By Artemis Molai
For numerous high school students across hyper-competitive regions, the scariest thing isn’t a failing score — it’s an average score. In regions where all students seem to be competing through their extracurriculars, academics, and resume-building activities, an artificial boost can be viewed with high demand.
Rather than seeking a recreational high, they are looking to get ahead. Stimulants are frequently sought out for non-medical, temporary performance enhancement, ultimately seeking their definition of perfection.
According to the University of Cambridge, prescription stimulants including Ritalin, Adderall, and Concerta, have been used for non-medical performance enhancement, in order to boost work productivity. Cleveland Clinic recognizes Ritalin, Adderall, and Concerta as medications frequently prescribed for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to reduce impulsive actions and increase concentration.
Instead of treating diagnosed medical conditions, these substances are being redirected from students diagnosed with ADHD to undiagnosed peers who feel forced to perfect their SAT scores and survive their grueling school tests. Under immense cultural and academic pressure, medication-sharing and misuse has quietly emerged as a survival mechanism for students, as opposed to signifying an act of rebellion.
The trend is not an accident, it follows a specific pattern and demographic. In a study from the Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation, the University of Michigan describes characteristics of schools with a higher stimulant misuse rate: suburbs, non-Northeastern regions, and communities populated with highly educated parents.
These characteristics describe numerous hyper-competitive regions, including the Bay Area, where the shadow of Silicon Valley success sets a high bar of expectation over local high schoolers. In these neighborhoods, perfection is not just encouraged – it is viewed as a baseline.
Rather than a reckless personal choice, this trend raises a dual struggle. As noted by the Recovery Research Institute, some individuals rely on medications to increase the productivity of students, while others turn to sedatives in hopes to improve sleep and calm stressed individuals.
But these short-term benefits of these medications are out-weighed with a terrifying price tag of consequences. Public health studies compiled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reveal that chronic misuse of stimulants for enhancements throughout academic and athletic performances may lead to psychosis, heart complications, and sudden death.
In response to growing risks and mental health crises, Bay Area school districts are aiming to dismantle the pressure system by providing “wellness days,” incorporating wellness centers, and limiting the number of advanced classes students can take.
Yet, policy changes can only do so much to counter a deep-rooted societal expectation – especially when, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, some parents publicly oppose AP reductions set among new school board policies and push their children to max out their advanced courses.
Until the definition of success shifts away from perfection, the temptation of chemically developing an exemplary transcript will act as a siren song for panicked students.
This article was written as part of the The Junior Journalist Program allows high-school students an opportunity to report on topics important to them and communicate with their peers while receiving training in journalism and learning to think critically about information. To support the program and this publication’s participation in it, make a donation.
