Posted by PaulB on November 23, 2001, at 12:19:34
In reply to Re: ive got social anxiety please help me pick a med, posted by geno on November 22, 2001, at 20:41:50
A combination of antidepressant medication and benzodiazepine therapy is not unheard of. Klonopin, Nardil and Paxil come to mind when I think of the specific medications of different classes that are commonly used to treat social phobia. I would say in the short-term SSRI antidepressant medication is not as effacious as benzodiazepines. Furthermore I have found that although antidepressants can alleviate social anxiety they can cause agitation which can be unpleasnt. On the other hand benzodiazepines work on anxiety by calming me down or slowing down the central nervous system. I think the psychiatrist I see now would agree that benzodiazepines are more effective but does not prescribe them to me because of their addiction potential. I think Valium is very addictive and the newer higher potency benzodiazepines can present high addiction problems. Klonopin, one of the high potency benzodiazepines may also be a more favourable drug treatment because it may present less addiction than benzodiazepines with shorther half-lives[Ativan, Xanax]?. Alternatively there is the option of trying a beta-blocker or a small dose of a major tranquilliser which can help to take the edge off the symptoms of anxiety by blocking norepinephrine and/or dopamine receptors in the brain.
PaulB
poster:PaulB
thread:84917
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011123/msgs/84972.html