How do I overcome crippling social anxiety without the use of drugs that may cause ED?
Cavor asked:
I suffer horrible social anxiety, but I don’t want to use drugs that could make me dependent or cause erectile dysfunction
Conquer Stress, Depression & Anxiety In Just 90 Days!
I suffer horrible social anxiety, but I don’t want to use drugs that could make me dependent or cause erectile dysfunction
Conquer Stress, Depression & Anxiety In Just 90 Days!
seriously dude, try some valium or xanex. worked for me.
Why don’t you set yourself a small task each day (and then increasing the task after you complete it)? Like you have to look someone in the eye once on the first day, 2 people on the second day. Take a friend with you, maybe they will help you practice in different social settings as well. Conselling may help as well.
Pardon my snicker, Cavor. If your SAD is so bad, you won’t have any opportunities for sex, you know, so the ED side effect some drugs give some people is totally a non-issue…
Okay, on to a serious answer. The drugs are not intended for permanent or long-term use. They’re to ease the transition from being unable to handle normal social situations to working through them until they’re no longer beyond you.
You don’t just take the drugs and everything’s fine. You take the drugs and work with your counselor (often a psychologist) on exercises and practice sessions of increasing difficulty for you, from the kind you’d hate but could do (phone calls? raising your hand in class?) up to the kind that would leave you paralyzed with fear (asking out a beautiful girl)–were it not for the drugs.
You continue your SAD exercises, practicing daily, as you’re weaned off the drugs. Most people take them for a few months, then stop “cold turkey” without any difficulty. But you’re not off the hook. You continue the exercises indefinitely.
Workbooks that help include:
Dying of Embarrassment: Help for Social Anxiety & Phobia. Markway BG, Carmin CN, Pollard CA, Pollard CA, Flynn T. New Harbinger Publications, Oakland, CA, 1992.
*Painfully Shy: How to Overcome Social Anxiety and Reclaim you Life. Markway BG, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2001.
*The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven Techniques for Overcoming Your Fear. Antony MM, Swinson RP. New Harbinger Publications, Oakland, CA, 2000.
Talk it over with your doctor, there are many medications available with little or no sexual side effects. Ultimately, you have to decide which is worse, the anxiety or possible ED. Personally I would have to tackle the anxiety issue first… there is help available including hypnotherapy. Good luck!!!
The only way to overcome SAD is to face it and force yourself into the uncomfortable situations gradually. You may never feel completely comfortable in social situations; but you can build a tolerance.