The rising use of cognitive enhancement drugs and predictors of use during COVID-19: findings from a cross-sectional survey of students and university staff in the UK.
Frontiers in psychology January 1, 2024 Jamie L Tully, Oliver Bridge, Joseph Rennie et al. 3 citations
During the first year of COVID-19 social restrictions (March 2020–February 2021), use of psychoactive substances for cognitive enhancement rose significantly among UK university students and staff compared to the previous year. Modafinil use increased by 42%, nutraceuticals by 30.2%, and microdose LSD by 22.2%. Polydrug use with modafinil and other prescription stimulants also rose. Personality factors—particularly lower agreeableness, male gender identity, and lower conscientiousness—reliably predicted use, while academic self-efficacy and student/staff status did not. The authors suggest increased pressures from lockdown and reduced access to university resources drove the rise.