Risks and Benefits of Drugs to Treat Social Phobias

I would not reccomend a drug only approach to social phobia (or any mental illness)

As with any medication the risks and benifits have to be weighed up. Do your research on the proposed medicine and have a good medical practicioner on side. See them regularly especially when you first start medication and moniter side effects etc.

I think any phobia is treated with exposure therapy. This means gradually and gently approaching the feared thing in managable doses and learning to sit with the level of discomfort. This usually needs a therapist to walk along side you as exposure therapy has its own dangers such as triggering too much anxiety and loosing faith and hope in the method. Exposure therapy takes time and dedication.

Medication can take the edge off the anxiety to help approach the phobia, especially in the begining.

Personally I have recently come off meds. While on them I worked with exposure therapy, pushing my tollerance and dealing with the anxiety. It was like learning to swim with a floatation device. Coming off them I could still use my skills but it was much harder. I am much more exposed to the intense feelings of anxiety. however for the moment I am doing ok!

Hi @Ngunjima

What a great explanation you have just given about your experience with your particular therapy. Thanks for sharing and being so open. I found your posy to be very articulate and informative!!

Outlanderali