Anxious Living

Social Anxiety and Medication

December 1st, 2006 by dashh

I wanted to post on the topic of medication and social anxiety. I am seeing my therapist again after taking some months off from therapy and we are discussing medication. I have never tried any type of medication for my issues with social anxiety and depression in the past but I am now seriously considering it. It is not that I was against using meds in the past but more that I wanted to try other methods to see how much they could help me with these issues. I see meds as just another tool that I can add to my meditation, working out and psychotherapy to aid in dealing with these issues but also to better help me reach my potential in life. And, as I have read and my therapist confirmed, there is evidence that a combination of psychotherapy and medication has been more effective than using either alone (I believe these studies were on depression and relapse but will need to research the references.)

I have taken the herb St. John’s Wort in the past, which seem to help my mood but did not really affect my anxiety as much. In my current life situation my anxiety and depression have not reared their head as much but I am considering some life changes (basically career), which would certainly make me more susceptible to more anxiety and the “blahs” as I call them.

I want to go back to school to pursue first a Masters degree in Psychology and possibly a PhD in psychology and philosophy. School has always been a mixed bag for me – I love learning and the academic environment, but with that comes much stress especially for those of us with social anxiety issues. I don’t have to tell anyone with SAD the sheer terror and paralyzing effect class participation or presentations can bring on. In undergrad I put off a communications class until the very last semester and one day almost skipped class because I had to give a speech. I already know that a major change like this will require support in terms of psychotherapy and I think medication could help as well. So given my past experiences with SA and school I think trying medication may help out a lot. I think it could also possibly optimize my abilities in certain ways and allow me to be freer to express and explore areas that I tend to avoid. We will see.

I will post in the future on my experiences with meds when I get started. If nothing else, I am very curious to see just how they may work in relation to social anxiety and depression, so it is almost like a little pilot study on myself. Stay tuned…and I would really love any feedback the readers may have regarding your experiences with medications. I am considering trying Lexapro to start off so those of you taking this med please feel free to comment.

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13 Responses to “Social Anxiety and Medication”

1. Aaron wrote on 12/1/06 at 11:20 am :

   I’ll be very interested to see how this works for you. Medication is a route I’ve been thinking about lately. I have a friend who is taking medication for panic attacks and the benefits he describes (though it is a slightly different situation) sound very positive. He’s especially pointed out how he has a lot less trouble doing things that imply having to be judged by folks in the future.

2. Shawn wrote on 12/1/06 at 2:21 pm :

   Hey Aaron,

   Yeah I’m very curious to see how and what the meds will do and if they will help out. It seems that they have helped many people dealing with social anxiety and other issues like panic attacks like you mentioned. I’ll be sure to let ya know how it goes and let me know if you decided to try that route as well.

   -Shawn

3. Leila V wrote on 12/1/06 at 6:58 pm :

   Something must be in the air. Lately, I have been considering meds to ease my anxiety, especially as the holidays approach.

   I have always been anti-medication, but recent discussions have begun to sway my opinion.

4. Ryan Oelke wrote on 12/1/06 at 7:11 pm :

   Thanks, Shawn, for posting this. Medication is something that I don’t know much about and have always be a tad skeptical of, more so as a default reaction versus what I really think to be the case. I know that medication can be extremely helpful and even necessary for some, I’ve just been hesitant and afraid. I’m glad that I’ll get to hear about your personal experience, especially given your meditation background and how this impacts your practice. Based on your experience I might give medication a serious and fair look for myself.

   Oh, and I also put off speech class in undergrad:) Thinking about it still racks me with anxiety! I think I would fair better now, but damn did I hate that class.

5. Shawn wrote on 12/5/06 at 8:47 am :

   Hello Leila,

   Thanks for the comment and I’d be very interested to hear how it goes if/when you decide to try meds.

   Hey Ryan,

   Yeah ditto on the speech class - and if I pursue my goals and end up teaching classes I will definitely need to overcome that fear Will keep you informed on the meds and my practice…will be interesting to note the effects for sure.

   -Shawn

6. Social Anxiety Blog wrote on 12/13/06 at 10:05 pm :

   Hi everybody,

   This is a very interesting topic. As many of you I have tried to avoid to take medication, it would be really interesting to know your experience with them, I will be following your notes to the respect.

7. AM wrote on 01/24/07 at 9:13 am :

   Like you, I have strugged with SAD for a long time. I have to say that meds have made a huge difference in the struggle.

   By no means am I advocating it since meds don’t work for everyone and who really knows the long-term effects of them. But I started with paroxetine (Paxil) which has been fabulous and also take bupropion (wellbutrin SR). They are both very low doses.

   That is one thing - if you take a high dose it will certainly help a lot with SAD BUT the side effects are greater. Start small and keep the dose low since weening yourself off of it someday (if you ever do) will be a lot easier when you take a low dose.

   I honestly think that if you can live your life without meds, good for you. But you also have to look at SAD as a medical condition that can significantly affect the quality of your life. If I had high cholesterol I would probably be on meds. I look at SAD in a similar way. It is a medical issue that CAN be helped without meds but can also be aided with meds. Meds are not a cure-all - but it can help. But every person is different so find a top-notch psychiatrist to talk to first and then decide.

   So how have the meds helped me? Takes the edge off. Again, not a cure but helps a lot. I feel much better and by no means feel numb. You feel the same, or at least I do, BUT I notice that my level of anxiety is a lot less and I am just a happier person. Thanks for the site and good luck!

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9. john wrote on 03/10/07 at 3:14 pm :

   Hi,
   So did you go on meds? hows that working out?

10. Katyusha wrote on 03/16/07 at 5:25 am :

    I’ve been on and off meds over the past ten years or so. I’ve realized that, for right now anyway, I’m more effective on than off. I still continue exercising, cognitive-behavioral practice, and psychodynamic talk therapy. In fact, the meds have made me more able to absorb the benefits of all of those.

    My most recent venture back into meds started about a month ago. My anxiety and shame had become so intense that the inside of my skin felt like a chemical fire. All the time. I was exhausted. And my anxiety was beginning to sabotage my new position at work. So I went back. (My depression also plays a part here.)

    I’ve seen a real difference insofar as I’m now happy to leave the house, stay a full day at work, and enjoy my job and the people around me. I will always be socially anxious and feel inappropriate. That probably will never go away entirely. But the meds (Cymbalta) have given me back the ability to keep moving and working toward that.

    Dassh, how is the Lexapro working out?

11. Holistic Health » Experience with Social Anxiety Medicines wrote on 04/6/07 at 8:26 pm :

    [...] Experience with Social Anxiety Medicines December 13th, 2006 | Category: Social Anxiety Inspired on a post from Shawn at Anxious Living, I decided to write a bit about my short experience with anxiety medications. [...]

12. todd lissner wrote on 08/5/07 at 6:10 pm :

    i like the herb kava it works better than st.johns wort also i think long term use of benzodiazepines iz ok,everythin in life can be addictive,i have ad,sad,and also ptsd from child abuse i have been upset by doctors that want 2 give people stimulant”anti depressant”medications 4 anxiety as opposed 2 sedatives.

13. Lawrence wrote on 01/2/08 at 6:59 am :

    I have taken meds for depression / anxiety since I was 19 years old and I have yet to experience any relief. I must add that I appear to be very drug -resistant. My body chemistry seems to almost immune to these type of drugs.

    Be that as it may I have found a category of drug (ie, beta-blockers )
    that seems to help with anxiety. The first is Neurontin / ( generic Gabapentin ) It was originally developed as an anti-convulsant but was found to have anti-anxiety effects as well.

    I was prescribed Gabapentin and it worked even to the degree that it reduced or eliminated the physical effects of my anxiety as well, ie nervous persperation, knotted stomach, etc.

    There is a newer version that has better absorption ( there is an issue with bio-availability with this category of drugs ).
    The newer version is called Lyrica / Pregabalin.

    I am not “cured” but the Gabapentin has at least shown me a little of what it like to experience life without the crushing weight of
    my anxiety.

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