Benzodiazepines for Social Anxiety

[fostersmith12]

I have absolutely terrible social anxiety, and have been on plenty of medications for it (SSRIs, Wellbutrin, Buspar). SSRIs produce negative sexual side effects, Wellbutrin made me a bit of a zombie, and Buspar just didn't really do much of anything. How common is it that benzodiazepines are used to treat social anxiety? Does the anxiety have to be episodic for a prescription? (Mine isn't exactly episodic, it stays pretty even throughout the day with flare-ups in embarrassing situations.)

Also, I know benzos have high abuse and dependency potential. Considering my psychiatrist knows about my drug history, I doubt that he'll prescribe. He's also fairly conservative with meds as it is. However, I wondered if any of you had any advice on how to get a legitimate script. I want to stress that I DO NOT WANT A PRESCRIPTION FOR ABUSE. I just want my anxiety to get better, and I don't know how to let my doctor know that I'm ready to try benzos. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

Don't ask for how to get drugs in ANY capacity here. We're not going to tell you what to say, how to find a lenient doctor or anything else and anyone who wants to, this is your warning.

With the dickishness out of the way, I can now proceed

Benzodiazepines are certainly used to treat social anxiety. Sometimes they are prescribed PRN (as needed) and sometimes they are prescribed regularly depending on the severity, frequency, history, doctors prescribing preferences and 16 dozen other factoring variables.

Some doctors are lenient and will prescribe round-the-clock doses indefinitely while others will be hesitant to use them at all. As people on here can attest to, in the majority of cases where people use benzodiazepines daily for years, it usually ends up not being worth it in the long run. Aside from the physical and psychological dependence, the use often exacerbates the anxiety itself.

Ideally, the best use is to take them for a brief period while working with a professional to get to the root of the anxiety and find alternative, more sustainable ways to cope with it or treat it. Personally, I'm a big proponent of CBT and DBT but there are many options out there.

 

[fostersmith12]

Thank you. I was fairly sure that I was going to get some sort of warning for posting this, but I did anyway. I didn't see it as asking how to get drugs per se (and I've seen plenty of threads closed for this), but regardless, I apologize. Thanks again for the help.

 

[Methadone84]

They dont give out benzo prescriptions anymore it seems. They'll only give you a script for like if u have a presentation or something where you will only use it for a single event.

 

[Methadone84]

Ativan works AMAZING for social anxiety in my experience. But sometimes what they tell you to take isnt enough to make the Social anxiety go away.

 

[Supeudol]

^^ Yes I find Ativan (Lorazepam) to be more effective in treating certain Anxiety than I do Xanax. Xanax (Alprazolam) I find is more for panic attacks and is very short lasting. Ativan (Lorazepam) on the other hand is intermediate acting and is a potent benzo targeting different sections of the GABA-A Receptor.

If you read on Wikipedia it states as if Ativan is almost more potent than Xanax by the way they are talking. But on a mg to mg basis Alprazolam 1mg = 20mg of Diazepam. Which I still find hard to believe, I think maybe 15mg of Diazepam.

Anyway to the OP - sorry to hijack your thread. But before benzo's, have you tried Cipralex or (Lexapro) in the United States? I've been on several SSRI's and currently on an SSNRI (Effexor) which I want to get off because its not helping. But if you have tired Lexapro with no results.

For Social Anxiety, before benzo's (Since they are such a bad road ahead) I would try Atarax (Hydroxyzine) 25mg-100mg/day depending on how you react to the antihistamine.

 

[TheLostBoys]

Doctors will prescribe a benzo after you've tried several anti-depressants w/o any help. The question is will your doctor prescribe you a benzo knowing your drug addicted history.

 

[Methadone84]

Doctors will prescribe a benzo after you've tried several anti-depressants w/o any help. The question is will your doctor prescribe you a benzo knowing your drug addicted history.

some doctors will never give you a benzo no matter what. My sister has been through like 6 different SSRIs without ever trying a benzo. You'd think they'd get the point

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ get what point? That medication alone doesn't fix anxiety and other interventions that address the root problem are necessary?

or that benzodiazepines when used beyond a very brief, time-limited period are known to exacerbate symptoms and cause other problems?

 

[Seven-One-Eight]

whatever you do avoid these for any longer than 1-2 months no matter what anyone says... if your doctor is the type to hand them out for years and years, i promise you that in the long term you will pay dearly. your problems will be exacerbated and that's not even getting into the hell that is benzo withdrawal when you decide to come off after a long period of usage

 

[laCster]

sometimes benzos have paradoxic effects for me, and make the anxiety worse...i find lyrica to be the most effective for social anxiety because it isn't that sedating and makes me talk my mouth off

 

[Methadone84]

^ get what point? That medication alone doesn't fix anxiety and other interventions that address the root problem are necessary?

or that benzodiazepines when used beyond a very brief, time-limited period are known to exacerbate symptoms and cause other problems?

they dont get the point that no SSRI is going to work if youve gone through 6 different ones already

 

[laCster]

they dont get the point that no SSRI is going to work if youve gone through 6 different ones already

it depends on the doctor, some will give you benzos on the first visit and some will never give you anything...you gotta do some shopping ...and for some people SSRI's work but for me they didn't do shitt

 

[Gen. Concensus]

Just a thought..maybe the other drugs are what is causing the anxiety. I know certain substances cause me to have social anxiety and if you stop taking some drugs causes depression! Have you been diagnosed with anxiety dis-orders? I have been on Lexapro, wellbutrin, buspar and I agree with you. They just dont seem to work for me. I have taken xanax for years ( I dont recommend any of these), I think benzo's and anti-depressants, both s/be prescribed short term. Doesn't anybody ever worry, that if anti=depressants aren't addictive; then why do we have to taper? Maybe you should either talk to a GP or go to a therapist

 

[Methadone84]

it depends on the doctor, some will give you benzos on the first visit and some will never give you anything...you gotta do some shopping ...and for some people SSRI's work but for me they didn't do shitt

Ive never met someone in real life where SSRIs worked for them. Not 1 person.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ have you met thousands and thousands of people who tried SSRI's for anxiety, controlled for confounding variables and analyzed the results using precise scales? The FDA has overseen that happening so I tend to trust their process for approving a new indication over the people some random guy named "methadone84" says he met on a drug forum.

 

[Thou]

Seems to me in this thread no one is arguing against prescribing benzo's in the short-term.

Why not advocate them then?

Why not ask your doctor for a two week scrip that you can renew after 6 weeks? Thereby eliminating the cause for alarm concerning dependence, and in the interim, something better suited for your needs?

I've been taking benzo's on and off in the interim for several years, much like how I've described above.

You're better off with something like gabapentin, lyrica, baclofen, phenibut, or better yet:

CBT, Hypnosis, and/or all of the above.

I've been dealing with anxiety my entire adult life. I'm now 26.

Hope this helps.

 

[TheLostBoys]

Imo & from what ive seen from the people that have tried SSRI's. they dont help many people but if you're turning to a benzo to fulfill something an SSRI's cant give you, it might be a hard fought road threw addiction of a benzo.


Imo, benzos are a great medication provided to help someone for a while but not to be abused forever & thats where some people go wrong in using benzos for years on end. Benzos should be used as a tool with other methods of curing your anxiety.

 

[Methadone84]

^ have you met thousands and thousands of people who tried SSRI's for anxiety, controlled for confounding variables and analyzed the results using precise scales? The FDA has overseen that happening so I tend to trust their process for approving a new indication over the people some random guy named "methadone84" says he met on a drug forum.

well looks like they their results were inconclusive. because the small amount of people it does work for is probably something else that helped them. like a placebo or something

 

[Gen. Concensus]

Well at one time, studies showed that cigarettes were not only Kool (haha), but a healthy pass-time. I think the FDA is, no doubt, critical to U.S. consumer protection, but their "findings" have always shown favorablely towards "Big Business" (my opinion). Actually, I believe I read in BL's drug studies threads' an interesting article called "Opiates Past Present and Future". Where opiates similar to Buprenorphine could replace SSRI's, SSNRI's , MAOI's,etc as ways to treat depression and anxiety someday. In this particular study, the writers refer to the possibility that the FDA might not support the "stats" due to the stigma of opiates as a "bad thing"! All I am saying is benzo's being a "bad thing" is much like the opiates in this discussion!! Opinions are purely subjective and my interruptation of the "article" is as well. WhooWee, I think I'll take a xanax and go to bed..lol Have pity on me, I'm new on the scene