Posted by pinky on June 24, 2004, at 10:22:22
In reply to Re: Anyone taking klonopin for social phobia? » erik98225, posted by zeugma on May 22, 2004, at 20:35:38
> I'm currently taking .5 mg Klonopin twice a day for social phobia.
>
> I've noticed people acting differently around me- because I seem a little more 'normal' around them, less likely to erupt into a panic attack at the slightest provocation.Ha Ha, priceless.
> It is my experience that most pdocs have no understanding of social phobia. If you tell them you're anxious around people they lump it under 'generalized anxiety disorder' which is a FAR milder and easier-to-treat condition (e.g. with virtually any antidepressant).True, true. I am lucky enough to have a family friend of my father's as my GP. I've told him about my research, he recommends seroxat(paxil), I say no I'd rather try klonopin. He says ok and writes me a script. What a relief after all those years of pig headed GPs.
>
> I take .5 mg in the am, and .5 mg in the afternoon when it begins to wear off. Right now I am going through a lot of medication changes (i.e. titrating off one AD and planning to add something else when I meet my pdoc next). I have a script for 1.5 mg/day but right now 1 mg seems to be keeping my symptoms of SP under control, more or less. When I went from .5 mg to 1 mg a day I did feel slightly drunk for a few days, not mentally but physically (I was a little unsteady). I can tell you that getting my social phobia treated has got to have been one of the most FRUSTRATING experiences of my life. Taking drugs that did nothing for it (SSRI's, Buspar, TCA's), trying treatments that were wholly counterproductive (CBT)I can't agree more. CBT is basically about trying to convince yourself that you have no "problem" and its just your thought processes that are flawed.
You are supposed to make this realization which will then lead to a series of epiphanies and then you will be cured of your problem (which you never really had in the first place!).
I don't wan't to discourage anyone who is considering this therapy, its just my humble opinion. I'm no expert. But I think that the max you can hope for is about 5-10 percent progess with your problem and that mostly comes from the optimism (placebo) required to engage in cbt. In addition, you will develope a sense of guilt for your failures because you will have come to believe that normal behaviour is possible for you if only you would try harder. Balderdash. As soon as you really try and thrust yourself into a really demanding social situation and expect to function normally you will hit that brick wall that is social phobia. All of that optimism will instantly disappear and you will be back to square one.
The guilt and the denial of that fact that you do have a problem are indeed counterproductive.
>and persuading my dr. to prescribe me something so I could literally keep my job (people with SP are often sacked for their 'strange' behavior around others), not to mention the personal misery this disorder causes... I have been through a lot with this disorder, and Klonopin does work, it is one of the few drugs that has solid evidence of benefit in this disorder. Best of luck,
>
> zbest of luck to you in the future.
poster:pinky
thread:347048
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040621/msgs/359756.html