RITALIN for exams?
June 20th 2010 22:29
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From: HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL ADVISER
Some of my classmates take Ritalin to get them through finals. They claim it motivates them to study and improves their focus. Is there any way I can improve my mental performance next year without taking stimulants?
Answer: Many people want to stay mentally fit so they can perform well at school or at work. In fact, one survey of U.S. college students found that 7% had used prescription stimulants in the hopes of improving their grades. But taking stimulants that aren't prescribed for you isn't safe. These drugs can cause serious side effects, and they can interact with other medications you may be taking.
Instead, try to boost your mental performance by changing your behavior. According to the recently published book "The Winner's Brain: 8 Strategies Great Minds Use to Achieve Success" (Da Capo Lifelong Books, $25), you can train your brain to focus and think more productively using principles of cognitive behavioral therapy. The psychotherapy helps people reframe situations and learn more effective ways of coping.
Although scientists once thought the brain was as hard-wired as a computer, they now understand that the brain's circuitry is an ever-changing network. Brain cells called neurons form new connections in response to novel experiences or mental challenges. This ability, known as brain plasticity, underlies learning and memory.
How might this work for, say, overcoming procrastination? The issue may be that the task at hand seems too big. So break the task down into several smaller steps and concentrate on achieving each step.
When you can see the upside, completing the task can feel rewarding. Thanks to a structure in your brain called the amygdala, the positive feeling tied to your accomplishment can inspire you to take the next step.
Research supports this phenomenon. One study of professional jazz musicians used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan the brain in action. When the musicians exercised their creativity and improvised, an area of the brain involved in integrating information to support complex goals became more active.
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