Imagine the following scenario: A 21 year old university student working two jobs to try and keep up with her education expenses gets home from her night job at midnight, and has exactly seven hours to study for her semester Prelims.
Despite the fatigue and exhaustion, she tries her best to concentrate on her studies, only to find her mind wandering.
She eventually falls asleep and is left completely unprepared for the exams that will determine whether or not she will be able to maintain the modest scholarship that keeps her financially afloat.
Smart Drugs
Cognitive enhancement drugs, also known as “smart drugs” have been used for several years by students around the world. While Adderall and Ritalin are two common study drugs used in universities the United States, Modafinil has a history of being widely used by students in the U.K. Originally developed as a drug to treat narcolepsy and other sleep disorders, it has also been shown to vastly increase motivation, focus, and decision-making abilities.
While the actual mechanism of action on the brain is still being studied, anecdotal evidence clearly demonstrates that smart Modafinil can help students prepare for exams, focus on important coursework, and otherwise improve their study and education habits. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recently shut down over 5,000 websites that sell Modafinil illegally online without a prescription. Despite this action, over 14% of UK students are likely to source Modafinil or other “smart drugs” in the coming year according to the MHRA.
Below, we look a three of the potential benefits of Modafinil for students in the UK and around the world.
Increased Alertness
One of the most difficult challenges that university students face is a lack of focus. Smart Modafinil is a eugeroic drug that is known to improve alertness.
While it was originally developed to help people with extreme cases of narcolepsy stay awake, it also produces an effect on the brain that increases clarity and the ability to concentrate. Unlike Adderall (another popular study drug) smart Modafinil is not an amphetamine, which acts as a psychostimulant that briefly increases overall brain activity.
Rather, Modafinil has a discerning mode of action on the brain, thus creating a less fidgety boost of concentration. It focuses on stimulating select regions of the brain which regulate cognition, memory, and alertness, such as the amygdala and hypothalamus.
Mood Enhancer
Another benefit of Modafinil is that this drug helps to improve your mood. Recent studies have shown that this study drug has antioxidant properties that can help develop better attitudes while also working as a neuro protectant agent.
By helping to reduce the presence of free radicals in brain tissue, moderate use of this drug can help to protect the brain while also giving you the ability to concentrate.
A Safe Study Drug
While any drug has the potential for abuse, Modafinil has a much lower probability of being abused by students. People with narcolepsy or sleep apnea who have been prescribed this drug for sleep disorders rarely have suffered from any sort of serious side effects.
Because of its mode of action on the brain, most health professionals believe that Modafinil has a much lower potential for addiction or abuse, especially when compared to comparative study drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin.
Final Words
While the UK law prohibits the selling of Modafinil to anyone without a prescription for it, the demand for this study drug is steadily growing.
Many online providers for Modafinil actively sell this drug on the internet, and there is a serious consideration of allowing universities to license this study drug directly to interested students.
