As you sent your child off to college, you likely felt a great deal of pride. You could not wait to hear updates of how he or she was making friends, excelling in class and participating in a variety of extracurricular activities. After all, you wanted your child to have a fulfilling college experience at the University of Oklahoma.
Over time, you may have felt a growing concern for your child. His or her updates may have come less frequently, and when they did, you may have noticed that your son or daughter seemed overwhelmed by classes and other aspects of college life. While you certainly felt for your child, you likely also believed that he or she would get back on track easily enough.
Concerns over study drugs
Though you know your child to be a “good kid,” anyone could find themselves in a tight spot. If a child wants to achieve badly enough, he or she may make questionable decisions in regard to ways to study harder and longer. A major concern that relates to this issue is study drugs.
The term “study drug” does not refer to an actual substance that a person could legally obtain for the purpose of better studying. Rather, study drugs typically refer to prescription medications such as Adderall and Ritalin. These drugs, when used properly, help treat conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by allowing users to focus better.
Because of the increased ability to focus, many college students — or even those in high school — illegally obtain pills to take in hopes of remaining focused for longer periods of time. However, when taken improperly, these study drugs cause considerable health issues, such as heart attacks and strokes. Overdoses could even prove fatal.
Impacts unrelated to health
If your child somehow manages to avoid the negative health impacts that improper use of prescription medication could have, he or she is not out of the woods. In the event that police find your child in possession of medication for which he or she does not have a prescription or believe that he or she is supplying others with study drugs, serious criminal charges could come about.
If this type of situation does occur, you will likely worry less about your child having the fullest college experience and instead find yourself focusing on how to help your son or daughter defend against drug-related criminal charges. This type of scenario can feel overwhelming for everyone involved, and seeking professional assistance may prove wise.