Hidey Ho!

[Jax42]

Hey guys, long time lurker decided to make an account, over the years have dabbled in a fair few things although stopped for a couple years when I was staying abroad in a very anti-drugs country. Now I've been back a year and slowly experimenting again, this time though I'm more interested in stuff for helping my social anxiety. I do like to get high (who doesn't) but hopefully I can find something to help ease my anxiety with some recreational use here and there! Looking to stop drinking as its not really done me much good over the years, had a kind of wild relapse last week after being stressed from new job and went on a week long Bender of sex, drugs and alcohol (mainly weed with a little Valium etc)

I tend to ramble quite a lot and it would be impossible to get across most there is to know about me in one thread! Anything you guys wish to know just shoot! Look forward to getting to know you guys and become a part of the community ^_^ xx

 

[ComfortablyNumb95]

Hi and welcome!

I would suggest you try other methods against your social anxiety (if you already haven't).

Problem is while benzos, opiates etc. are very effective they are also just a temporary fix.
They are usually NOT a cure (never heard of anybody for example taking xanax for 2 weeks as a "treatment" and then stopping after having their anxiety cured. Maybe it happens but it certainly isn't the norm, from what I see anyway), they merely hide the symptoms for a while and then they come back sometimes even stronger. And that's not even considering the horrible physical and mental addiction and the agonizing and miserable WDs.

I would never condemn somebody for using benzos to "treat" their anxiety, I can understand that it can be very debilitating and it's very understandable to want a quick "fix", just saying that it's not a cure and you might regret it in the long run, but I'm sure you already know this and it's absolutely understandable if you decide to just get a script for diazepam or something.

Anyway, some alternatives that I always recommend and that are certainly effective and powerful are: quitting caffeine/cigarettes (stimulants that can increase your anxiety levels/make you feel overall crappy and harm your health, which is very important for your mental and phsycial wellbeing), eating healthy (always eating junk food will make you feel like shit. When I eat shit I usually feel like shit afterwards. There are also lots of benefits to a healthy diet), exercise (releases dopamine, serotonin etc., the "feel good" chemicals that are also involved in the effects of several drugs), yoga (soothes the body and the mind, can ease physical pain, helps you focus etc.), meditation (this is no new age crap, if practiced correctly every day it has lots and lots of benefits, helps you understand your mind and detach yourself from anxiety and other negative feelings. If you want PM me and I can send you a bunch of book titles about meditation if you want to understand the benefits, how it works and how to do it) and cognitive behavioural therapy (don't know much about this one but I heard it's pretty good).

Good luck and feel free to contact me if you need help!!

Also sorry for the semi-rant but I tend to do it when i'm high ahah

 

[Jax42]

Thanks for the reply! I have tried a few things in the past, such as fluoxetine but I didn't notice it helping much, and it actually made my shy bladder problem very bad (ended up in hospital not being able to pee for over a day) not sure if that was the root cause but the doctor at the hospital said it could have been the cause and was a nasty drug.

Have just been prescribed sertraline (I am making s thread in OD which I'll go into more depth) ah again my rambling takes over aha I do eat healthy and exercise (golf ^_^) I'm looking for something to help with the problem of wanting to be able to go out with friends without needing a load of alcohol to relax me >.>

Once again thanks for the reply and I'll be posting in OD to further the discussion, and no worries about semi-rant, that is what makes this community so great is he helpful information (I don't see them as rants )