I have not ever had any substance problems, cause like I said - I never had the effects my friends got so I never saw the purpose, what other saw in it, I would get the opposite, I would be sleepy calm just wanted everyone to be quiet. So because I wasn't getting the effects i believed I was supposed to be getting I never did it. I'm pretty bad at that, meds that my doctors have given me during life that where supposd to fix depression, anxiety, or when one doctor tried to say I was bipolar, (even when I told him I wish, It woild seem refreshing to me to be manic and paint and write my poetry, that I just can't seem to focus long enough to st and do it,) and gave me every mood stabalizer on earth, when it didn't work I would through them in a box, I'm sure they're still out in the garage. I don't like taking things if they don't do what I'm told they're supposed to do. And when I think about it, the straterra was prescribed by my previous psychiatrist, my new psy. has been just trying to adjust the dose and get it right, he just stuck with what I was on when I started seeing him. maybe we can't get the rgt dose, case if he gives me too high a dose, I crawl in my skin and just don't lile the agitated way I feel but then lowering it I still don't have attention, or drive to stick to or finish things I'm always starting one task and then 5 mins later I'm doing something else, and it just creates a big mess. The adderal I took that once made me calm and relaxed and tired, yet it kept the other two up all night long. again had the complete opposite effect. I stay awake all night long and haven't slept all night since I was a kid, I don't need anything to stay awake, I was enrolled in college, which I have never been able to finish, even though I get straight A's, I just never keep to it. Even with the strerra, it didn't help my attention as much as I need. I would be annouyed and agitated at every sqeeky chair, anyone talking or fidling with their phone or purse. I was constantly distracted by every little noise and I tried to sit away, but it always seemed like the ones who wanted to eat chips and fiddle with thing would sit all around me. Yes, I did change to different seats in different areas of the room, I just couldn't block out the distractions, and it's like everything is amplified 100%, yet the teacher was drowned out. So I figure even though I am smart and get straight A's, I'll never get my degree and that hurts me. So I guess I need to talk to my doc about giving another med a try, if I don't like the effects or it doesn't work it will just end up in a box somewhere. But I wanted to respond to you, Cause I've only had this diagbosis for close to 2 years and because of my past I'm not real confident in the Psychiatry field. And, I think way to many off them use bipolar as a catch all for everything. and they only spend 15 mins with you so how much can they really learn to try and find the proper diagnosis. I'm 40 and they are finally at least getting closer and I've been seeing psch's since I was in 4th grade. So any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated.