Take Your Pills

3/17/18. This documentary certainly goes a long way in shedding light on why there is a drug epidemic in the U.S. It tries to be even-handed in presenting the problem of substance abuse as a coping mechanism for people trying to deal with peer pressure to succeed and excel by leveling the playing field through the use of drugs. Not necessarily the best answer to life's problems. One issue that wasn't discussed, and probably should be, is the growing addictiveness of Technology. A growing number of studies are showing that excessive electronic use is affecting mental health and increasing distractions that compromises one's ability to focus. Rather than learning how to overcome Technology addiction, young people are looking to drugs as the answer when all they need to do is learn how to manage their electronics.

This is a documentary about the ABUSE of stimulants. Not about how stimulants can legitimately help people who need them. The thing I'm upset about, is I do have ADD. I take a generic adderall every day to help me get to a normal productivity level. It doesn't make me high, it doesn't make me feel like a super human. It just helps me feel normal. And this documentary barely even touches that aspect.

Its all about people who dont have ADD, taking adderall and hit. it gives them a "high" or helps them go above and beyond. It really almost seems like a commercial for adderall. It focuses on the people who legit abuse it and struggle with addiction of it. They bring in people who crunch numbers all day, Athletes, coders etc. and it just really leaves a bad taste in Your mouth for a drug that literally helps millions ever day, including me.

I'm surprised they didn't lump in cold and asthma medicine.

I'm angry; I think because they said so often that ADHD medicine is "performance enhancing" so often it seemed as if all use is illegitimate! It's an interesting question whether stimulant use in college is a symptom of the American competition problem. Maybe so but it creates a false narrative that 1) Amphetamine is used as often, 2) in the same ways & circumstances, 3) that's it's destructive to the body or mind. Notice you never heard doctors utter any of the inflammatory claims about how Adderall destroys everything it touches. Some people who never had ADHD or were *forced* to take meds as a kid decide they don't want it anymore. It's all anecdotal.

Finally, the docs starts by showing wobbly images, as if you're tripping. That's not an effect of stimulant medication -- just the opposite in fact. Nor do you zoom or sprout wings and think you can fly.

I really wish they'd had less lopsided discussion. Maybe show what it's like to experience the memory problems , constant frustration , and utter debilitating blows to one's self-esteem when you try and work very hard and nothing seems to ever go right. For years. They were obviously trying to shock and dissuade people from taking the medicine. I don't know why.. Either they shut their eyes on the facts or they never had them.

This documentary is shameful. Instead of watching this hot garbage fire, Watch "How To ADHD" on YouTube she's amazing insightful and far better at this topic.

Also stop Romanticizing my disorder.

First off, I was addicted to speed for about a year and a half. Speed is just non-pharma Adderall. I tried Addy, it was great, but way too expensive for my lifestyle. During my depression I had to make friends, do my job, get passing grades, all things I could no longer do normally. I've lived the life they're describing in the film.

Now there are a few reasons why I gave this film 2 stars.

1) It's EXTREMELY REPTITIVE

I honestly couldn't watch the first 20 minutes without being forced to skip sections of the movie. It just pounds into your head that "omg hey everyone, everyone else is doing it and you just don't know, or maybe you do cause you're in college or in business" But it's not true.

2) It exaggerates immensely

Not EVERYONE and their mother is doing it. I've been to college, and while it was a fairly conservative college, the level of abuse is so exaggerated. They act like every college kid HAS to do it and DOES do it, and that's just flat out not true. At my school in particular I would say less than 20-25% of kids have even tried Adderall.

3) It underlines this massive problem and gives no answers

It briefly skims over nootropics, and vaguely mentions "hey btw Adderall has long term effects! I guess you'll just have to guess what those are because this isn't an informative documentary, this is a shock value documentary!!!!" And that's honestly what pissed me off the most. It's not an informative documentary. It's a shock value documentary.

All they care about is spreading an exaggerated message that Adderall is being abused. Yes it's a problem. No they don't give you a solution.