Work stress drives students to drugs
An investigation by The Oxford Student has revealed that students take illegal drugs such as speed and cocaine to deal with academic pressures. Unprescribed prescription drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall are also taken by students in order to keep up with work. Some students turn to sleeping pills and alcohol in order to relax from work-related stress, knowingly running the risk of physical and psychological dependence on these substances.
These findings come at the same time as lengthening waiting lists at the university counselling service and Oxfordshire’s primary care trusts cuts to mental health services, including those for young people. The Oxford Student polled over 300 students across the university, discovering that six and a half percent had taken prescription and illegal drugs to keep them awake whilst writing essays.
Three students admitted, unprompted, to taking amphetamines in order to complete their academic work. One, who did not wish to be named, described his experiences. “I take it occasionally when I really haven’t left myself any time at all to do the essay and I have no choice but to stay up all night to write it. Obviously it’s only a last resort, but it is really much more effective than caffeine supplements such as pro-plus.
“It’s probably not worth it though, as it leaves you unable to sleep, which can make you feel ill, and you also suffer paranoia the next day, so it’s not something that I’d like to do on a regular basis. I’m sure it’s not great for my health or work ethic but it can help me to get things done when they need to be.” Speed can lead to anxiety, depression, irritability and aggression as well as mental illnesses including psychosis and paranoia.
Combining the drug with anti-depressants or alcohol can be fatal, and users have died from taking an overdose. Seven of those polled claimed they had taken Ritalin or Adderall, which are usually prescribed for treatment in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. They have a calming effect, helping to prevent the mind from becoming distracted. The drug, though widely used in the treatment of children and adults with the disease, has many side effects.
These can include nausea, irregular heartbeat and palpitations and, in extreme cases, liver problems. It contains dopamine, a stimulant with similar characteristics to cocaine. One student from Queens said, “You can get anything in Oxford: speed, coke, it’s rife. All you need is to know someone who takes it and you can get it within ten minutes.” “I took Ritalin once a week last term,” said one student, who wished to remain anonymous.
Students are risking their health over work
“I’ve never done coke but it’s essentially the same chemical • it makes you alert and focussed for around three hours. You’re not creative, but you don’t get distracted and you can power through reading. “I bought it off the internet, it came from God knows where. You don’t trust it, I was a bit nervous but you just deal with it. It’s expensive but worth it if you value your degree. I’d take it again but the website’s broken.
Another student was given the drug by a friend. “She got it off her little brother,” he said. “It was the day before my extended essay was due so I said yes. There was no conscious change, it just gave me a real one-track mind.” Novartis, the manufacturers of Ritalin, said it had a proven record as a safe medication for ADHD. A spokesperson for Novartis said, “Ritalin is a prescription only medicine and should only be taken when prescribed by a physician.
One student from Magdalen said, “A lot of people I know take Adderall. It fucks you up but it’s amazing for the three hours after you take it.” Other drugs students admitted to taking included marijuana, sleeping pills, and betablockers, which are commonly used to treat heart and circulatory problems. The most common side effects of beta-blockers can include tiredness and sleep disturbance, but they can also cause impotence and skin rashes.
Sleeping pills can be highly addictive if used on a regular basis. A spokeswoman for the university said, “It would be very difficult for us to quantify and stop this kind of drug use without a massive invasion of privacy.” She added, however, that students caught using drugs on university or college premises, or whilst participating in university- related activites, would be referred to the Proctors.
“Our ultimate recourse is expulsion,” she said, “but there’s a grey area when students take drugs with friends. It’s rare for such cases to come to the Proctors’ attention.” Fifty one per cent of students described themselves as ‘regularly stressed’ about work, whilst 44 per cent said they drank alcohol to relieve work-related stress.
One student, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “The amount I drink depends on my deadlines, but I always drink either before or during an essay in order to avoid doing it. Sometimes there’s so much pressure it’s easier to get drunk. Alcohol’s a nice way of relieving that. It helps my writing, it makes it more free-flowing. I had a bottle of wine during my essay yesterday. It’s a reward for doing something shit • I don’t enjoy writing but that makes it easier.
Marcus Roberts, the head of policy at mental health charity MIND, said, “Life can be very stressful for students, living on a very small budget, juggling lots of commitments, and with an enormous pressure to succeed. There’s nothing wrong with having a drink to wind down when you’re relaxing, but routinely relying on alcohol to help you cope with stress can be dangerous.
Linda Blair, a consultant psychologist who taught at Cambridge for 20 years and who now writes for Psychologies, said she thought students at Oxbridge suffered from more pressure than at other universities. “They are already such high achievers that the university doesn’t help them; they assume you’ll figure it out without showing you how it’s done. “The message students are taking home is, ‘I don’t have the resources to deal with stress, I need to rely on substances.
This can cause problems in later life. When someone looks outside themselves for help they gain a learned helplessness, leaving them vulnerable to depression.” Student Union Vice-President (Welfare), Aidan Randle-Conde, said, “I am shocked and deeply concerned by these results. The committee for student health and welfare hasn’t done anything on drugs, which is what they should be concentrating on. There’s too much pressure on students.
There’s something seriously wrong if they’re taking drugs to cope with the workload. “The university needs to appreciate that students do take drugs, and they have a problem admitting it at the moment which is stopping it being tackled,” he added. When The Oxford Student discussed the survey with other Russell Group universities, their student unions said they were not aware of similar problems. The university said it was revising the counselling service’s budget, said a spokesperson.
“Last year agreement was reached with colleges to increase recurrent funding for the counselling service. Also, emergency funding was granted two weeks ago to buy in extra help for the counselling service to reduce the immediate waiting list problem. “There is a wide welfare network in place at Oxford, at college and university level as well as through GPs.
“College staff are expected to be aware of signs of illegal drug use or other welfare problems, but it is of course not always easy to spot, especially if a student wishes to conceal the problem rather than seek help. “When it comes to legal stimulants like coffee and pro-plus... many students make an active choice to burn the candle at both ends.”
2nd Mar 2006