What is the best thing to take for Social Anxiety

I've had it all my life but I've always tried to deal with it on my own, I'm starting to wake up and realize its not working, I havent had a real relationship in 3 years, and I constantly over analyze stuff and stay quiet in conversations. What is the best thing to take for this? Is there anything over the counter? I want to go to a psychiatrist but I fear they would give me the wrong thing or something if I opened up to them about my occasional drug use.

 

I'd just try to work on social skills over medications. If you are beyond this point and still need help I'd look into medicines of the Benzo class, I also suggest staying away from SSRI medications if they suggest them.

Good luck

 

i got it too man. i know where ur coming from, just get yourself out there and find some cool people that have alot of stuff in common with you, makes it easier to find stuff to talk about.

 

My serious answer, Marijuana.

 

I actually do use that, mostly by myself, and it has helped me some, at least it's helped me realize my faults and what I need to work on. You mean like using it before a social situation though? I've been afraid to try that, but maybe I should experiment it might make me more open in the conversation.

 

bro, there isnt anything weed cant cure. just smoke an L and relax.

 

well things like amphetamines will help you greatly ... its like bein drunk but your completly sober... you loose your inhibition

 

Alcohol generally works for everyone. Especially me.

 

Don't do that.

 

I was suffering severe social anxiety until a few months ago. Taking 10-20mg diazepam daily helped, but it did leave me quite zoned out which wasnt good for university. Amphetamines help short term, as do most DARI's but will make things much worse over time. I eventually stopped smoking weed daily, and altogether, and started exercising. I feel much better now. My advice would be to find a psychiatrist you feel comfortable with, one that you can talk about your drug use with and start exercising. Stop taking any drugs for a couple of months and see how that goes.

If you want a quick fix though Id reccomend diazepam (Valium). I found it left me more functional than alprazolam (Xanax) and lasts longer.

 

i have social anxiety disorder,
major depression,
and social phobia.

i am on zoloft and on a typical day,
it reduces my symptoms significantly.

i have read that marijuana does have medicinal value in the aid against depression
but
i've never heard of using it for anxiety of any kind.

personally,
i stay on the legal and safe side
and stick to counseling/therapy and prescription drugs,
seeing as most anti-depressnts are intended for anxiety disorders also.

good luck finding security, RandomOne.
i know that its been one of the hardest things for me to do.

much love :]

 

i have social anxiety and weed makes it a million times worse. if you're stuck inside yourself, i don't see how it would help...

a major breakthrough for me was when i started taking ecstasy. not as medication, but as a therapeutic experience that can open you up and show you new ways of thinking and being.

i've taken a few different medications... adderall is really helpful, but if you use too much for too long it can increase anxiety and paranoia. i took prozac but didn't find that it helped enough and i didn't want to get stuck on it so i stopped taking it... but for some people it is a life saver.

don't tell any doctor about your drug use. i have a really cool, open minded therapist, but if you don't you can get stuck on crappy medication because they don't want you to have anything that can possibly be used for fun.

 

wow ive seen anxious people claim drugs are their only key to open relationships with people. they ended up displaying addiction to a wide range of chemicals. Not that it will happen to you, but this mindset is one that in itself can lead rationally to a bad conclusion

 

I would definitely NOT recommend weed. It will make you ten times worse.

I was in and out of therapy and prescribed a number of different medications for my social anxiety for years. What worked for me was a combination of ecstasy and mushrooms. (Over a period of time, not at the same time.)

Honestly, I could have gotten to the point I'm at now with just plain hard work, but the drugs made it happen a lot quicker.

 

i think things like social anxiety can be used as an excuse for a person to take drugs or a scapegoat for qualities that they have control over but would rather not deal with... but i also think that a lot of people have serious problems that they struggle with every day, and if something helps, it's ok to use it. i don't know if anyone knows for sure whether these problems are chemical, psychological, or emotional, where they come from, or how to handle them. but generally, i think mental illness in any form should be respected, and accepted as valid. it's very real to the person experiencing it. if what helps is a drug, and the drug has potential for abuse or could be harmful, there should be other forms of treatment so that the drug isn't all the person has to hold on to. if the drug is subtler (like an SSRI, or strattera, something that you don't feel right away), it's a little safer to take the drug and not do anything else to solve the problems. in the end i guess you have to decide for yourself whether it's worse to live with the pain you feel without the drug or to live with the pain an addiction would bring. honestly, for some people who are completely disabled by their problems, managing an addiction is a lot easier.

 

great input, prismatism.
i can definitely see how someone who hasn't suffered a mental illness would think
that its all in [their] head..
that [they] only want attention..
or that thats just the way [they] are.
--[they] being the mentally ill.

i like the way you said
"...i think mental illness in any form should be respected, and accepted as valid."

i don't think people understand the obstacle,
the virtual "cage" a person with a mental illness is in,
whether it be anxiety of any form, depression, Bipolar Disorder, OCD, schizophrenia,etc.

i appreciate the word you are putting out about respecting people with mental illnesses,
and i assure you, i'm not the only one.


THANK YOU

 

Agreed. Very thoughtful post prismatism.

I suffer from depression, social anxiety and chemical dependency issues(addictive behavior).

Are drugs a scapegoat for me, or the "easy" way for me to deal with my problems? Its hard to say. But so far its the only thing that works for me... my problem is commiting to set boundries, and not abusing a drug once I find one that helps. Hopefully one day I can learn to walk the narrow path of self medication, and not fall into addiction.

All I know is my mental illnesses are very real to me (very well put, prismatism). I wish more was understood about them, and help was more available and cheaper than it already is.

 

i'm trying to get a job to pay for my medication.
its tough trying to make ends meet,
especially with expensive medications that you actually NEED to keep you SANE.

 

Those of you who suffer social anxiety and/or depression did it arise before or after drug use?

 

My social anxiety and depression has been with me for as long as I can remember... well before I ever started using drugs.