Natural alternatives for social anxiety?

[SADman]

My psychiatrist prescribed me an SSRI called Citalopram about a month ago. I haven't taken any yet, because I would rather take a more natural approach. I have been taking Pharma GABA for about 2 weeks now and it has been working wonders in terms of general anxiety. It clears my mind of automatic negative thoughts, I can focus more and it calms me down. It also keeps my anxiety from getting so bad that it causes stomach issues. I plan to buy some 5HTP this morning to see if that will help me with social anxiety and depression caused from social anxiety. I have done some research online and it is said that it is safe to take both Pharma GABA and 5HTP together? I heard that 5HTP usually makes people really tired? If that is the case, would it be safe for me to sometimes drink an energy drink or a coffee if I took 5HTP and Pharma GABA earlier in the day? I have had no problem with energy drinks or coffee while taking Pharma GABA alone.

I also plan to try out: Rhodiola Rosea, SAM-E, Magnesium, Holy Basil, and maybe St. John's Wort.

Has anyone taken any of these? Which are the best for social anxiety? I'm looking for something that will lift my mood, which will allow for a more natural confidence in social situations.

I would appreciate any help from any of the experts on here.

Best Regards,

Robert

 

[SADman]

Really? Nobody can help me at all?

 

[jfh]

This is not an easy one SADman. You are taking the best herbs and vitamins for anxiety, but social anxiety (panic attacks/stage fright) isn't easy. I posted, a while back, that I use to know young people that took propranolol / Inderol for stage fright before a musical concert. It worked within one hour before and did not affect their thoughts or creativity. It is a common beta blocker that doctors prescribe for blood pressure. It keeps the heart from racing. I think the closest thing that resembles it is 5HTP, which you plan to try.

Hypnosis is another possibility, though that never helped me. Practice is something that works too. Check out your local Toastmasters org.

 

[SADman]

This is not an easy one SADman. You are taking the best herbs and vitamins for anxiety, but social anxiety (panic attacks/stage fright) isn't easy. I posted, a while back, that I use to know young people that took propranolol / Inderol for stage fright before a musical concert. It worked within one hour before and did not affect their thoughts or creativity. It is a common beta blocker that doctors prescribe for blood pressure. It keeps the heart from racing. I think the closest thing that resembles it is 5HTP, which you plan to try.

Hypnosis is another possibility, though that never helped me. Practice is something that works too. Check out your local Toastmasters org.

Yes, thanks for the reply. I actually only took 100mg of 5htp so far, but I plan to take a higher dose that is still a safe amount and see how that works for me. I will have to take it after I eat next time, because taking it before just a snack really got to my stomach all night. Have you tried 5HTP as well? Does it bother your stomach? Does it help you out?

 

[jfh]

When I can't sleep, I take 5HTP - therefor on empty stomach. Otherwise I prefer melatonin.

 

[knightofalbion]

Hello dear Robert.

Two suggestions:

Bach Flower Remedies - A much respected natural treatment, especially the most famous Bach Flower Remedy 'Rescue Remedy'. ('Rescue Remedy' carries the royal crest which means the Queen uses it.)

Herbal nervine. From my personal experience, the version intended for night-time use is the most efficacious. Most of them are based on valerian and passiflora and this is the formula to go for. Take a couple of hours beforehand. They will calm you, enabling you to be yourself.

 

[d0ug]

Linus Pauling said all sickness, ailment, and disease can be traced back to a mineral deficiency. Now you have tried most all the recommended herbs and limited success.
There could be a mineral that your body needs and it is very hard to know what it maybe a hair analyses or try a supplement that has 60 + minerals as a shot gun approach.

 

[nettle]

Hi Robert, I'm also looking for the same stuff, so i'll follow your thread!
Myself, i'm just going to try with skullcap and valerian and hops, and maybe vervaine and lemonbalm, depending how good the first ones help. But since i'm total a beginner, i don't know if these are really helpful for social anxiety.

Since you ask for natural alternatives, i also find meditation helpful. but not as a quick fix- solution, i feel that it takes a lot of time of practice and perseverence, and it was actually getting harder in the beginnen, and it's important to do it regularly. But now i do find that is helps me.

Also EFT seems to have some good influence on me, even though i've just started quite recently.

 

[jbaerbock]

I've just started taking StressCare by Himalaya [herbal company]. It's been about a week and it seems to be helping a small amount. It uses an assortment of different Indian medicinal herbs to help the body deal with stress and anxiety. Could try something like it? It's supposed to be most effective after taking for a month so we'll see how much more effective it gets. I have anxiety issues mostly around social situations but also am a terrible worrywort. I've had anxiety attacks before. Since I started taking standardized ginseng complex capsules I haven't had an attack but still feel the stress and so I'm trying this stuff along with my ginseng im already taking. Good luck!

If you end up wanting to buy that product check out alternate website like Amazon for waaay less expensive prices for the same product.

 

[kjgregor]

Hey there, I have anxiety and I was taking lexapro which made me lose interest in doing things, so I turned to alternatives, I read the L-theanine helps, so I am giving it a try and so far so good.. Check it out, it may help, I bought some off amazon.com

 

[softball2]

cbd oil

No expert here just know what works for me and many others. Three months I tried cbd oil and it was the best decision I ever made! Helped me with chronic pain, anxiety, rls, and not sleeping!

 

[multivitaminwoman]

Ask your doctor about beta blockers. A lot of actors take them to keep adrenaline at bay

 

[happy2bhere]

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[MrMajorThorburn]

My wife and I have been using Rescue Remedy for many years and have found it an essential item to have at hand in case our anxiety gets too much.
A few weeks ago my supplement supplier sent me an email introducing CBD oil.
Having read the information I decided to give it a try.
I am now two weeks into my first months of a 3 months trial and am starting to feel the benefits namely , clearer mind and more relaxed.
I am wondering if anyone else has tried CBD yet?

 

[naturalglow]

There's lots of new info coming out on YouTube about CBD Hemp Oil (Legal in most states now.)

 

[naturalglow]

My wife and I have been using Rescue Remedy for many years and have found it an essential item to have at hand in case our anxiety gets too much.
A few weeks ago my supplement supplier sent me an email introducing CBD oil.
Having read the information I decided to give it a try.
I am now two weeks into my first months of a 3 months trial and am starting to feel the benefits namely , clearer mind and more relaxed.
I am wondering if anyone else has tried CBD yet?

I just ordered my first CBD today. Looking forward.

 

[MrMajorThorburn]

Reference CBD my current status is that I am now convinced that this is working for me and plan to continue its use indefinitely.
I have also managed to have gained my wife's agreement and she is now trying CBD out and she is in her first month of a 3 months trial.
So far, to me, she is brighter and sharper minded so from my perspective she is benefiting from taking CBD.

 

[CalvinD]

Reference CBD my current status is that I am now convinced that this is working for me and plan to continue its use indefinitely.
I have also managed to have gained my wife's agreement and she is now trying CBD out and she is in her first month of a 3 months trial.
So far, to me, she is brighter and sharper minded so from my perspective she is benefiting from taking CBD.

Nice, which CBD Oil are you using?

I have been looking at purchasing the seeds from here https://www.seedsupreme.com/cannabis-seeds/high-cbd-strains.html and growing and pressing my own.

Hard to find a consistent source and so thought I might go and try a different method.

 

[Adaptogen]

My psychiatrist prescribed me an SSRI called Citalopram about a month ago. I haven't taken any yet, because I would rather take a more natural approach. I have been taking Pharma GABA for about 2 weeks now and it has been working wonders in terms of general anxiety. It clears my mind of automatic negative thoughts, I can focus more and it calms me down. It also keeps my anxiety from getting so bad that it causes stomach issues. I plan to buy some 5HTP this morning to see if that will help me with social anxiety and depression caused from social anxiety. I have done some research online and it is said that it is safe to take both Pharma GABA and 5HTP together? I heard that 5HTP usually makes people really tired? If that is the case, would it be safe for me to sometimes drink an energy drink or a coffee if I took 5HTP and Pharma GABA earlier in the day? I have had no problem with energy drinks or coffee while taking Pharma GABA alone.

I also plan to try out: Rhodiola Rosea, SAM-E, Magnesium, Holy Basil, and maybe St. John's Wort.

Has anyone taken any of these? Which are the best for social anxiety? I'm looking for something that will lift my mood, which will allow for a more natural confidence in social situations.

I would appreciate any help from any of the experts on here.

Best Regards,

Robert

5-HTP you need to be careful with, especially on its own as it can deplete other catecholamines such as dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine.


Lavender oral supplements have a good evidence base for generalized anxiety disorder. One study even found that lavender was comparable to 0.5mg of lorazepam.


Safforn has a growing body of impressive evidence for its anti-depressant benefits and research has found saffron to have comparable anti-depressant activity to several pharmaceutical anti-depressant drugs such as citalopram, prozac and others.

 

[Marie5656]

I, also, just recently heard of Saffron as a mood lifter. I specifically learned of a product called Saffron Lift, which is saffron plus Curcumin. I have only taken it for a few days, so results are not in yet. I am on a prescribed anti anxiety med, but found that it alone, was not helping me. So, time will tell if the Saffron lift helps.
I know the OP was a while ago, but I noticed they mentioned St John's Wort. I have researched it and read more negative than positive on it. Especially if you are taking other anti depressive or anti anxiety meds. So with this or any supplement, we have to do are research.

 

[kind2creatures]

I've heard that Saffron is good for so many things, I'd use it myself but it's so expensive. I bought a tiny jar of it a long time ago to try it in cooking, and I only used very little. If it's in a formula that is affordable, that would be a good thing. I do use Turmeric (curcumin) almost daily.

https://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/ancient-saffron-magical-healing-powers-confirmed-science
I've tried St. John's Wort a long time ago when I was feeling down in the dumps, it didn't do much for me. A couple of folks I know used it for depression, said they had some results, but then discontinued using it. So, I don't think it was that effective. They say it makes you more sensitive to the sun's rays, so you have to cover up if you use it.

I agree, we all need to research when taking supplements or herbs, especially if we're taking prescription drugs or have medical condition.

 

[truestorytotell]

Ahh.. social anxiety.

I think I have it too. I solved it by not socializing

But, what causes your anxiety? Are you fat? Lose weight. Are you skinny? Gain weigh. Bad teeth? Dentist, veneers, crowns, implants. Messed up face or some big scar or something? Plastic surgery. Unable to keep up verbally for whatever reason? I don't know... I don't know what to tell you buddy.