Currently, there is again a larger discussion regarding the topic of “Adderall”. The medication is prescribed in the USA for the treatment of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), but contains amphetamines. Accordingly, it is often abused in e-sports for performance enhancement.
What is Adderall? While in Germany the concentration-enhancing medication “Ritalin” is primarily prescribed for ADHD diagnoses, in the USA people tend to use Adderall.
What is the problem with the medication? Unlike Ritalin, Adderall contains amphetamines. These are synthetic stimulants that are used for performance enhancement. Amphetamines are also used in party drugs, often referred to as “speed” in Germany.
It is abused as a “smart drug”: Adderall promotes concentration and keeps one awake. However, abusing the drug poses a variety of health risks, ranging from seizures and tremors to muscle breakdown and kidney failure, as well as strokes, depression, and chronic psychoses.
At MeinMMO, our expertise lies in video games, not in pharmacy. For more information on Adderall, you should consult a physician you trust.
The medications are prescription-only. From my own experience, I know how difficult ADHD diagnoses can be. There is no test strip that clearly shows whether one suffers from the disorder. One relies on psychological tests. I was also prescribed Ritalin as a child, although I never suffered from ADHD.
If one is determined, one gets the prescription. The current discussion shows the extent of abuse in e-sports, and players are calling for a ban on such medications in official e-sports events.
What do e-sports athletes say about the topic? The trigger for the new discussion was a tweet from “@ImperialHal” on Twitter. ImperialHal plays the shooter Apex Legends for “Team Solo Mid” (TSM). He writes:
Tweet translation: “When will Adderall be banned in e-sports? Some of us are playing for six-figure prize pools. Organizers should take the initiative and create a better competitive environment”.
The tweet went through the scene, was viewed over 3 million times, and gathered hundreds of comments. Some e-sports athletes shared their experiences, such as former professional player Jon Kefaloukos:
Been saying this literally since 2007 when I walked into the bathroom at MLG events and felt sick to my stomach seeing pro Halo players snorting adderall as a performance enhancing drug for gaming…
— Jon Kefaloukos 🇬🇷 (@Falloutt) March 6, 2023
Never once took it as a pro & lose immediate respect for those who do
Tweet translation: “I have been saying this since 2007. Back then, I walked into a bathroom at an MLG event because I felt sick. While there, I saw Halo players snorting Adderall as a performance-enhancing drug for gaming”.
The tweet shows how long the problem has existed. Some consider it an “open secret” that it is quite normal to abuse Adderall in e-sports. We have already published several articles on this topic on MeinMMO:
- Pro says: Many in the Overwatch League are on Adderall
- A former CoD pro spills the beans: The e-sports scene is addicted to Adderall
Even e-sports journalist Jack Lucky got involved and quickly organized an interview with a Fortnite pro on the topic:
The assessment of the active pro: The use of Adderall in e-sports is very widespread. He knows players who are prescribed Adderall and triple their dose on a tournament day.
The older the players are, the more abuse occurs. In his Fortnite environment, many have been prescribed Adderall or are using prescriptions from others to get the medication.
The older one is, the more likely one knows methods to obtain Adderall otherwise. The pro believes that in games like Valorant or Counter-Strike, the abuse has become significantly stronger.
Some measures are already being taken against the abuse. For example, Counter-Strike has introduced random drug testing in its highest divisions (via esports.net). However, this is only for the highest divisions. Everything below the top level is still under-regulated or not regulated at all.
This is certainly a controversial topic. If one aims for a ban, it might exclude players for whom the medication is genuinely helpful. If everything remains as it is, little will change regarding the abuse of Adderall in e-sports.
Even one of the largest Twitch streamers once shared what influence Adderall had on him: Twitch streamer says his life was built around a concentration drug.
What is your stance on the issue – to ban or not? Have you had similar experiences with such concentration-enhancing substances, perhaps in school or during studies? Leave a comment on the topic.
