Should I start taking medication for social anxiety disorder?

Every time I think about being in a situation that involves meeting new people, being around strangers, people that I don't like, classmates that I don't know well, etc... I start to feel very anxious. My palms might start to sweat, my head aches, my heart speeds up, and I get very shaky.
My movements are always very cautious and slow, (as I and other people have noticed) and it seems like I'm thinking about every move I make when I'm around certain people and I hate it. I do not like talking during class and I NEVER raise my hands to ask questions, it makes me nervous. I don't think it's a confidence issue... when I'm around people that I've known and talked to for a while I am completely fine, even outgoing. AND I'm fun at parties with people that I have never met, (no clue why lol) When I have to face things alone without someone that I'm completely comfortable with is when the worst of my problems surface.
Today, for example, I was practically dying of thirst and was about to step into the shoppette to buy a soda but the fear of going up to the cash register clerk stopped me in my tracks, and I turned right back around! I know how silly that must seem but I can't help the way I act. It's interfering with my everyday life.
I also get things that feel like hot flashes when I start to feel anxious, if that could have anything to do with this...
I've been trying for years to let myself be more outgoing and getting myslef to care less. I have made progress, but very little compared to the way I want to be. Social anxiety runs in my family... I am almost certain that my sister has it, she seems to have it as bad as me or maybe even a little worse. My mom was diagnosed with pibolar disorder and ADHD.

I don't think that my parents would take me seek proffesional help. I JUST today told my dad I think I have a problem , and he kind of reassured me that I'm "pretty and smart and have nothing to fret over." He doesn't understand.

I have SAD too (along with ocd/obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety and depression) and take the ssri (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant 'prozac weekly', the time-released prozac albeit more expensive than the prozac 'daily'. In addition to the meds, I receive therapy.

Even with meds and therapy, I still need to practice some relaxation techniques before being in the company of large (or sometimes small) crowds. I try to practice deep breathing for about a minute or so -- slowly breathing in through the nose and slowly breathing out through the mouth -- a couple of times as to not hyperventilate. I also try to remember (before being in the social situation) that no one is perfect and that everybody makes judgments about others though some don't say them aloud. Even the person that seems to have all of the confidence in the world has his or her own insecurities and they are "just" people too. That sometimes helps me to relax a bit and move forward with the day and situation.

For general info on anxiety disorders: http://www.adaa.org

Sorry, didn't mean for the words "licensed therapist" to run together and meant to add a :) at the end of the sentence ;) Report Abuse

I'm not a doctor and I don't have a social disorder. It sounds like you're afraid and you need to buck up and get over it.

Why do you think you need medication? Have you read up on what medication you think may help or what social disorder you think you may have?

Don't think medication is the solution just because you see commercials for it. Don't take the easy way out. If you're serious about trying to resolve a problem then I think you should attack it. Not hide behind a orange prescription bottle.

You could always ask them to take you to your general doctor for a check up, and while you are there, tell the doctor about all this. Then they, knowing that it's a serious issue, can talk to your parents about it.

I did it this way, and ever since then, my mom has taken the doctor and me very seriously, and took me to a Psychiatrist as soon as possible.

In the mean time, try to find support around you. This blog helped me a lot: http://howtogetridofdepression.blogspot.... It's about getting rid of depression, but there are a lot of resources there for anxiety, also. Good luck! :) I hope that you start to feel better soon.

Medication isn't necessarily the best answer for this. I have heard a lot of people become dependent on the drug. I think the best 'first step' for you to do is seek professional help first. If your parents won't take you to see a psychiatrist or anything like that, you can go to your school counselor first and talk to them about your problem, and while I know you have a social anxiety problem in talking to people, you should still first consult someone of professional status. If you don't want to speak in person to your school counselor, you can e-mail them or leave a letter in their box. If that fails, you can also talk to your family doctor too, they can recommend the best steps for you.

i used to be like that. i went through a stage where i couldnt even go and get a sandwich for lucnch while i was at work. i ended up seeing a psycho therapist and saw him for about a month or so and then he tried hynotherapy with me which worked wonders. it may take a little while but maybe give hypnotherapy/ therapist a go before going on meds