The college entrance examination is coming ~ Is there really such a magic medicine that can make you energetic and improve your grades after taking it?

□ Science Times reporter Wu Qiong

The 2024 college entrance examination will kick off on June 7, and the high school entrance examinations across the country will also be held in the near future. Recently, various "smart drug" advertisements have flooded the Internet platform. These advertisements target the pre-exam anxiety of high school entrance examination candidates and parents, claiming that "you will be full of energy after taking it" and can "improve concentration and improve grades in a short period of time", which is quite confusing. Su Tong, deputy director of the Department of Psychology at the Naval Medical University, pointed out that the several "smart drugs" circulated on the Internet mainly include Ritalin, Adderall, Modafinil, etc. in the catalog of psychotropic drugs in my country. These are all state-controlled psychotropic drugs. Except for the treatment of indications, they cannot be used for other non-medical purposes.

Among them, Ritalin is one of the main drugs for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cannot improve memory or analytical ability. The main ingredient of Adderall is amphetamine, a central nervous system stimulant, which has not yet been approved for marketing in my country. Modafinil is a wakefulness promoter mainly used to treat narcolepsy.

"The abuse of these drugs will inhibit or damage the brain nerve development of adolescents. If used for a long time or in large doses, some mental symptoms will also occur, such as irritability, convulsions, excitement, insomnia, drowsiness, dizziness, depression, emotional instability, disorientation, hallucinations, and even mania," Su Tong said. These drugs are also addictive and cannot be ignored. If these drugs are used rashly to improve academic performance, they may have a serious adverse effect on adolescents' interpersonal relationships, academic achievements, and career development in the later stages of their lives.

In fact, moderate stress can bring about physiological arousal in individuals, help to fully tap their potential, and help candidates perform better in the examination room. As for a small number of candidates who are overly nervous, Su Tong said that even without the help of drugs, there are other ways to help them regulate their emotions. "The opposite of anxiety is to take action. As long as candidates set reasonable expectations and goals, make good plans and complete them on time, they can gain confidence and satisfaction in the process of hard work, which helps relieve stress." She also suggested that candidates give themselves positive self-suggestions before going to the examination room, such as saying "I can do it" loudly in front of the mirror to cheer themselves up, or recall past successful experiences to enhance their self-confidence.

In addition, some parents of candidates are too worried about their children's performance in the exam, but they don't know how to help. As a result, they also become anxious, and even affect their children's condition in turn. Su Tong reminded parents to remain calm and peaceful, and just do a good job of daily parent-child communication and logistical services during the exam. "For example, parents can help their children prepare three meals with scientific combinations and balanced nutrition, but do not suddenly change their children's usual eating habits, and do not over-supplement them. Be sure to pay attention to food safety to prevent diseases from entering the body through the mouth." Su Tong said.