Assignment: Read one chapter out of the textbook. Sounds simple enough. I open up my psychology textbook and delve in to the exciting and interesting neuroscience and behavior chapter – and then it happens. I’ll read an entire paragraph, page, maybe even chapter, without having an actual clue to what I just read.

This doesn’t happen just once, nor does it happen with just one topic. I don’t understand why, but I can’t seem to organize my thoughts. This problem persisted throughout high school.

I finally went to a psychiatrist a month before college started. I didn’t want this problem to affect me in such a crucial time of my life.

I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a condition characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. To treat ADHD, a majority of psychiatrists prescribe Adderall.

Being prescribed Adderall isn’t something to be looked down upon or condemned. People with ADHD have an actual problem. The people without ADHD who take Adderall make those of us with the actual disorder look bad.

When I was prescribed Adderall, I didn’t want to tell anyone for the simple fact that I didn’t want to be wrongly judged.

I was most afraid to tell the person closest to me. I already knew he didn’t think that ADHD was a real disorder. He believes it’s a result of the popularity of technology in our generation. His idea is that everything is already at such a fast pace that when things aren’t, people tend to stray from focusing on the important things.

ADHD has this horrible stigma attached to it that it isn’t a real disorder and people just use it as a sort of cop-out for being lazy and inefficient. However, it still doesn’t match up with the scientific evidence related to ADHD.

An ADHD brain lacks dopamine and norepinephrine in the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the front part of the brain that regulates attention and behavior. Adderall is used to improve focus in the prefrontal cortex. To do this, levels of the neurotransmitters, norepinephrine and dopamine, are increased.

According to helpguide.org, people who suffer from ADHD have a general lack of focus in their everyday lives. Problems like forgetfulness, disorganization and emotional difficulties are key factors.

Some people without this disorder assume everybody has the symptoms, and anyone who’s smart enough can overcome these problems.

I told one of my friends about my diagnosis and she blatantly said to me, “Anybody can ‘have ADHD.’ You know you can focus. Cut the crap.”

People without ADHD can also suffer from these symptoms. However, the difference is that people with this disorder have a chronic impairment. Not a day goes by that they don’t struggle with the daunting effects of ADHD.

Having this stigma attached to ADHD can make people that have the real, chronic symptoms feel like they shouldn’t even bother getting it checked out. For the longest time I didn’t want to get assessed because I didn’t want people to think I was lazy and couldn’t do anything for myself.

Being dependent on a drug to get through the simple stuff can feel unfair and just downright embarrassing. Add the rude comments that come with the stigma, and you’ll sense that it’s easier to just not tell anyone.

Aside from the shame and harsh comments, being diagnosed and treated is one of the best things that’s happened to me. Before I took Adderall, it seemed almost every time I set something down, 10 minutes later I couldn’t find it for the life of me.

I also couldn’t focus in class, which affected my understanding of the assignments and later on, the grades on my tests. As my peers succeeded without trying, I couldn’t understand why I was unable to do half of what they could.

Now that I am on Adderall, paying attention isn’t even something I have to try to do; it just comes naturally. I still lose my keys, but not nearly as often. And now, the motivation to do my homework is through the roof with my newfound focus.

All that being said, there are many people (especially on college campuses) who take Adderall for non-medical reasons. There are two sorts of people that take this drug for the wrong reasons. And these types of people cause the highly misconstrued stigma of ADHD and the medical use of Adderall.

We’ve got the high-functioning, over-achievers who take it to improve their performance even more. A normal person is awake 16 hours in a day, but for these types of people, 16 hours just aren’t enough. Taking this drug adds more efficient hours into their day.

Then we’ve got the lazy kids who can’t seem to do anything until the last minute. They’ll do what it takes to make that “last minute” as productive as possible. The procrastinators take these drugs in order to catch up in a short amount of time.

Say it’s midnight on the night before a 10-page paper is due and all you have is an introduction paragraph; this is when the procrastinator would take an Adderall. With this, he or she will lose any desire to sleep, eat or just be distracted in general. His full focus will be on the paper.

Even though this may sound like an awesome way to get things done, taking Adderall while not diagnosed with ADHD can be very harmful. Adderall’s main ingredient is amphetamine salts, which are the same substances found in drugs like meth. And just like meth, these substances can soon become an addiction.

Adderallabuse.net states that abusing Adderall to the point of addiction can cause schizophrenia or paranoia. These symptoms can continue long after the use of the drug has stopped.

So yes, the stigma about ADHD and Adderall is a huge, ugly thing, but it should be a thing of the past. If people believe in this stigma, they’ll be less likely to get assessed for the disorder if they notice symptoms. ADHD is as real as any other psychological disorder and should not be ignored or looked down upon.

The Own It Project focuses on the fact that even if you are an adult, ADHD doesn’t always go away. If symptoms are noticed, a doctor should reassess them. The Own It Project has videos and advertisements with successful celebrities like Adam Levine to illustrate how ADHD shouldn’t hold anyone back or be tucked away without treatment.

The Own It campaign is beneficial because it lets adults know that ADHD happens. If you have it, you should own it; it’s a part of you. ADHD is just as much a part of you as is the color of your skin, but, like race, it’s not something that should define you.

Untreated ADHD can cause other disorders like depression and anxiety. It can also lead to difficulty holding jobs, staying married and raising children.

If you think you may have ADHD you can log onto www.ownitproject.com and check out their resources that explain the disorder in more depth. They also have an online quiz that can assess you. However, you can’t be fully sure that you have this disorder until a doctor assesses you. You can do here on campus at the Psychological Consultation Center.

Having ADHD is hard enough without the stigma adding pressure. So please, cut the crap and know what you’re talking about before you attack someone.

Samee Callahan is a freshman journalism and art major. Follow her on Twitter @sameecallie and reach her at opinion@dailynebraskan.com.