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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by PLN on February 14, 2008, at 7:37:23
Can anyone give advice as far as the best medication to deal with social anxiety disorder? I'm almost 38 and have gone through my life as best as possible and managed to get through college, have a beautiful family etc. Its simply something I can no longer get around though. I can't seem to hide it anymore. I'm tired of thinking I can outsmart it and just want to take the plunge and get help.
Posted by Phoenix1 on February 14, 2008, at 7:42:21
In reply to Advice/question, posted by PLN on February 14, 2008, at 7:37:23
> Can anyone give advice as far as the best medication to deal with social anxiety disorder? I'm almost 38 and have gone through my life as best as possible and managed to get through college, have a beautiful family etc. Its simply something I can no longer get around though. I can't seem to hide it anymore. I'm tired of thinking I can outsmart it and just want to take the plunge and get help.
Hi, welcome to Psychobabble. It's good to have a new member on board! I don't know a whole lot about SA, but others here do. I know that the two most effective agents in treating SA are Klonopin, a benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agent, and Nardil, an MAOI anti-depressant. But there are lots of other great treatments out there that I'm sure people will post about. I understand how crippling anxiety can be, and I hope we can help you find a solution.Phoenix1
Posted by Phillipa on February 14, 2008, at 10:35:20
In reply to Re: Advice/question » PLN, posted by Phoenix1 on February 14, 2008, at 7:42:21
Yes welcome to babble meds I myself take valium but there are many treatments for social anxiety. Phillipa
Posted by SteelyDan on February 14, 2008, at 22:17:02
In reply to Advice/question, posted by PLN on February 14, 2008, at 7:37:23
> Can anyone give advice as far as the best medication to deal with social anxiety disorder? I'm almost 38 and have gone through my life as best as possible and managed to get through college, have a beautiful family etc. Its simply something I can no longer get around though. I can't seem to hide it anymore. I'm tired of thinking I can outsmart it and just want to take the plunge and get help.
First thing you should do is find yourself a board certified Psychiatrist. After a thorough evaluation there are many antidepressants, anti-anxiety agents, available to help you with a social anxiety problem. I myself find Lyrica (an anti-convulsant) very helpful for SA. Good Luck, i hope this helps.
Dan
Posted by PLN on February 15, 2008, at 6:17:18
In reply to Re: Advice/question » PLN, posted by SteelyDan on February 14, 2008, at 22:17:02
Thanks so much for all of your recommendations! I'm so sick of SAD holing me back in life. I will research all of your suggestions and find the right Doc to see. Take care!
Posted by Dopamine123 on February 21, 2008, at 15:34:23
In reply to Re: Advice/question, posted by PLN on February 15, 2008, at 6:17:18
I have social anxiety. I've found that SSRI's have actually made my social anxiety worse. Too much serotonin increase anxiety and decrease dopamine levels. Both of these mechanisms are not good for social anxiety. I now take remeron, which is a decent antianxiety drug too. I also take adderall along with the remeron. I think it is crucial to take a dopamine enhancing drug to improve the symptoms of social anxiety. Increasing norepinephrine often tends to make social anxiety worse, though, so its hard to found a selective dopamine enhancing drug. I find that the combo of remeron and adderall reduces my anxiety and increases my social motivation. If you live in Europe, amisulpride might also be worth a try. It is supposed to be a good drug for social anxiety.
Nardil (an MAOI) is usually considered the gold standard for social anxiety due to its dual effect of increasing both serotonin and dopamine.
Posted by Dopamine123 on February 23, 2008, at 14:14:44
In reply to Re: Advice/question, posted by Dopamine123 on February 21, 2008, at 15:34:23
Sorry the first part of my last post should read:
I have social anxiety. I have found that SSRI's have actually made my social anxiety worse. Increasing serotonin too much can sometimes worsen anxiety levels. Increasing serotonin by itself can also have a negative impact on dopamine levels. Increasing dopamine is also an important therapeutic affect for social anxiety, so this is another way that SSRI's can sometimes make things worse.
This is the end of the thread.
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