The first choice of medication for treating social anxiety disorder (SAD) is usually a class of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (). are also used to treat other disorders such as depression. affect your brain chemistry by slowing reabsorption of the neurotransmitter serotonin, a chemical believed to regulate mood and anxiety.Types of

Six are recommended in treating SAD. Your doctor may prescribe any one of the following. Each medication is listed by the brand name followed by the generic name in parentheses: Celexa (Citalopram)Paxil (Paroxetine)Prozac (Fluoxetine)Lexapro (Escitalopram)Luvox (Fluvoxamine)Zoloft (Sertraline)

Three , paxil, zoloft, and luvox have been approved by the FDA for treating SAD. However, all have been shown in clinical studies to offer improvement of symptoms. Paxil was the first SSRI to receive FDA approval and is often the first choice for treating SAD. However, the medication that works for one person doesn’t always work for another. So, your doctor will work with you to find the right prescription for you. How Do I Take an SSRI?

Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how to take your medication. It is important that you follow these directions. Generally, you will take an SSRI once a day, usually in the morning. Your doctor will usually prescribe a low dose initially, which will be increased gradually. The dose that you require does not necessarily relate to the severity of your symptoms. Sometimes it is simply a reflection of your unique metabolism. It may take several weeks for you to notice improvement of your symptoms. What are the Side Effects?

are generally the preferred medication for SAD because the side effects tend to be well-tolerated. Nevertheless, as with all medications, several possible side effects include:Sleep problems: drowsiness, fatigue or insomniaSexual dysfunction: decreased sex drive, delayed or absent orgasm, erectile dysfunctionPhysical ailments: skin rashes, dry mouth, headaches, nausea, dizzinessAnxiety-like symptoms: irritability, nervousness, shaky hands, sweatingEating problems: weight gain or loss, loss of appetite

If you have great difficulty with side effects, your doctor may decide to prescribe a different SSRI. In general, lower initial doses that are gradually increased reduce the likelihood that you will experience problematic side effects.Advisories/Warnings

should never be taken at the same time as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The results of such a combination can be fatal. In addition, never start taking one of these medications within weeks of stopping the other.

In 2004, the FDA released an advisory concerning and risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Although rare, it is possible during the initial phase of treatment for symptoms to worsen rather than improve. It is important to monitor symptoms during this time and report any negative changes to your doctor.

In addition to the FDA advisory on suicidal thoughts, there has also been an advisory released regarding the use of triptans for migraine headaches in combination with . In combination, there is a risk of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition. In general, it is important to inform your doctor of all medications, both prescription and nonprescription, that you are already taking.Discontinuing Treatment

should always be discontinued under the supervision of a medical professional. Abruptly stopping these medications can result in a relapse of anxiety symptoms and serotonin withdrawal symptoms including trouble with coordination, tingly sensations, vivid dreams, flu-like symptoms, anxiety, and depressed mood. To avoid these serotonin withdrawal symptoms and the possibility of relapse, should always be gradually tapered off.

Sources:

Bezchlibnyk-Butler KZ, Jeffries, JJ, eds. Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic Drugs. Toronto, Canada: Hogrefe & Huber; 2003.

Technorati Tags: anxiety, Disorder), Share, Social, Symptoms

Shyness and social anxiety disorder share many characteristics. If you have spent your whole life feeling as though you are just a shy person, how do you know if it is something more serious? Or, if you’re a worried parent, you may be wondering if your child is afraid of strangers or not making new friends at school. In either case, how do you know whether it is a serious problem?

You have every right to be worried — social anxiety disorder (SAD) is often dismissed as just extreme shyness. Statistics show that although symptoms usually start in childhood, the majority of people with the disorder don’t receive treatment (close to 75% of sufferers), and those who do seek treatment wait a long time to do so — on average 14 years.

The sooner you act, the sooner you can avoid lost opportunities. When symptoms begin in childhood, they may take over your child’s life. Childhood is the time when social skills develop in preparation for the challenges of adolescence and adulthood. Children who suffer with SAD often do not develop appropriate social behaviors. As children grow with the disorder, they may become accustomed to having social fears and design a life based on avoidance.

What are the results of long-term untreated SAD? Social anxiety disorder can have a devastating impact on your education, career success, financial independence, and personal relationships. Often it will lead to an isolated lifestyle and subsequent depression or substance abuse. Yet There Is HopeFor the majority of people (studies show roughly 70%), SAD can be treated successfully. It is so unfortunate that people wait so long or never get help when this disorder is so amenable to treatment.Am I Just Shy?The reason many people don’t seek help for SAD is that they don’t realize that they have a recognized psychiatric condition. But it’s been officially declared in the most recent revision of the DSM-IV, as an official disorder with diagnostic criteria.

In general, the primary symptoms that distinguish shyness from SAD are the intensity of the fear, the level of avoidance, and the impairment of functioning that it causes in a person’s life. People with generalized SAD don’t just feel nervous before giving a speech. They may worry about the speech for weeks or months beforehand, lose sleep due to anxiety, and have intense symptoms of anxiety during the feared situation such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating, or shaking.

The symptoms usually do not subside but get worse as the situation progresses. The person with SAD usually realizes that his fears are unfounded but is still unable to control them. Screening for SAD

Your doctor or mental health care professional will conduct an in-depth interview to determine whether you meet the criteria for a diagnosis of SAD. However, as an initial step, he or she may have you complete a screening measure to determine the need for a more thorough follow-up evaluation.

One such screening test is the “Mini-SPIN” (Mini-Social Phobia Inventory) that consists of just three questions. The Mini-SPIN (and it’s sister version the full SPIN) were created by Dr. Jonathan Davidson of the Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center. In a study of more than 7,000 patients diagnosed with SAD, 89% of diagnosed patients were identified using this screening method.

To complete the SPIN, your doctor will have you rate the following three items in terms of how true they are for you on a scale of 0 to 4, where 0 is “not at all” and 4 is “extremely present.” Fear of embarrassment causes me to avoid doing things or speaking to people.I avoid activities in which I am the center of attention.Being embarrassed or looking stupid are among my worst fears.

Generally, total scores of 6 or higher are indicative of possible SAD, however only a trained mental health professional can make a diagnosis. In addition to the SPIN and Mini-SPIN, there are several other instruments that may be used to screen for SAD including:Liebowitz Social Phobia Scale Fear of Negative Evaluation ScaleSocial Avoidance and Distress Scale

Although screening instruments are very helpful in identifying potential problems with social anxiety, there is no substitute for a complete diagnostic interview conducted by a mental health professional. Your doctor will be able to provide a full assessment, or refer you to another professional more experienced in diagnosing the disorder.

Sources:

Rosenthal J, Jacobs L, Marcus M, Katzman M. Beyond shy: When to suspect social anxiety disorder. The Journal of Family Practice. 2007; 56: 369-374.

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If you suffer with social anxiety, you may wonder whether your symptoms are severe enough for you to be diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD).

People with SAD fear being embarrassed or humiliated in front of others. You may be afraid of one or many different types of social situations.

People with SAD frequently have both emotional and physical symptoms.

Some of the emotional symptoms include:
* intense fear of situations where you don’t know other people
* fear of situations where you will be judged
* anxiety about being embarrassed or humiliated
* fear that others will notice your anxiety
* fear and dread of upcoming events weeks in advance

Examples of physical symptoms include:
* blushing
* profuse sweating
* trembling hands
* muscle tension
* racing heart

People with SAD know that their fear is out of proportion to the actual situation, but are still unable to control their anxiety. The anxiety may be specific to one type of social or performance situation (known as specific SAD) or it may be in all situations (generalized SAD). Some of the situations that are common triggers include interacting with strangers, making eye contact, and initiating conversations.

Technorati Tags: anxiety, Disorder), Emotional, Physical, Reviewed, Social, Symptoms

The symptoms of SAD in children vary somewhat from those experienced by adults, and depend on the age of the child. While a pre-schooler may cry or cling to a parent when in the company of strangers, a teenager may turn to drugs or alcohol to cope. If you suspect that your child is suffering from social anxiety, look at the symptom list for the appropriate age group and see whether they sound like your child.Pre-school Childrenfear or lack of interest in new thingscries, whines or appears irritablefreezes up or clings to parentshy around new peoplerefuses to participate or speakSchool-Aged Childrensits alone at lunchdoesn’t join in at recessworries excessively about being evaluated or judgeddoes not participate in after-school activitiesdoes not like school or refuses to gois uncomfortable being the center of attentionmumbles or avoids eye contactTeenagersskips school and/or uses drugs or alcoholfears performance situations such as public speakingdifficulties dating or problems with a jobfear of using public restroomsfear of signing name in public

Sources:

American Psychiatric Association. (1994) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Hales, R.E., & Yudofsky, S.C. (Eds.). (2003). The American psychiatry publishing textbook of clinical psychiatry. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric.

Anxiety Disorders Association of British Columbia. (2007).

Technorati Tags: Children, Symptoms

I wasn’t breathing right, I was shaking, I couldn’t stop crying, and I had these sudden extreme feelings that someone won’t accept me for who I am. It didn’t last very long, but a few minutes later, it happened again. I don’t know if I had a panic attack, or anxiety attack. Also, what’s the difference? Please Help.
Also, how could I prevent this from happening again?
Okay, I forgot to mention, I’m 14 and I definitely can’t afford any medications. And I doubt my parents would get me any. So, anything cheap? Or any other ideas?

If you ask to see your doctor, then ask the doctor to test your thyroid, adrenals, and cortisol , also sex, and dheas hormones, then get a copy of the lab results for yourself…….. if your TSH (thyroid) is outside the .2 to 3 area then , all these panic attacks could by because of thyroid imbalances or other hormones.
most doctors never test that

then ask for a referral to a hormone expert from your parents…….and have them look into the experts, like these feelingfff.com , thehallcenter.com , drlowe.com , etc…

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