The abuse of prescription drugs by children is part of the culture in many schools, says Eric Nelson, writing for Communities Digital News in the September 1, 2014 edition.  A national study in 2013 showed that Indiana has the second highest rate of high school students who report that they have taken prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription (21.4%). Eric’s article helps the reader see that there is another way to help students cope with the demands of school. A spiritual focus can bring purpose, identity, and a sense of God’s unconditional. Here’s Eric:

It used to be all you needed to do well on your high school calculus test was a disciplined study plan, a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast. Nowadays you might need to add a dose or two of Adderall or Ritalin as well. Or so it would seem.

The pressure to get good grades in order to be accepted by the best colleges and universities, combined with an often crushing load of extracurricular activities, has convinced an increasing number of high school students that the only way to stay ahead is through the use – and frequent abuse – of prescription drugs.

“It’s throughout all the private schools here,” said DeAnsin Parker, a New York psychologist who treats kids from affluent neighborhoods like the Upper East Side, in an interview with the New York Times. “It’s not as if there is one school where this is the culture. This is the culture.”

Adding to the problem is the fact that these drugs are all perfectly legal, although not always obtained by legitimate means. Some students will pretend to be suffering from classic symptoms of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) simply to be given a prescription that they will then use themselves or sell to others.

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