Best medication for severe social anxiety/GAD?

[SarcasticCaptain]

i've already taking xanax...4 years later,started having some negative side effect,taken valium which made me kinda numb,klonopin which I loved but unfortunately did some stupid stuff on it and as of now I take ativan(lorazepam) which helps some but not like id like it too...i want something that actually makes me more social and doesnt just mildly take away some of the anxiety...like with ativan I have to take like 4mg at a time when I go out sometimes up to 6 and I noticed coffee doesnt react well with it so have to drink this herbal tea to balance me out...any suggestions....

 

[deos68]

psycho therapy/exposure therapy would do better for SAD and GAD
medicine only helps you to relax, it wont turn you into a social butterfly

i dont see how benzos would help with SAD, whenever i have to take some i feel like fucked outta my mind and sure as hell wouldnt wanna talk to anyone

 

[theGirlWithBlueHair]

Medications are usually just band aids. Unless you find one that is a good prophylactic for you and that you take regularly are maintain good blood levels of. Such as the ativan you take, that is not a good medication you take.

Now if you took that say 1mg, three times a day, and stuck with that for a week or two. It might actually work. People think these medications don't do anything because they don't let therapeutic levels accumulate in their blood for effect.

Take them correctly and maybe they would work. Let it build up in your blood. I find 1mg of klonopin tid to work perfectly against anxiety and panic attacks and when taken on schedule I don't need to worry about taking it whenever "go out" or anything as it is "always" in me.

 

[vilekitty]

I've had panic disorder and G.A.D. for 14 years now. The best medications I've found helped have been Lexapro (vivid dreams were my only side effect), Effexor (weight gain was the only side effect), and currently Wellbutrin (only side effects were a couple of nightmares within the first 2 weeks starting treatment so I'm sticking to this). All of these were accompanied with at least .5 mg of alprazolam. I feel it's best to alternate medications every 18 months or so, at least personally it's been helpful. The thing is I was always hoping the pills would change me and make me who I thought I really was. Just like the Zoloft commercials show! I hate Zoloft btw. It doesn't do anything but treat the symptoms that will recur probably on and off throughout your lifetime. The biggest difference, even more than pills, was through cbt, Cognitive behavioral therapy. Ask for a referral from your doctor that prescribes your meds. The information a therapist or counselor gives you is crucial in making the most efficient use of the meds you're on instead of just juggling pills for all eternity. You must do both and I promise you if you do take these sometimes embarrassing baby steps (I was embarrassed at first to talk to someone) they will provide you with the tools you need to become that person you know you are inside. You can't do one without the other. I tried therapy without meds and that just did the same thing. My fuse was way too short and my body wouldn't cooperate. CBT + meds are your best bet. Just my opinion and I'm no pro but I do have my masters in psychology and have been dealing with this personally for over a decade now. I wish you the best.

 

[sonicwhite]

Therapy is the key to it. I have been on klonopin for six years and Prozac is starting to do more for me then that pill does. I mean my tolerance is massive and I just feel that therapy is what you need.

 

[SarcasticCaptain]

Medications are usually just band aids. Unless you find one that is a good prophylactic for you and that you take regularly are maintain good blood levels of. Such as the ativan you take, that is not a good medication you take.

Now if you took that say 1mg, three times a day, and stuck with that for a week or two. It might actually work. People think these medications don't do anything because they don't let therapeutic levels accumulate in their blood for effect.

Take them correctly and maybe they would work. Let it build up in your blood. I find 1mg of klonopin tid to work perfectly against anxiety and panic attacks and when taken on schedule I don't need to worry about taking it whenever "go out" or anything as it is "always" in me.

as of now I take 2mg 3 times a day....says 4 times but that seems a little much,for me the longer I take them the worse side effects I experience and the 1mg isn't really helpful for anxiety......2mg helps some though...i guess i can just see how this goes for awhile as of now I still tend to get pretty bad anxiety depending on the day.But on the most part I do take my medication correctly,alot of the time a little less than im suppose too

 

[SarcasticCaptain]

Therapy is the key to it. I have been on klonopin for six years and Prozac is starting to do more for me then that pill does. I mean my tolerance is massive and I just feel that therapy is what you need.

yeah i know I need therapy but don't know if i can afford it

 

[Gunship]

yeah i know I need therapy but don't know if i can afford it

You're not the only one in that boat. I feel like they'd rather band-aid the problem and send you out the door than see if there's anything they can actually do. "Try this. No? Try this. No? Try this. No? Try this." ...and each try is almost eight weeks. My insurance will cover $200 in poison but won't cover $35 a visit so I can go talk to someone? Fine, assholes. Besides, I got you guys now.

 

[sonicwhite]

Wulp even you GAD is that bad you could get ssdi like I have and then stair step your way up back into the community. I just started going to therapy and man it makes a world of difference when benzos no longer do the trick. My problem was as soon as I quit my job crap hit the fan and I was having massive flashbacks.


So just google and see what you can come up with. There are Government places all over the United States that is if your here in the states.