What is the best Rx drug for social anxiety diorder?

Question

Just wondering if anyone could reccomend a drug that actually helped them with their anxiety. I will be going to the doctor soon about this and I would like to know what I could ask for.

Answer 1

u probably get stuff like xanax or zoloft, which is really dangerous! it makes u addticetd easily!!particularly xanax! believe me... and even if u get something else, it wont be any better for u and ur body...check the following website:
http://www.stresscenter.com/lucinda.htm

and if u need any advice or help just contact me! good luck

Answer 2

LOL Ritalin is used for ADHD AND ADD. My family has been down this road and the best advice is to let your doctor figure out the drug he feels is right for you. My son has been on Paxil and Zoloft and gosh knows how many others each drug has their own draw backs. Taking a pill alone will not fix your problem social anxiety has triggers and causes you need a sociologist and therapy to help you find out why and ways to deal with it. Right now my son has exercises he has to do such as looking at a waitress and speaking clearly and another is buying something at a convince store. There have been days he gets overwhelmed by the line or number of people in the store but each time we move a little further good luck and get therapy it improves your life so much!!!

Answer 3

As a person who has dealt with social anxiety I would strongly advise you to pre-plan for your social situations. It's not the easiest thing but if you can get a good hold on a social situation such as an interview before you go in there then it should turn out great. While you can plan this out in your head I would advise you to write it down and slightly memorize it and practice it a lot especially if you really want this job. Oh and yea pray about it. I know it sounds cliche but prayer really helped me with my social anxiety and I believe that if it can help me it can help anyone.

Answer 4

Zoloft. It took a while to get in my system. But it was frikkin worth it!
Oh man it has changed my life.
But you might be different.. Everyone reacts differently to medication.
Also ask the doctor what he would recommend. They might start you on something not as potent like Zoloft. And then switch you if it doesnt work.
Good luck!!!
People say anti-anxiety/anti-depressants never work...But I know plenty of people who have completely changed because they work so well.
I hope you find whats right for you!!

Answer 5

Ritalin

Answer 6

i have it and panic attacks i am on 5mg of Valium a day and Zoloft. but try looking for non med something natural because meds can have bad side effects on people.

Answer 7

Medication treatment can decrease the frequency and intensity of anxiety and avoidance behavior for individuals with social anxiety disorder. Advantages of medication treatment include minimal effort — you just have to remember to take the medicine — and that it may relieve symptoms more quickly than behavior therapy. Medication may, however, cause side effects, and gains from medication may fade when medication is stopped.

What medications are used to treat social anxiety disorder?

Medications help reduce the frequency and intensity of anxiety in social situations, and also help decrease anticipatory anxiety and avoidance behaviors. Research results indicate that about 70% of social anxiety disorder patients achieve worthwhile gains from medication therapy. Less than 30% of social anxiety disorder patients receiving a placebo (sugar pill) improve. The amount of improvement with medication varies, but those who improve often find their gains so great that they want to continue the medication. Some actually become symptom-free. Obviously, some patients treated with medication do not benefit, and it is currently impossible to predict who will improve on a particular medication unless they have previously benefited from that medication.

There are five major categories of medications used to treat generalized social anxiety disorder and one additional category, beta-blockers, used to treat non-generalized social anxiety disorder (performance anxiety). All of these have been studied systematically and found helpful in controlled research trials.

As of March 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three medications for the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Two of the medications, paroxetine (or Paxil) and sertraline (or Zoloft) are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Paroxetine was the first medication to receive FDA approval for social anxiety disorder. Sertraline is the only medication that has approval for long-term treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder. The third medication approved for the treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder is venlafaxine (or Effexor) which is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). FDA approval is based on successful results in multicenter, double-blind studies. To learn more about one of the paroxetine studies, read an abstract "Paroxetine treatment of treatment of generalized social phobia (social anxiety disorder): a randomized controlled trial," JAMA 280(8):708-713, 1998 or read a summary of the study by one of its authors. To learn more about a sertraline study read an abstract of the study, Sertraline treatment of generalized social phobia: a 20-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. To learn more about venlafaxine studies, read a summary of two clinical trials upon which FDA approval was based.

Which medication to use first is a matter of patient and physician preference. Paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft) and venlafaxine (Effexor XR) are the three medications that the FDA has approved for treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder and are generally considered medications of first choice. Although only sertraline is approved by the FDA for long-term use, evidence suggests that paroxetine and venlafaxine are also effective for long-term treatment. These medications have side effect profiles that make them quite tolerable for most patients. Each class of medication has advantages and disadvantages that can be explained by your doctor to help you make an informed choice. For information on how these medications can affect an unborn or breast-feeding child, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions section.

Medication Classifications

The six major categories of medications used to treat social anxiety disorder are:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)
Benzodiazepines
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
Gabapentin
Beta-blockers
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Generic Name Brand Name
citalopram Celexa
escitalopram Lexapro
fluoxetine Prozac, Prozac Weekly
Sarafem
fluvoxamine Luvox
paroxetine *Paxil, Paxil CR
sertraline *Zoloft
*Approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of social anxiety disorder.


Paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft) have FDA approval for treatment of social anxiety disorder and are generally considered SSRI medications of first choice. Clinical evidence suggests that all the above SSRIs may be helpful in treating social anxiety disorder. Other than fluvoxamine, the SSRIs are also approved for the treatment of depression.

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Serotonin-Nonrepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI)

Generic Name Brand Name
venlafaxine *Effexor XR

Venlafaxine has been approved for the treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder and is the only SNRI currently available. Like the SSRIs, it increases levels of serotonin. It also increases norepinephrine levels. Venlafaxine is also approved for the treatment of depression, so it is a good choice for patients with generalized social anxiety disorder and depression.

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Benzodiazepines (BDZs)

Generic Name Brand Name
alprazolam Xanax
chlordiazepoxide Librium
clonazepam Klonopin
clorazepate Tranxene
diazepam Valium
lorazepam Ativan
oxazepam Serax

Clonazepam (Klonopin) is the most extensively studied benzodiazepine for social anxiety disorder and has been shown to have significant beneficial effects. Benzodiazepines have the advantage of decreasing anxiety faster than the other medications. Benzodiazepines have the disadvantage of not treating depression and long-term use can cause physical dependency.

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Monamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)

Until recently, monoamine oxidase inhibitor medications were the most studied and probably the most effective medications for treating social anxiety disorder. However, because of the possibility of dangerous as well as annoying side effects. MAOI treatment requires a special diet low in tyramine. MAOIs are no longer widely prescribed for social anxiety disorder. MAOIs are still used for individuals who have not responded to other medications.

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Gabapentin

Another useful medication called gabapentin (Neurontin), an antiepilepsy medication, was shown to be an effective treatment for social anxiety disorder in a controlled research trial. Unlike the SSRIs and SNRI medications, gabapentin is not an antidepressant.

Beta-blockers

The final medication class are the beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agents, or beta-blockers. While beta-blockers have not been found to be helpful for treating generalized social anxiety disorder, they do have a role to play in treating performance anxiety. They seem to work on some of the bodily symptoms of anxiety by slowing down heart rates, and reducing tremors and sweating, and thereby indirectly reducing anxiety. The beta-blocker most commonly used for performance anxiety is propranolol (Inderal). Unlike the SSRIs and SNRI medications, beta-blockers are not antidepressants.