Social Anxiety Disorder

[sweety]

Does anyone have any experience with ADHD and social anxiety disorder? Family member recently diagnosed. Started him on Paxil CR. May put him on some type of stimulant. He has always been quiet but thought it was a teenager thing. (he's 18) Realized I haven't had a conversation with him in 10 years. I will follow him closely though he lives in a different town.

[Amsmom]

i dont have personal experience with social anxiety dis, but when i saw the title of your post, the first thing i thought of was that paxil would probably be a good med to start with. it has been very effective in treating anxiety. good luck to your family member!

[danielle]

well .. my husband has been ADHD for 5 years now and just this past few months they told him he has social anxiety disorder.. put him on Zoloft < sp?> .. but .. he only stuck with it for about 45 days .. moode swings were a lot better and he was more willing to go out and be around ppl.. but .. most of the time .. all the meds did for him was put him to sleep.. he has since then stopped taking everything.. and He still finds it very difficult to deal with ppl in a social setting for more then 30 minutes... especially if it is a noisey surrounding or there is a lot of children running around .. very frustrated he gets.. and just wants to go home or wait in car. Dunno if that helps ya any .. but GL

~Dani

[songwriter]

I know all about social anxiety disorder (from first hand experience) just dont understand how to effectively treat the d**n thing! I am doing somewhat better, though after taking custom amino acids and vitamins and thyroid suppliment for what looks to be an underactive thyroid. At least now I look for opportunities to socialize with people at work- (Couldnt do that at my last job)
I'll tell you what DIDNT work for me. Xanax (zombied me out),Wellbutrin and Depakote (Couldnt stop the music in my head
One the key things to helping people with S.A.D. is 'reprogramming' the mind to not focus on ANTS (automatic negative thoughts) We struggle with such low self esteem- I have an inferiority complex (but its not a very good one!)

paul

[eaccae]

Sweety,

Both my sister and I suffer greatly from social anxiety! It has been paralyzing for both of us (of course if you met either one of us, you would think we were terribly extraverted and social people . . .) My sister has been on xanax for years - she went on Zoloft and it was a huge mistake. She is still on xanax. I went to see a behavioral psychologist who specialezed in anxiety disorders. I went for a cuople of years and learned all sorts of breathing techniques, visualization techniques . . . the social anxiety is not gone but I can function - and so much better than my sister (and my anxiety is probably worse). Of course I was in my twenties when I went - I don't know if I would have been mature enough to follow through with what the guy was telling me to do if I had been in my teens . . .

Paul - if you can find someone liek that - it was so worth it. It didn't happen overnight - and I still have some issues - but it is amazing how far I have come . . .

Sweety - there is hope. Both my sister and I used to drink practically a bottle of vodka to go out at night. Well, she still needs a few drinks - but I haven't needed to drink before going anywhere in over ten years!

[Aurelia]

My psych has put me on Clonazepam (I believe, its an anti-seizural med) for GAD. I think my mom has GAD, she needs valium for stuff that upsets her that shouldn't cause that kind of panic considering the situation. But then my dad is a rageaholic so living with him has got to be unnerving (I know it is for me). She's taking Paxil and the only recommendation I have is to watch VERY carefully if the dose is too high. My mom said that it helped the anxiety but she was on too high a dose and she had no interest in living. That was it, just didn't feel like living, not suicidal, just felt like there was nothing to live for.

So please watch carefully the dosage.