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Would you take concentration tablets?

Before an exam I had today someone offered me tablets to help me concentrate. I turned them down, because I thought it was really stupid to take tablets to do that job, let alone take some random tablet someone's giving me.

But this got me thinking, how many people take these things? The girl that offered these to me went back to her friends and I heard them talking. Apparently they all use such products, from tablets to a little droplet you put under your tongue.

The whole thing sounds absolutely crazy to me, but what do you think?
Reply 1
i dunno- if i knew what they were, how they worked and their effects I think I could be tempted
but ob the other hand it's not really fair and I'd always feel that I perhaps hadn't really earned the grades that I got
Reply 2
I would be doubtful if they even worked. I wonder whether it's all just the placebo effect making these people think they're concentrating more when actually they're just taking sugar pills.

But yes I agree I think if they did work for anyone, placebo or not, it seems just a little unfair.
Reply 3
Original post by Carrby
I would be doubtful if they even worked. I wonder whether it's all just the placebo effect making these people think they're concentrating more when actually they're just taking sugar pills.

But yes I agree I think if they did work for anyone, placebo or not, it seems just a little unfair.


Amphetamines (speed) definitely works for this sort of thing. She was probably just offering you pro plus or some herbal nonsense though.
No need. The thing with me is that I'm great at concentrating on one task and won't become distrac
Reply 5
Original post by Jono404
Amphetamines (speed) definitely works for this sort of thing. She was probably just offering you pro plus or some herbal nonsense though.


Yeah I'm sure it was just the herbal nonsense. I don't understand why people resort to taking them though. It just seems crazy to me that students are buying any old crap that is labelled to potentially help them concentrate.
Original post by Carrby
Yeah I'm sure it was just the herbal nonsense. I don't understand why people resort to taking them though. It just seems crazy to me that students are buying any old crap that is labelled to potentially help them concentrate.


Well maybe it's to help them revise and get good grades?
Seems like a good reason, that's why so many people take exam-performance-enhancing drugs to help them do well.
Sad thing is, most people don't really realise their side-effects which is what makes them so 'bad'.
Reply 7
Original post by PrismaticCore
Well maybe it's to help them revise and get good grades?
Seems like a good reason, that's why so many people take exam-performance-enhancing drugs to help them do well.
Sad thing is, most people don't really realise their side-effects which is what makes them so 'bad'.


But what I'm saying is I don't understand why so many people seem to rely on drugs to help them revise, when they could probably revise just fine without them
Reply 8
Original post by Carrby
But what I'm saying is I don't understand why so many people seem to rely on drugs to help them revise, when they could probably revise just fine without them


Exactly, they can't take these drugs for their entire lives so they might as well just revise properly and get a grade that truly reflects their knowledge and understanding
Reply 9
Original post by tomaird
Exactly, they can't take these drugs for their entire lives so they might as well just revise properly and get a grade that truly reflects their knowledge and understanding


I've never taken any but... A2's are so important and high concentrations of focus are needed. They determine your uni which could determine so many things - relationships and future jobs. It's worth taking them to try and ensure you get the uni you want.
Original post by Sellya
I've never taken any but... A2's are so important and high concentrations of focus are needed. They determine your uni which could determine so many things - relationships and future jobs. It's worth taking them to try and ensure you get the uni you want.


A2 seems important at the time, but it gets a hell of a lot more intense from there, having to resort to any kind of substance to get you through it is probably not the road to lifelong success is it.
Reply 11
placebo affect, or some dodgy drug that will mess you up in the long-term

if you need drugs to work, really doubt your motivation to succeed, and it`ll mean you`ll need them throughout your academic career.
Reply 12
Original post by Double Agent
A2 seems important at the time, but it gets a hell of a lot more intense from there, having to resort to any kind of substance to get you through it is probably not the road to lifelong success is it.


It's not about coping with work; if I can take a pill to give myself a better chance to end up at the same Uni as my girlfriend then I would do it. :smile: I do agree with your post though, in regards to people using it to cope / motivational necessity.
Original post by Carrby
Before an exam I had today someone offered me tablets to help me concentrate. I turned them down, because I thought it was really stupid to take tablets to do that job, let alone take some random tablet someone's giving me.

But this got me thinking, how many people take these things? The girl that offered these to me went back to her friends and I heard them talking. Apparently they all use such products, from tablets to a little droplet you put under your tongue.

The whole thing sounds absolutely crazy to me, but what do you think?


As other people have said the chances are they were some crappy pills but if they did have high quality amphetamines it isn't stupid at all because they help people to concentrate and perform better. Loads of armys have used them and special forces probably still use them on operations.
Original post by Sternumator
but if they did have high quality amphetamines it isn't stupid at all because they help people to concentrate and perform better.


This is true.

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