Modafinil
From Drug Rehab Wiki
Recent studies suggest this widely-used "stay awake" drug may be addictive.
College students sometimes go to extremes to stay alert and awake as they cram for final exams and finish projects, including illegal use of prescription stimulant drugs like Adderall or Ritalin.
Another drug on the stay-awake scene in colleges is Provigil, known medically as modafinil but also referred to as the “smart drug.” New research suggests Provigil may have the same dangerous addictive properties as other stimulants and could cause serious health problems if abused.
Modafinil is gaining popularity for several reasons, including its ability to help a student stay awake for long periods without the over-excitement some stimulant drugs provide. Provigil can keep a student awake for up to 15 hours, alarming physicians and college officials who fear its abuse could become very widespread.
It’s not only students seeking to stretch their performance capabilities. Athletes are abusing modafinil, and the U.S. Olympic Committee has banned its use. Athletes may use modafinil because it sharpens alertness and performance both physically and mentally.
It is believed that modafinil is able to work on targeted areas of the brain, in comparison to other stimulants. Specifically, it acts in the hypothalamus, the region of the brain responsible for sleep activity, and helps stave off sleep. Modafinil takes effect gradually, and was previously believed not to activate the pleasure response in users. Experts have also said that it doesn’t provide the characteristic up-then-down action produced by amphetamines.
However, new research suggests that modafinil may actually cause changes in the brain’s response to pleasure, much like other stimulant drugs that have addictive properties. Dr. Nora Volkow, National Institute on Drug Abuse, warns that there is no drug that will make people smarter or help them perform for long periods of time without the consequences of side effects.
In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers said modafinil can cause the same dopamine reaction at the brain level as Ritalin, long known to have a dependence factor.
Modafinil is FDA approved to treat sleep conditions like narcolepsy, and has been reviewed for other conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Provigil has also been given to people to help with sleep problems related to shift-based employment. However, its abuse by college students or athletes to garner a stronger performance is an illegal, and very dangerous, off-label usage of the drug.
Many modafinil users become psychologically dependent and may believe they cannot do well in school or sports without it. Over time, a serious deprivation of sleep can cause dangerous conditions, like poor driving skills and loss of motor skills or coordination – similar to attempting to drive after drinking alcohol.
In addition, many college students may not realize the effects of sleep deprivation, and may combine stimulants like modafinil with caffeine and energy drinks. Researchers warn that there is no artificial replacement for sleep, as many of the benefits and reasons people must sleep are still largely unknown.
As new information is learned about the “smart drug,” modafinil, experts hope students and athletes who use it illegally to stay awake will think twice before a potential dangerous addiction develops or serious health consequences occur.
