Posted by 3 Beer Effect on November 19, 2001, at 10:39:22
In reply to Social phobia help, posted by geno on November 18, 2001, at 21:31:15
I have the exact same problem you do & did lots of research on social phobia. The thing is that psychiatrists know very little about it & the meds to treat it are mostly old drugs with lots of side effects- that's why most social phobics just drink lots of alcohol.
The hands down best medicine for social phobia is Nardil, an MAO A inhibitor. Supposedly the side effects are manageable as long as you don't eat cheese or other tyramine foods (beer, red wine etc.)- If you don't follow the strict MAO A inhibitor diet, overdose on an MAO A, eat a piece of cheese, or take it with otc drugs you may rupture the blood vessels in your brain & it may kill you.
Parnate is also the other MAO A inhibitor which is very good for social phobia and makes most people feel mildly euphoric. It has amphetaminelike properties so many doctors are unconfortable with it because it is too much fun for their patients, but then again it could cause insomnia or nervousness.
The other main drug and the most effective for social phobia besides the MAOIs is Klonopin (Clonazepam). It is a strong social disinhibitor (not unlike GHB), and the effective dose for social phobia is said to be between 3 & 6 mg in 2 or 3 divided doses per day. Most doctors won't give you that high of a dose though, I had to pull teeth to get my shrink to give me 1 mg per day- print research information off the internet and show the effective dose ranges to them- there is an article somewhere on the doctor bob site about treating social phobia with klonopin 3-6 mgs. The dose has to be divided into 2 or preferably 3 times a day. The half life can be as short as 18 hours so if you divide up the doses you will maintain a stable blood level of Klonopin and it will be working 24 hours a day, kind of like an antidepressant.
Another important thing I figured out for myself- eliminate ALL caffeine from your diet!!!! It is very tough since caffeine is everywhere in our society, but it not drinking caffeine anymore has done wonders for reducing my anxiety. Better yet, drink milk or water instead of Sprite, 7up, or lemonade since there is less sugar in milk & none in water. Smoking causes nervousness/anxiety too.
I am also taking Celexa which works very well. In my opinion, Celexa or Remeron are the only 2 ADs that should be prescribed for social phobics since they are the only 2 that do not cause insomnia/nervousness & actually help you sleep a little bit better. I would recommend Celexa over Remeron- remeron is too sedating (I couldn't go to class since I slept 17 hours a day). Start the Celexa with 10 mg/day wich 1/2 the starting dose (20 mg)for the 1st 7 days to prevent ssri anxiety.
Neurontin- I haven't tried it but it sounds like it would work well for social phobia since it has pro-GABAergic properties, i'm going to ask for it myself the next time I see the shrink.
DO NOT TAKE NOREPINEPHRINE OR DOPAMINE REPUTAKE INHIBITORS OR ENHANCERS!!!! such as WELLBUTRIN, reboxetine, effexor, ritalin, dexedrine, dextrostat, provigil, adderall, ephedrine, ephedra, diet pills, Twinlab's ripped fuel, cocaine, or desoxyn (methamphetamine). These all cause insomnia & nervousness in social phobics. Also you may try to find a therapist that specializes in exposure therapy, or join toastmasters or even a bowling league so you get practice in social interaction & will strengthen your skills & confidence in social situations. Also look up books on Amazon.com about curing social phobia- there are alot of crap books on the subject out there so be sure you read the customer reviews on each one. Also, exercise, both weight lifting and riding an exercise bike will probably help greatly since your endorphins will be boosted from both the exercise & from meeting hot sorority chicks at the gym.
Final note: GHB works mainly because of its pro Gabaergic properties. Dopamine is good for studying (Ritalin, Wellbutrin, Dexedrine) but basically makes you a nervous paranoid weirdo.
poster:3 Beer Effect
thread:84619
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011113/msgs/84647.html