come in.

Sure it is hecka of a lot easier to just take a pill and be sharp and focused instantly as opposed to submit yourself to a painful and lengthy behavioral course of therapy but again, that's nothing more than a quick-fix for a problem that has to do with your habits.

If you really want to help yourself submit yourself to a procces to help you change your study habits. I wouldn't want to be in a dental office where the staff is on drugs.

If I knew you, I'd report you to your school's authorities.

Answer 4

It's a question of what's better for your patients.
If you are not going to be on drugs while practicing you will essentially have a different mind set. When on study drugs you will be more focused. How focused would you be without them with your patiens?

The point of class is to evaluate your understanding; and if you can only do this with drugs, how will you be off of them while actually practicing??

What will you do if you really need to focus at work and don't have adderall? I wouldn't want to be that patient.

Answer 5

Well I don't know about unethical, but without being diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, you'll have a hard time getting it..on the other hand...you may want to get the physicians desk reference and read up on the side effects of this drug..no matter how competitive something is...if you circumvent your health with the intent of trying to get better without old fashion studying, in the long run you will lose.

Answer 6

Wow! What a bunch of BS rationalization on your part. Unethical. It's ILLEGAL to purchase/obtain and use prescription drugs that have not been prescribed for you.

It's felony prescription fraud. You won't have to worry about dental school while you are sitting in prison.

Don't give me this crap about how it would be good for you to help you learn all you can. If you can learn what you need to be in dental school without drugs, then you shouldn't be there. Let someone else have your place that doesn't need to commit a felony to be there.