Benzos Looking to treat my social anxiety, any success stories?

[RachaelFromFriends]

Hi. So I have an untreated social anxiety disorder for about 10 years now. I have been very against medication beforehand, however, now I am starting a new job which involves a great deal of interaction and communication and there is no shying away from the situation.

I have researched a bit about benzos, however have heard terrible stories about side effects from long-term use. I was wondering if anyone has had any success stories in curing their SAD with medications and if so what the process was like.

 

[kleinerkiffer]

Well, benzos will help short term, but for most it'll get worse in the long run.
You could try hydroxyzine, imo it's the best non benzo anti anxiety medication.
But in the long run medication is just a band aid and something like Cognitive behavioral therapy will help you way more.

 

[Tinker55]

Social anxiety is, so I understand, a variant of normal. You really don't need a pill to treat it. results are much better with a form of therapy-identifying the cause of anxiety and dealing with it.

 

[crisler]

Hi Rachel. Im recommend using medication to "learn how to cope" with your social anxiety. You dont plan on being on a med for the next 50 years do you? Use it as alearning tool. I had major depression for years. Found tramadol. Used it for 4 months as a tool to learn how to live and beat depression and when I got off I was still free of my depressio. Your mind is far more powerful than any drug you give it to hide behind. Learn what maeks you socially anxious. Are you insecure about your body? Do you lack confidence? If you use the drug whatever benzo you find that helps, I'd imagine xanax best but please, coping with your social anxiety is better than withdrawing from years of benzo use, use the drug to learn how to beat this social anxiety not to help you hide behind it.

Best of luckk. Id advise staying away from benzos. Tackle what makes yousocially anxious in the first place. You will regret coming off of ANY benzo. Dont say noone warned you. Stay safe.

 

[eye dew Things]

I agree with all the posters above...Mainly the addiction/tolerance that is very real with benzos. And withdrawal is EXTREMLY horrid. BUT, I also have GAD and Social anxiety, as in 0 friends. When I take my preferred Benzo Etizolam and I'm a completely different person. Happy, No guilt, No worry. Not much of a high but people who truly have anxiety will be their ultimate medication. If you stay strict and don't abuse, they can change lives.

They have mine, but I'm addicted as well.... Benzodiazapens , The 1 true double edged sword.

 

[drewbocop]

Kratom. /thread

Edit: I felt like a dick with that reply.

So I recommend kratom because I went through many years of my life using various hard and soft drugs to cope with being the party animal I wanted to be. I've been using kratom since 2008 on and off. It makes me a workhorse and a social god in public. You also become comfortable being out of your comfort zone and that's the most important step. When the time comes and you either can no longer get it or you just want to stop buying the stuff, do a taper and see if you can still perform just as well now that you've established yourself in your environment. I'd try a more relaxing strain like an Indo over more stimulating strains like Maeng Da or other Thais, as they may exacerbate your anxiety temporarily.

On top of it all, there are no serious repercussions unless you're taking monster doses every day, and even then, it's not all that serious of a withdrawal. It certainly isn't even in the same ball park as benzos, which I highly recommend you do NOT use as a coping mechanism because it leads no place you want to go.

 

[Felonious Monk]

Have you ever tried talk therapy?

Starting benzos for my social anxiety was a terrible decision. Gave no immediate benefits that a sugar pill (or Inderal) wouldn't have given and it gave me plenty of negative consequences. Getting off was also really shitty.

Some people will come in telling you they're a lifesaver, but I'd be willing to bet that if those people had gotten comprehensive mental health coverage that they actually engaged with then benzos wouldn't have been necessary long-term. In MOST cases. Anxiety is a terrible affliction and some people are just unable to manage it successfully.

 

[RachaelFromFriends]

As I mentioned previously, medication for me is last resort. I have been booked in for therapy in two weeks but am a bit sceptical since this is something I've had most of my life. For me my SAD is situational. In certain situations I panic, I can't speak, I stutter, I don't know how to use language anymore, I get flustered. I have tried to talk to myself in this situations and change my pattern of thinking but there's too much going on for me to do that so I just freeze. Consequently, I have avoided those situations where I knew my SAD would peak. I am looking for something I do not have to take long-term and something I can combine with therapy. My goal is to cure my SAD and not try and mask it. I know that facing my "fearful" situations is the only way to actually better my SAD, but I believe I cannot face them without medication, as my reaction would traumatise me and seclude me even more. I therefore want to use the medication to face those situations and learn how to cope in them.

In this case, I would not want something I have to take daily, but rather situational. Is there anything that you can take whenever in extreme situations?

 

[deruyityn]

Look up erythrina mulungu. It has been shown to have same efficacy as bezoes without any withdrawal.

Unfortunately for me I have a phobia of taking new substances so have been too scared to try it.

As I mentioned previously, medication for me is last resort. I have been booked in for therapy in two weeks but am a bit sceptical since this is something I've had most of my life. For me my SAD is situational. In certain situations I panic, I can't speak, I stutter, I don't know how to use language anymore, I get flustered. I have tried to talk to myself in this situations and change my pattern of thinking but there's too much going on for me to do that so I just freeze. Consequently, I have avoided those situations where I knew my SAD would peak. I am looking for something I do not have to take long-term and something I can combine with therapy. My goal is to cure my SAD and not try and mask it. I know that facing my "fearful" situations is the only way to actually better my SAD, but I believe I cannot face them without medication, as my reaction would traumatise me and seclude me even more. I therefore want to use the medication to face those situations and learn how to cope in them.

In this case, I would not want something I have to take daily, but rather situational. Is there anything that you can take whenever in extreme situations?

 

[Felonious Monk]

In this case, I would not want something I have to take daily, but rather situational. Is there anything that you can take whenever in extreme situations?

Inderal. It's blood pressure medication but it's what kept me off benzos when I came back to my stressful (previously drug using) situation to finish college. It won't hit the mental anguish of anxiety, but it lessens the physical symptoms (skin crawling, jumpiness, high BP, high heart rate) enough that you can deal with the mental yourself. THAT'S how to "cure anxiety, not just cover it up." I speak from experience--I used to be prescribed 20mg Valium and 4mg Xanax /day, but I haven't taken those for panic in over 6 years. Inderal got me through the transition back and now I don't even take that more than 1/month.

If you're seeing a Psychiatrist they should know about the use of beta blockers for anxiety.

 

[eye dew Things]

Kratom. /thread

Edit: I felt like a dick with that reply.

So I recommend kratom because I went through many years of my life using various hard and soft drugs to cope with being the party animal I wanted to be. I've been using kratom since 2008 on and off. It makes me a workhorse and a social god in public. You also become comfortable being out of your comfort zone and that's the most important step. When the time comes and you either can no longer get it or you just want to stop buying the stuff, do a taper and see if you can still perform just as well now that you've established yourself in your environment. I'd try a more relaxing strain like an Indo over more stimulating strains like Maeng Da or other Thais, as they may exacerbate your anxiety temporarily.

On top of it all, there are no serious repercussions unless you're taking monster doses every day, and even then, it's not all that serious of a withdrawal. It certainly isn't even in the same ball park as benzos, which I highly recommend you do NOT use as a coping mechanism because it leads no place you want to go.

You're so right. My Kratom will be in in the morning. I can work and smile all day on my MaengDa or Green Vein Borneo. It's an excellent antidepressant, I get very chatty as well. Always take mine with coffee. Sorry off topic, but I had to agree

 

[Znegative]

Social anxiety is, so I understand, a variant of normal. You really don't need a pill to treat it. results are much better with a form of therapy-identifying the cause of anxiety and dealing with it.

I see your point here, but I think these statements are a little unfair. Some people do need medication, some need benzodiazepines, and some may need to be on them for a long time. It's not ideal, but life rarely is. If someone is suffering from anxiety to a degree that their life has become complete shit, than I think benzodiazepines are a viable option.

But in general, benzodiazepines usually end up doing more harm than good, if you ever want to get off of them. I've found that I can get consistent and adequate anxiolytic effects from 2mg of clonazepam a day, as long as I don't deviate from this dose. If you are going to go down the benzo path, I would not consider alprazolam, but something longer acting like Diazepam or Clonazepam.

 

[Eveleivibe]

Hi. So I have an untreated social anxiety disorder for about 10 years now. I have been very against medication beforehand, however, now I am starting a new job which involves a great deal of interaction and communication and there is no shying away from the situation.

I have researched a bit about benzos, however have heard terrible stories about side effects from long-term use. I was wondering if anyone has had any success stories in curing their SAD with medications and if so what the process was like.

Have you tried Cognitive Behavoural Therapy? That's good for CBT. It's good for looking at thoughts n associated behaviours x

Also some people have benefited from antidepressants.

Evey

 

[SixBuckets]

Mine has been more or less successfully controlled by antipsychotics, but you don't want to go there unless you have a mental illness that requires the use of antipsychotics. They're great things in the right circumstances, but not to be used lightly.

Even with those, it's never completely gone.

Social anxiety is, so I understand, a variant of normal. You really don't need a pill to treat it. results are much better with a form of therapy-identifying the cause of anxiety and dealing with it.

Having glucose in your blood is also normal, but too much of it is considered a serious illness requiring treatment.

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

I use to have really bad social anxiety (I still have it but not nearly as bad) and in my situation the only thing that helped was facing people and working with them.

Two years ago when I first started the job I'm currently at I was a wreck. I wouldn't respond to people asking me questions, would have panic attacks regularly, avoid contact with others, etc. It was very hard to live with that anxiety everyday but the more I interacted with people the less anxious I became. It was a very gradual change and im still not nearly as outgoing as I'd like to be but I can function comfortably around people now.

I didn't do it completely on my own, I got one of my friends hired in during the last year and he helped me as well. I also had my escape through occasional opiate and alcohol use but I was never high or buzzed at work. I use to think I was a basket case but I found relief, maybe you aren't entirely the same but I'm sure you can do it. Good luck and don't let anxiety defeat you.

 

[Man in the Dark]

As I mentioned previously, medication for me is last resort. I have been booked in for therapy in two weeks but am a bit sceptical since this is something I've had most of my life. For me my SAD is situational. In certain situations I panic, I can't speak, I stutter, I don't know how to use language anymore, I get flustered. I have tried to talk to myself in this situations and change my pattern of thinking but there's too much going on for me to do that so I just freeze. Consequently, I have avoided those situations where I knew my SAD would peak. I am looking for something I do not have to take long-term and something I can combine with therapy. My goal is to cure my SAD and not try and mask it. I know that facing my "fearful" situations is the only way to actually better my SAD, but I believe I cannot face them without medication, as my reaction would traumatise me and seclude me even more. I therefore want to use the medication to face those situations and learn how to cope in them.

In this case, I would not want something I have to take daily, but rather situational. Is there anything that you can take whenever in extreme situations?

My my wife has social anxiety and use to have to give presentations to large groups of people not daily but every month or so. She would take either a small dose of Klonopin or Xanax and after some time she became more confident and did not need take benzos ever again. I am not advocating you start benzo's but it is possible to use them without becoming addicted.

I wouldn't recommend using them daily, but maybe one a week until you get comfortable. My wife hates pills and won't even take an Advil unless it was completely necessary but her SAD was so bad she had no choice. Now she gets up there still slightly nervous but not paralyzed with fear.

Good luck whith the new job.

 

[belfort]

Social anxiety is, so I understand, a variant of normal. You really don't need a pill to treat it. results are much better with a form of therapy-identifying the cause of anxiety and dealing with it.

in the successful cass ive read about, therapy AND medication is needed, not just one..often it takes quite some time to find the right medication..

benzos help my social anxiety very much BUT they cause cognitive problems and make me feel sluggish and tired..im not sure if benzos are the answer long term for social anxiety...

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

Don't use illegal drugs, or even alcohol and prescribed Dexedrine. Some people find low doses of SSRIs to be helpful along with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Also, just telling people you are shy and nervous and forcing yourself into social situations can help. Good luck.

 

[belfort]

I use to have really bad social anxiety (I still have it but not nearly as bad) and in my situation the only thing that helped was facing people and working with them.

Two years ago when I first started the job I'm currently at I was a wreck. I wouldn't respond to people asking me questions, would have panic attacks regularly, avoid contact with others, etc. It was very hard to live with that anxiety everyday but the more I interacted with people the less anxious I became. It was a very gradual change and im still not nearly as outgoing as I'd like to be but I can function comfortably around people now.

I didn't do it completely on my own, I got one of my friends hired in during the last year and he helped me as well. I also had my escape through occasional opiate and alcohol use but I was never high or buzzed at work. I use to think I was a basket case but I found relief, maybe you aren't entirely the same but I'm sure you can do it. Good luck and don't let anxiety defeat you.

i also faced my socil anxiety head on to by working around groups and my SA lessened a little but its still there to a large degree..mmuch depends on how severe your SA is.some people cant look others in the eye, others cant check their mail when people are outside etc etc..

 

[Eveleivibe]

Mine has been more or less successfully controlled by antipsychotics, but you don't want to go there unless you have a mental illness that requires the use of antipsychotics. They're great things in the right circumstances, but not to be used lightly.

Even with those, it's never completely gone.



Having glucose in your blood is also normal, but too much of it is considered a serious illness requiring treatment.

Your argument makes sense however most physical ailments can only be treated by physical meams or with some time of medication - there's no way of talking your way out of them

Whereas for mental health issues such as anxiety, therapies such as CBT are ecidence-based. Anxiety is often based on an irrational fear (phobia) n by helping the client find out what this is will help stop or weaken the anxietu.

So for instance, A is extremely anxiouss. She has social anxiety but when did this start n what triggered it? Ler's say A had a huge panic attack in public. From then onwards she became anxious n it got to the point she was so frightened to talk to anyone, meet anyone or go in crowded places.

What's her thought process?

"I can't go in there to crowded."
"You're going to have a panic attack or you'll embarrass yourself it happemed before remember?"

As a result physical symptoms clammy hands, fidgeting, heart beats fast in chest.
Result. Will like go home.

CBT aims to challenge those thoughts in order to stop the anxiety. For ecample,

"I'm going to have a panic attack"
Rationalising: why are you going to have a panic attack?
"I had one last time I was here I know I'm going to have another one I know it"
Rationalising question: so how many times have you been here before the panic attack?
"Lots"
Rationalising so you've been many times n been fine n only one time had a panic attack? What makes you think the experience of the PA be repeated compared with so many experiences here where you were fine n never experienced a PA?

Obviously CBT is not as simple as that but it's an example medication such as SSRIs may help as a short term method but you really need to address the root cause of your anxiety in order to conquer it. Meds merely paper over the cracks.

Can I ask have you spoke to your doctor about this n asked them what s/he can do to help you?

Good luck

Evey