Posted by Mistermindmasta on September 1, 2004, at 13:04:40
In reply to L-TYROSINE for social anxiety-anyone tried?, posted by alesta on August 28, 2004, at 18:30:51
> hello,
>
> has anyone tried l-tyrosine for social anxiety? does it work? i appreciate any responses.
>
> thank you!
> amy :)Before I answer this question, let me state that there are, in my understanding, several "variants" of social anxiety. There is social anxiety where one simply does not have much to say and therefore it leads to emotional discomfort. Then there is social anxiety where one feels emotionally anxious, where conversation just leads to generalised anxiety, but yet might still have a lot to say. Correct me on that breakdown if it seems wrong...
Stimulants I think help with being more vocal about your thoughts and coming up with more stimulating /interesting conversation. Using SSRI's and Benzo might simply make someone more comfortable with conversation, more at ease.
I tend to have not much to say to people unless its a closer friend, and so you might say I have a mild version of social anxiety disorder, but probably not. My experience with tyrosine is that it makes me more energetic and motivated to talk. I also have more to say, possibly as a result of higher brain activity in the prefrontal region, where tyrosine would probably have its effects by raising dopamine and norepinephrine, similar to amphetamine, but obviously not as potent. Therefore, yes, tyrosine makes me feel less socially anxious by raising my brain power a little bit so there's more interaction with the other person.
On the other hand, when I take about 300 mg of 5-HTP, I feel like I have noticably less to say and kind of dull in the head, but it appears to make me feel more comfortable with talking to people. Raising serotonin in the prefrontal cortex seems to diminish dopamine activity, possibly through enhancing activity at the 5-HT3c receptor, thus the dumbing effect that I experience with 5-HTP and the same dumbing effect that people can experience with SSRI's. However, I have read that increased serotonin in the prefrontal cortex can lower activity in the amygdala, the main fear center of the brain, which is possibly why I feel less generalised anxiety and more at ease and comfortable talking to people.
If use too much tyrosine, I experience a strong desire to NOT to talk to people because I become very irritable, which, interestingly, I think is from diminishing competing tryptophan uptake into the brain. So be careful... tyrosine is good in moderate quantities, but if you use it all day, I think you might run short on tryp as a result of that competition for brain entry... and then, you're back where you started - having difficulties with human interaction!
If you want to be more interactive with people, try Tyrosine. If you want to feel more comfortable with ordinary conversation, try 5-HTP.
poster:Mistermindmasta
thread:383428
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040901/msgs/385259.html