Type’s Social Anxiety Medication

Social anxiety medication is the last resort in treating social anxiety disorders. This is because some medications do not work, and also have too many side effects. Doctors, therapists, and patients instead try to understand the condition and then prescribe or choose the appropriate types of therapy.

Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is the failure to perform in public or other settings where a person may feel pressure. Everyone experiences social anxiety in some form, but there are a select group of people in which the condition is severe enough to warrant the use of medication. These people have extreme social anxiety, a condition that cripples their interaction and performance skills in general.

Triggers of Social Anxiety

• Introducing oneself
  Starting a conversation in a group
• Public speaking
• Asking a stranger for help
• Going out with someone for the first time
• Going to a party or social gathering with many strangers
• Being in an interview setting whether for a job or otherwise

Signs of Social Anxiety

• Sweaty palms
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Feeling like someone is always watching or judging you
• Feeling awkward in public

Treating Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is hard to diagnose and treat. While extreme cases are quite obvious, other cases require a bit more probing. The power of the mind will convince some people that they suffer from this condition, when they actually do not. Taking medication for a non-existent condition is never recommended. Other forms of treatment for social anxiety exist; these include behavioral and other types of therapy.

Behavioral Therapy

Behavioral therapy for social anxiety does not involve the use of medication. It involves learning how to socialize by allowing the person to face their fears. Behavioral therapy starts with identifying the exact reason the patient experiences social anxiety. It then goes on to explore triggers and specific cases when the anxiety attacks. The therapist then tries to cure the patient of their anxiety by encouraging them to confront situations without fear. This type of therapy takes a lot of time and dedication but does work over time.

Medications

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s)

Paxil and Zoloft are the only SSRI’s approved by the Food and Drugs Administration for treating social anxiety or phobia. These drugs increase the levels of serotonin in the brain but it is not very clear how they reduce social anxiety. They are however, one of the best classes of drugs for treating this condition. They do increase the risk of suicide in children and teens and thus are not the first line treatment in these patients.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines like Xanax and Valium are also popular treatments for social anxiety. Doctors give them in small doses as long-term treatment but they also have short-term benefits. Side effects of Benzodiazepines include aggression and dependence among a host of others.

Social anxiety medication does help to some extent in treating this condition. The reduce shaking, sweating and even allow patients to interact without fear. They also have many side effects, some of them irreversible. The key to treating social anxiety is understanding the condition first, then taking the necessary steps to cure it.