The only way to ensure you aren’t harmed from drugs is to avoid using them. If you choose to use drugs anyway, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of harm. If you don’t use drugs, these tips can help you support others that might.
As the exam season approaches, it’s important for you to stay focused and healthy.
We do not condone the use of illegal drugs or the misuse of prescription drugs, but we are aware that some students may choose to use study drugs because they think it will enhance their concentration and their stamina for studying.
However, students should be aware that there is evidence that these drugs have no positive effect on academic performance and there is also evidence that they can have a detrimental effect on performance of cognitive tasks.
Common study drugs and their risks
Study drugs are most often prescription medications, such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Modafinil, that are often used to treat conditions like ADHD and narcolepsy.
Misusing these drugs can lead to serious health risks, including dependence, heart problems, and mental health issues.
Five steps to reduce these risks
As part of the University’s and Students’ Union’s Harm Reduction approach, we have some tips for you during this exam and assessment period to try to reduce the risks in case you do choose to engage with study drugs:
- Prioritise your sleep
Making sure you get enough sleep every night is essential for cognitive function and overall health – 7 to 9 hours is typically recommended. Using stimulants makes it much harder for you to sleep properly. If you do decide to use study drugs, then have them at the start of the day instead of the end of the day to when they are more likely to cause sleep problems.
2. Avoid daily usage
To help prevent experiencing the negative side effects of study drugs, it’s important not to use them daily during the exam and assessment season. Reducing the intake of stimulants will reduce cardiovascular risk – especially if you have an underlying heart condition.
3. Don’t mix with other stimulants
Mixing stimulants together, including caffeine and nicotine with study drugs, is strongly not recommended due to increased health risks around blood pressure and heart rate.
4. Making sure you eat enough
Your diet is just as important as making sure you have a good sleep routine. As these study drugs are stimulants and suppress your appetite, take extra care to eat enough during the day, every day.
5. If you’re feeling anxious and unwell, take a break
If you find yourself not sleeping well, not eating enough and extremely stressed, taking stimulants will only exacerbate the problem. Take a break from using study drugs and make time for rest to allow your body to recover. If you are concerned about your health, do seek medical help and speak to a GP.
Remember, your health and wellbeing are more important than any exam.
Available support for students who take drugs
- There are free and anonymous drug testing kits available on campus, from the Students’ Union Advice Service.
- We share MANDRAKE drug alerts to Student News, so you know when substances in Manchester are being mis-sold or have contaminants in them.
- We offer an elearning module ‘Staying Safe’, a course about Alcohol and Other Drugs for Students
- Drug and Alcohol Peer Support (DAPS), run by students, for students, provides a place to talk openly about drug and alcohol use and find community. You can find out more on their Instagram here.
- Eclypse, a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for young people in Manchester are also available to speak to at the Students’ Union’s Advice Service.
You can also check out our new Policy on Harmful Use of Substances or Alcohol by Students.