A new study says an alarming number of college students are turning to prescription stimulants to keep up with the demands of school work.

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids found that one in five college students admit to abusing prescription stimulants to deal with their hectic schedules.

The majority of students surveyed who use the stimulants named Adderall and Ritalin as their drugs of choice. Both are commonly prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

The survey found half of the users took the drugs to improve their academic performance. Another large group claimed the drugs helped them stay awake. A quarter of the students admitted that the medications improved their work performance at a job.

According to the survey, a quarter of the college students who have been legally prescribed these stimulants admit to sharing their medicine with friends. More than half of them say they are pressured by friends into sharing or selling their drugs.

Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, of the Family and Children's Association, says once a student begins to abuse a drug as a way to focus, they could become dependent upon it.