Comments on: Social Anxiety and Medication http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/ An Exploration into Social Anxiety Sun, 13 Jun 2010 05:14:32 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Lawrence http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/comment-page-1/#comment-68822 Lawrence Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:59:50 +0000 http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/#comment-68822 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. 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.

]]> By: todd lissner http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/comment-page-1/#comment-33741 todd lissner Mon, 06 Aug 2007 01:10:26 +0000 http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/#comment-33741 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. 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.

]]> By: Holistic Health » Experience with Social Anxiety Medicines http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/comment-page-1/#comment-7182 Holistic Health » Experience with Social Anxiety Medicines Sat, 07 Apr 2007 03:26:37 +0000 http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/#comment-7182 [...] 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. [...] [...] 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. [...]

]]> By: Katyusha http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/comment-page-1/#comment-4148 Katyusha Fri, 16 Mar 2007 12:25:48 +0000 http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/#comment-4148 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? 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?

]]> By: john http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/comment-page-1/#comment-3182 john Sat, 10 Mar 2007 22:14:04 +0000 http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/#comment-3182 Hi, So did you go on meds? hows that working out? Hi,
So did you go on meds? hows that working out?

]]> By: Andy Simon http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/comment-page-1/#comment-1796 Andy Simon Thu, 25 Jan 2007 05:18:40 +0000 http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/#comment-1796 Hello anxiousliving.com Team I am Andy Simon from www.healthygenius.com. I recently viewed your website - www.anxiousliving.com and was very much impressed by it. And in order to provide more content to my visitors, I wish to Link a useful webpage of your website from my 'Mental Health Disorders portal' - www.healthygenius.com. I hope my visitors coming towards your esteemed website, after reading related articles about Mental Health Disorders will be more converting for your website. You are free to post any Anchor text, Summary, Description and Keywords of your liking. Your website's listing will also be visible in the "search results" of www.healthygenius.com. So the keywords you provide in the "keywords field" are quite important for my visitors to find your site in www.healthygenius.com. To place your link on my website (for FREE) simply navigate to a Relevant Article-page of http://www.healthygenius.com from where you expect to get the most targeted traffic for your website. Now on this article-page simply click on the "Add a Link" button (at the Top) and follow the simple instructions (you just have to fill a small form). OR - Just reply back to this email with your desired Title, description and URL. Please also mention on which article page of www.healthygenius.com you want your link, which will help you in getting targeted traffic. In exchange, I would love if you also link my website back. Here is the information you will need to link back to my Mental Health Disorders portal : Title: Social Anxiety Disorder Description: Social anxiety disorder is characterized by a persistent fear of any kind of social interactions and... URL : http://www.healthygenius.com/anxiety-disorders/Social-Anxiety-Disorder-853 HTML Code: <a href="http://www.healthygenius.com/anxiety-disorders/Social-Anxiety-Disorder-853" rel="nofollow">Social Anxiety Disorder </a> Social anxiety disorder is characterized by a persistent fear of any kind of social interactions and... I hope visitors coming towards your website after reading articles from my website prove to be quite beneficial for your website. Feel free to let me know any questions, comments and feedback about my website. If you have some articles to distribute, I would love to publish them on my website giving you proper credits. Thanks alot Waiting for your reply. Andy Simon www.healthygenius.com Hello anxiousliving.com Team

I am Andy Simon from http://www.healthygenius.com. I recently viewed your website – http://www.anxiousliving.com and was very much impressed by it. And in order to provide more content to my visitors, I wish to Link a useful webpage of your website from my ‘Mental Health Disorders portal’ – http://www.healthygenius.com. I hope my visitors coming towards your esteemed website, after reading related articles about Mental Health Disorders will be more converting for your website.

You are free to post any Anchor text, Summary, Description and Keywords of your liking. Your website’s listing will also be visible in the “search results” of http://www.healthygenius.com. So the keywords you provide in the “keywords field” are quite important for my visitors to find your site in http://www.healthygenius.com. To place your link on my website (for FREE) simply navigate to a Relevant Article-page of http://www.healthygenius.com from where you expect to get the most targeted traffic for your website. Now on this article-page simply click on the “Add a Link” button (at the Top) and follow the simple instructions (you just have to fill a small form).

OR – Just reply back to this email with your desired Title, description and URL. Please also mention on which article page of http://www.healthygenius.com you want your link, which will help you in getting targeted traffic. In exchange, I would love if you also link my website back. Here is the information you will need to link back to my Mental Health Disorders portal :

Title: Social Anxiety Disorder

Description: Social anxiety disorder is characterized by a persistent fear of any kind of social interactions and…

URL : http://www.healthygenius.com/anxiety-disorders/Social-Anxiety-Disorder-853

HTML Code: Social Anxiety Disorder Social anxiety disorder is characterized by a persistent fear of any kind of social interactions and…

I hope visitors coming towards your website after reading articles from my website prove to be quite beneficial for your website. Feel free to let me know any questions, comments and feedback about my website. If you have some articles to distribute, I would love to publish them on my website giving you proper credits.

Thanks alot
Waiting for your reply.
Andy Simon
http://www.healthygenius.com

]]> By: AM http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/comment-page-1/#comment-1771 AM Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:13:06 +0000 http://www.anxiousliving.com/2006/12/01/social-anxiety-and-medication/#comment-1771 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! 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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