She pops some pills and shuts the door to her room in order to disconnect herself from her surroundings. Not only is she shutting herself off from her roommate, but she shuts herself off from the rest of the world. In her case, it’s the only way she’ll ever get all of her homework done.

Chelsey Lass, sophomore in mathematics, has Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, more commonly known as Attention Deficit Disorder. For seven years she has taken medication to treat her disorder.

Although she has ADHD, Lass is a math major on a full-ride scholarship to Iowa State.

Lass says people with ADHD tend to “approach problems in a way no one else does” — creatively — which, Lass said, has positively impacted her success as a math major.

“Typically it’s actually really good for doing math,” she said.

When she went to the doctor seven years ago, Lass said it wasn’t to get tested for ADHD, but went to help with her “acting out” teenage problems she was having with her parents.

“I didn’t go directly to be tested for ADHD,” Lass said. “I went for typical being-a-horrible-teenager issues.”

In high school, Lass said her condition was obvious to people around her.

“When I dealt with it in high school, you could tell when I went to school if I forgot to take my meds during the day,” Lass said. “My friends, the first thing they’d do is look at me and say ‘you forgot to take your meds this morning,’ when I wouldn’t even remember it until they said anything. It was just obvious to everyone.”

Now in college, Lass is continuously dealing with the issue on her own but said her condition is under control. She said she does not always need the help from the Student Disability Resources, which is located in the Student Services Building.

“They were really good and they did really want to help, but they are used to much more severe cases than mine,” Lass said. “I’ve been dealing with mine for a long time and it’s under control. I’ve been on the same medication for three years.”

Steve Moats, director of student disability resources, said students diagnosed with the disorder are offered help at the center based on their individual needs.

“Each student has his or her own specific needs, and we work with them to develop a plan, so to speak, to help them best access ISU courses, so they can gain the information. In some cases so they can demonstrate their knowledge,” Moats said. “Depending on their individual needs they might qualify for extra time on an examination.”

Moats said that if needed they take different approaches to students taking medication for their disorder verses those who do not.

“The students who do have medication and still qualify for our services are still affected by their disability significantly, otherwise they wouldn’t be eligible for student services,” Moats said. “We still continue to work with them but much of what we do is based on our knowledge of their disability as it is presented to us through the documentation that they provided to us as well as the discussions that we have with them about how it impacts them every day.”

Lass said her medication helps her get through the school day and it also helps her to focus on her studies at night.

“I start my homework, and I put my headphones on like everyone else probably does and then I’m just like everyone else, probably even better because I can’t pull myself away from it,” Lass said, referring to her routine at night after she takes her medication.

The side effects of the medications, especially those of Ritalin, aren’t bad until it starts interrupting her dinner plans, because of how it suppresses her appetite, Lass said.

“I don’t think it’s difficult until I have to make plans around it. When I need to get stuff done some night and I take my Ritalin before that I won’t be able to eat, but if I take it after I eat, I’ll get tired,” Lass said.

Even with the side effects, Lass said she would never want to live without her medication and gets upset when people protest against behavioral medicines.

“You spend one day in my shoes without meds and then we’ll talk, because it’s not easy,” Lass said. “I don’t want to live my life without Ritalin.”

Sometimes it seems that people have treated her differently when they know about her disorder, Lass said, but overall people are very accepting because it is not something she can control.

“It’s a physical thing. You’re not going to make fun of someone because they’re in a wheelchair, so why would you look down on someone who has ADHD?” Lass said.

What is ADHD?

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder is a mental disorder that causes “impaired functioning in multiple settings, including home, school and in relationships,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The disorder has symptoms such as impulsiveness, hyperactivity and inattention. Trained professionals in the area of ADHD are the only ones who can diagnose the disorder. Treatments include behavioral therapy and different medications.

— Source: www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/index.shtml