Posted by Sarah T. on December 9, 2005, at 0:51:38
In reply to Ritalin/ Adderall for studying.. anyone done this?, posted by Jimmyboy on December 7, 2005, at 18:37:35
As someone who has HAD to take antidepressants and stimulants for depression, ADD and cognitive dysfunction caused by an inoperable medical condition, it is difficult for me to understand why anyone would want to take these drugs if they don't absolutely have to.
I agree wholeheartedly with Linkage and Phillipa, who posted earlier in this thread. The best studying is done consistently, over a long period of time. It's important to get plenty of rest, too. Try, as best you can, not to cram. Do you plan to work (for pay) during the semester? How long will the pre-med program be? If you can spread the courses out over at least a couple of years, and work (for pay) only part-time or not at all during the semester, then you probably won't need to cram and/or use stimulants. Also, you should know that there is a considerable amount of evidence indicating that learning is state-dependent. By that, I mean that in order to retrieve the information you've learned, you need to be in the same state you were in when you learned the material. So, if you studied material while on amphetamines (or Paxil or Prozac or whatever), you will need that chemical in order to fully retrieve/remember what you studied. And state-dependency doesn't just apply to drugs. Environmental conditions and time of day/circadian rhythms and many other factors play a part in information retrieval.
As Linkage, said, if you use amphetamines infrequently and judiciously, there shouldn't be any problem; however, if you feel you need stimulants to fool yourself into thinking you're interested in the material, then some soul-searching is in order. If you're not naturally and spontaneously drawn to the biomedical sciences, then medicine may not be the field for you. Or, if you feel you have to take stimulants in order to motivate yourself, you might be depressed or have some other medical problem that requires treatment.
I suggest trying to do your school work regularly and consistently, relying on medications ONLY for "emergencies" (like having two final exams scheduled on the same day). And be grateful that you don't have to take medications in order to function. When you are in medical school, or perhaps before that, you will learn that even the best medicines are deeply flawed.
poster:Sarah T.
thread:586614
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051203/msgs/587148.html