Posted by Racer on March 11, 2006, at 13:02:03
In reply to effexor xr and couseling but anxiety is worse, posted by worriedinohio on March 11, 2006, at 10:07:04
I'm so sorry -- it's just coming out. Call it me getting old: it sounds to me as though you're experiencing the absolute misery of being insecure, and that's something that you may grow out of as you get more experience of other people.
I know, that doesn't help, since you're experiencing misery now. And believe me -- I went through it, too. Being in a group of people was enough to make me feel nauseous, and I would want to cry.
I do think that therapy would do more for you, long term, in dealing with this than meds, but you might talk to your psychiatrist about a drug to help with social anxiety. Not something to take all the time, but something to take now and again, when you had a social event happening that made you nervous. There are things like beta blockers that can help a lot with it, without sedating you. And the very best news about it is that once you have a couple of good experiences, it gets easier and easier every time. If you can relax, and put more focus on others than you do yourself, that helps too. (One of the great secrets of life that most people learn by about 30 is that nearly everyone is insecure at times, and in most of those college events, nearly everyone is more concerned with how they're coming across than they are about anyone else.)
I really am sorry that you're experiencing this. If the Effexor is adequately addressing your depression, I don't see any reason to change or increase your dose over this. I'd be much more inclined to talk to your doctor about an anxiolytic, and talk to your therapist about relaxation techniques that might help you with the social anxiety.
Good luck.
poster:Racer
thread:618768
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060310/msgs/618873.html