KU grad tells Denver Post about Adderall abuse in college

Posted by Matt Erickson

January 30, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.

The Denver Post reported this week on the rising number of emergency-room visits related to abuse of hyperactivity drugs, and to put a face on the trend the paper talked to a KU graduate who says she struggled with addiction to the stimulant Adderall during her time in college.

Kate Beach, now 26, told the paper that four years ago she was taking five times the recommended dose of the medication, making use of prescriptions in three states.

But Beach's story has a happy ending: The Colorado Springs native is now clean and working for a health rehabilitation center at the University of Colorado.

The University Daily Kansan talked to a number of students who'd abused Adderall back in 2008, and the federal report suggests ER visits related to such abuse have doubled since about that time. Our Go! Double Take columnists also tackled the issue of Adderall abuse earlier this week.

Please keep your KU news tips coming to merickson@ljworld.com.

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Take_a_letter_Maria 5 years, 2 months ago

Not surprising. I know a number of kids who either are or have used this during finals without thinking about what the consequences could be.

meatheadwisdom 5 years, 2 months ago

What?! PED's in the classroom?! So athletes aren't the only ones willing to take calculated risks in order to preform to the best (or beyond) of their ability? Simply amazing, I never would have thought about it...

And guess what, performance artists will use Beta blockers to ease anxiety before high stress auditions, but that's not cheating either.

happyrearviewmirror 5 years, 2 months ago

Kansans need to stay in Kansas--no talking to the Denver Post, please. Kansans in my experience are nothing but a clueless bunch of street harassers who give themselves way too much credit by insisting they are" helping" by forcing unwanted attention on others. First do no harm!! You help smart people by seeing them through the mind's eyes and sharing intelligent ideas. So, Kansans are not in general qualified candidates. Stop barging in! You aren't wanted. Rejection obviously doesn't phase attack dogs though. After Kansas"Frig a bigot" is my favorite exclamation of frustration.

How can any so-called human beings be so insensitive as not to realize that chances are women, the elderly, or those perceived to have slight mobility issues get absolutely terrorized by aggressive strangers approaching them in public? You make dealing with the public a dreaded ordeal. That's not fair!

Then the hateful and dishonest KU officials blame street harassment victims and even try to persecute them in court. That's what happens when police are directly wired into the schools. It's a sign of our mindless, punitive police state.. You country bumpkins please stay in your own state.

MarcoPogo 5 years, 2 months ago

Uhhhhhh... backing away slowly

Rae Hudspeth 5 years, 2 months ago

Heeyyyyy How about reading the article before blowing off ? She lives in Colorado Springs, and I believe that makes her now A COLORADAN.
Perhaps she came from Colorado to go to KU and is now back home? Or is that too far-fetched a concept for your bitter little mind to comprehend?

See def: native, as used in the above article

MISTERTibbs 5 years, 2 months ago

Looks like someone forgot to take their meds..........

PhilChiles 5 years, 2 months ago

You know, I wish that someone had told me prior to attending college that employers don't actually ask or care what your grades were. No one at the bank asks your GPA before they approve a loan. Getting better grades is a pretty lousy trade off when you pick up a drug addiction.

meatheadwisdom 5 years, 2 months ago

Nobody told me either, but I kind of figured it out on my own. My GPA in college was over 3.0, but not by a bunch. Didn't stress over it. My theory was all of my other activities, RA job, and being a year round college athlete (Cross Country, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track) showed my ability to be balanced and multi task. These are work skills.

That said...if you have aspirations of a good grad school, medical school, etc. they DO look heavily at grades as a weed out process when MCAT's are all the same.

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