onyxensentium said:
Some good suggestions thus far except for the couple of people who recommended weed. For most people, marijuana is a very introverted drug. In fact, many regular users will find that if they're shy when smoking daily, upon cessation of use suddenly they're much more social and open. Thus I think marijuana should be avoided if you're suffering from anxiety disorders.
The best _cure_ for Social Anxiety consists of actually getting out there and being subjected to social situations daily. On your own, without a crutch. Go out every day and try to do something a little more "ballsy" than the last day. Push your limits and always try to edge your comfort zone out more and more.
You're not broken, most people worry about being in social situations. I feel you're looking for an easy answer or a magic pill, but it's a skill just like anything else and it requires practice. The irony is, once you stop caring about how others think and your social status and other such nonsense, you instantly become a more warm and compassionate person.
Compassion is the best drug for being a social butterfly. You do realize that most everyone else is suffering, right? We all have bullshit to deal with in life. How about instead of focusing on your own stupid insecurities you realize that outside of that monitor you're looking at there's hundreds of people who are hurting. They're not worried about how your hair looks like. They just want to be noticed and accepted, just like you.
Society has grown into a bunch of children (who think they're adults) worried about what they think of one another when in reality, nobody worth a shit is even considering what your social prowess is. To find yourself in this context, you have to let yourself go and turn your focus to the external world. For example, lots of guys are afraid to talk to women thinking that the girl will judge you poorly and yadda yadda.
Who do you think is more insecure about their looks, you who spends roughly 15 minutes in the mirror or the woman who often spends up to TWO HOURS every day? If you have true compassion you'll see women as very insecure goddesses that have somehow lost their true path. It's YOUR job to make them feel good about themselves, not the other way around. You should be more focused on how you make others feel, not fret over whether or not you're doing things "right." WHATEVER THAT MEANS.
Social Anxiety Disorder is a very very selfish disorder. Think about it.
^
i suggest you listen to what this guy said.
personally i was diagnosed with depression, then social anxiety, and now social phobia.
my perscription medications used in a time line order are; Zoloft, Mirtazapine, Paxil, Valium, Effexor, Risperidone, Abilify and then Dextroamphetamine.
Zoloft gave me insomia.
Mirtazapine didnt work and gave me nightmares.
Paxil worked for a while then i had to up my dose, then i tried to kill myself.
Valium worked well for anxiety but didnt make me talkative which is what i wanted (i also found myself hooked after 1 month)
Effexor was the best and what i am on now, but it has many side effects; initial insomnia then tremors and excessive sweating are the worst for me.
Risperidone went hand in hand with effexor and was good except i put on about 7 kilos within 1 week(some anti-psychotics can do this) so i stopped treatment and started on Abilify.
Abilify i feel did nothing for me, i kept having my dose increased time after time and after a while i decided to stop treatment with this drug or any other anti-psychotics for that matter.
Dextroamphetamine is relatively new to me(1 month) and i think its great, it has improved my life in more ways then i had ever imagined. i have more energy, i talk more, and my response time in general conversations has increased considerably.
now i read alot of people talking about weed, dxm, cocaine, alcohol and benzos. Personally i have tried all these drugs, but i wouldnt suggest any of them for combating your social anxiety. For me weed amplifies my anxiety, dxm sends me out of this world and i am no use to anyone especially myself, cocaine is a quick fix good for an hour max, alcohol makes me stupid and less attentive, and benzos are too addictive for long term use and when u stop taking them the anxiety comes back.
most of the drugs available are a good stepping stone to get you out of your normal thought process, but eventually your going to want to stop treatment and when you do you need to use the skills you have learnt through drug therapy to continue your life in its new and improved state. The best way to do this is to get out of your comfort zone and force yourself into social situations which cause you anxiety until you get used to it.
