Should I even ask for social anxiety medication?!
Question: Should I even ask for social anxiety medication.?
Or maybe antidepressants.?
More about me:
I'm 22. I've just started going to a therapist (a psychologist), and she has affirmed that I have social anxiety, but not to the point where it's a disorder. Even though I've implicitly expressed interest in taking medication, she has not recommended me to a psychiatrist or anything. I'm really quiet and uptight in social situations, and I'd really just like to feel more relaxed.
My self-esteem has been shot ever since I can remember, and, perhaps as a result, I generally feel pretty low. However, I don't have serious suicidal thoughts. This is why I'm wondering if antidepressant medication would be beneficial to me. I'm tired of feeling this way, and I'm willing to take steps to change.
Any thoughts.? Thanks!
Health Question & Answer
More about me:
I'm 22. I've just started going to a therapist (a psychologist), and she has affirmed that I have social anxiety, but not to the point where it's a disorder. Even though I've implicitly expressed interest in taking medication, she has not recommended me to a psychiatrist or anything. I'm really quiet and uptight in social situations, and I'd really just like to feel more relaxed.
My self-esteem has been shot ever since I can remember, and, perhaps as a result, I generally feel pretty low. However, I don't have serious suicidal thoughts. This is why I'm wondering if antidepressant medication would be beneficial to me. I'm tired of feeling this way, and I'm willing to take steps to change.
Any thoughts.? Thanks!
Health Question & Answer
Answers:
If medicating is really the route you want to go, then insist on it with your therapist. i would also ask her why she's hesitant about prescriptions, too... there are a lot of other ways (non drug related) to get through this. i have been exactly where you are now, and my therapist was actually pretty fair about all the options. i was so close to taking meds, but she gave me other options too, and suggested we try those instead (like practicing positive self-talk, exercises like that). Surprisingly, they worked! Health Question & Answer
Tell your therapist that you need medication. Insist on it and if she refuses, find another doctor who will help you. It's your life and you know what you need.
Good luck dear one. You can work through this with a little help.Health Question & Answer
Good luck dear one. You can work through this with a little help.Health Question & Answer
I doubt your doctor will prescribe you with Tranquilisers when you are young and healthy - I know this from personal experience
The best option is to continue with Anxiety Management Counselling and overcome your problem without the use of addictive medication Health Question & Answer
The best option is to continue with Anxiety Management Counselling and overcome your problem without the use of addictive medication Health Question & Answer
Negative emotions (like sadness, stress, anger, etc.) causes your Serotonin production to be low; when your Serotonin level is low, you are more prone to getting Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, etc.
Medication like Antidepressants (SSRI - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) helps to boost Serotonin level.
But there are natural ways to do it without medication. There's this strange herb called "St John's Wort" - it is said to be more effective than Prozac. No, it is not for mild depression only and ignore those sayings. In fact, it does help anxiety and panic-attacks as St John's Wort works like prozac. Other natural ways will be exercise, diet, more exposure to light, etc.
The problem is that, even if your Serotonin is balanced... you have that "learned behavior" in your mind. You need to break that initial cycle to destroy that learned behavior - Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) does this. A technique that you can use without CBT will be Distraction... There are several other techniques to help cope them!
Ok, to use Distraction: Firstly, try to....
Extracted from Source.Health Question & Answer
Medication like Antidepressants (SSRI - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) helps to boost Serotonin level.
But there are natural ways to do it without medication. There's this strange herb called "St John's Wort" - it is said to be more effective than Prozac. No, it is not for mild depression only and ignore those sayings. In fact, it does help anxiety and panic-attacks as St John's Wort works like prozac. Other natural ways will be exercise, diet, more exposure to light, etc.
The problem is that, even if your Serotonin is balanced... you have that "learned behavior" in your mind. You need to break that initial cycle to destroy that learned behavior - Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) does this. A technique that you can use without CBT will be Distraction... There are several other techniques to help cope them!
Ok, to use Distraction: Firstly, try to....
Extracted from Source.Health Question & Answer