Do antidepressents work to treat soical anxiety?!
Question: I have read that some antidepressents can help people deal with social anxiety. Has anyone experienced or know if this is true? Also if they do help, how do the effects feel? Do they make you more self confident or not as nervous during certain situations? Thanks
Answers: I have read that some antidepressents can help people deal with social anxiety. Has anyone experienced or know if this is true? Also if they do help, how do the effects feel? Do they make you more self confident or not as nervous during certain situations? Thanks
SSRI's and SNRI's in high doses treat anxiety. They can have wicked w/d side effects though. It just helps to calm you. You really need to add counseling (CBT ) to meds. It'll help change the way you think so your anxiety doesn't get so bad, or you can even stop it from happening completely.
I have social anxiety and I take 90mg of Cymbalta and klonopin .5mg 3x a day. (my body metabolizes klonopin faster than normal. Usually you only need to take it 1, maybe 2 times a day) It works pretty well together and has a relatively low risk of dependence.
Each person is different though. I've had to work really hard to find ways to make my anxiety more manageable. For example, if we're in a crowded restaurant, before I couldn't even handle that. Now, I try to ask for a table near the wall so I can have my back towards 90% of the people. It makes it feel like there's less of a crowd and my anxiety is lower. The CBT will help you come to understand how to think things through and prevent or lessen your anxiety.
As a Case Manager I have a few clients who are using antidepressant's for social anxiety.
You need to talk with your doctor and see what he/she thinks is best for you.
You might want to try counseling also.
look on www.webmd.com
This website is very helpful
You have to find the right one for you a pysch would be able to help and monitor that, I get panick attacks and I take meds but since I have been meditating I dont need them as much, Good luck...
I would recommend counselling or better still hypnotherapy. Anti depressants should only be used in cases where they are absolutely necessary, they are handed out way too quick for conditions that can easily be resolved in other less harmful ways. They are addictive and do have some serious side effects. I dont deny they work for some people but for social anxiety I feel they are absolutely unneccesary and the risks too high. Try hypnotherapy for some confidence building! It WORKS. Or if you not into that, counselling. Good luck.
yes it does
My friend is on a combo of Risperdal and Zoloft for this.
View the antidepressant websites, in section 2, at ezy build, below. See social anxiety/shyness, and self confidence, in sections 9, and 38, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris Here is an exercise that can help you. It is called "Act as If." When you are in a social situation, act as if you are outgoing. Talk more, smile at everyone, ask questions, speak in a normal or excited tone, not a meek tone. Watch some of your outgoing peers, and imitate the style of their social behavior.
Research shows that when you "act as if" continually, your image of yourself begins to conform to your new behavior. In this case, you will gain self-esteem and self-confidence, and begin to see yourself as socially normal, not shy. You will become more socially successful, and this will motivate you to continue your new social behavior until it becomes a habit.
Try this for a month, in every situation you can. I am confident that you will become much more comfortable and outgoing. One form of therapy is to go somewhere that nobody knows you, and deliberately make an utter fool of yourself: put on a paper hat, and scream out: "I'm queen/king of America!", or something else ridiculous, then get back in the taxi, (warn the driver of your intentions, first) or car, and leave. People will point, and say: "Look at that idiot". But, you're probably not up to the stage where you can do that, yet (I can, and I used to be shy). Regard it as your final test: once you have accomplished it, the barrier will be broken; just don't go too far, the other way! Learn to laugh at yourself, and give a big, cheesy grin when others see you do something foolish, as we all do, occasionally. It is endearing, if you don't do it too often.
You can treat anxiety much better and in a much safer way with an easy and costless technique called EFT.
You can get a free (donate if you want) email consultation here: http://www.info-santanyi.com/eftservice/...