claustrophobia/social anxiety? medication?
nick007
Veteran
Joined: 4 May 2010
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 27,125
Location: was Louisiana but now Vermont in the police state called USA
I know I haven't been to this forum in a while; if curious why click link in my post sig. I'm using my girlfriend's laptop because I still haven't manged to bring mine up here yet so I still may not be around this forum much for a while except for checking watched post on my droid. Anyways I'll start this post now....
I have a problem when I'm in a very crowded confined space. I used to have social anxiety issue but I kind of got over it by working in retail. I kind of tune people out, zone out or stay focused on what I'm doing when I'm around people like in stores, restaurants, walking ect thou I do get annoyed or frustrated that people are in my way, lines are long or people are too loud. I feel on edge when people are walking close behind me & I feel watched when I notice people are really close to me when I'm doing anything: I deal with those situations OK for the most part thou.
I experience something that I think could be like claustrophobia when I'm in a small crowded space like an elevator or bus. I'm fine when I'm in an elevator with just people I know thou. When other people are on I feel on edge but I'm only on it for such a short time that it doesn't become a problem. What I'm having the most difficulty with is being on crowded buses. I'm fine when a lot of people are not on & it's not too noisy but I get claustrophobic like when it's crowded & noisy. I feel very on edge like I may have a panic attack but I don't, I get hot & feel feverish, I feel tapped & confined & just need to get off.
I'm wondering if this is related to social anxiety, claustrophobia or something else & I'd like ideas on how to treat this. I'm taking Buspar for anxiety(15mg 2x a day) & Neurontin/Gabapentin for OCD(400mg 3x a day) & they are helping my OCD & other anxiety issues alot but I have this claustrophobic like problem. I think the most common medication idea to try 1st would be to take a benzopine before going somewhere on a bus but I'm not sure if that would work for me. I usually take a bus a few days a week so I might could develop a tolerance to the benzo & sometimes I'm gone half the day so a benzo could wear off before I take my final bus home. My blood pressure is kind of low & I feel kind of woozy & faint if I'm sitting really still for a while. I had worse problems when I was on meds that lowered my blood pressure so I'm concerned about medication like a benzo lowering my blood pressure. I took Klonopin/Clonazepam a couple times a day for a couple years for Essential Tremors & I don't remember it having any mental or other effect on me good or bad but I was on afew other meds at the time & dealing with stress & other things so it's possible that effects or benefits were there that I didn't notice. I tried taking Ativan/Lorazepam for my tremors & anxiety issues a couple times a day but I quit after a week because it makde me more shaky & I felt tired & kind of out of it mentally; I still have some of it if I did want to try taking it for going on buses but I could see a doc & get something else to try thou. I been on afew antidepressants & antipsychotics in the past as well as other psych meds for a psychotic depression that I've been over for years now & I think I'm probably better off not being on any of those types of meds. Does anyone have any medication ideas or other suggestions or comments? I really do appreciate it.
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nick007
Veteran
Joined: 4 May 2010
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 27,125
Location: was Louisiana but now Vermont in the police state called USA
I had that again yesterday on a crowded bus. I'm going to try to remember to take an Ativan/Lorazepam next time I plan to go somewhere on one.but I'd like to hear other benzo ideas, other medication ideas or any other ideas incase Ativan doesn't work well for me.
_________________
"I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem!"
"Hear all, trust nothing"
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Ru ... cquisition
I'm taking Lysine against anxiety, it's an amino acid.
From Wikipedia: Lysine
Human studies have also shown correlations between reduced lysine intake and anxiety. A population-based study in Syria included 93 families whose diet is primarily grain-based and therefore likely to be deficient in lysine. Fortification of grains with lysine was shown to reduce markers of anxiety, including cortisol levels, and also led to potentiation of benzodiazepine receptors (common targets of anxiolytic drugs such as Xanax and Ativan).[35]
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"I'm astounded by people who want to 'know' the universe when it's hard enough to find your way around Chinatown." - Woody Allen
I'm on propranolol for social anxiety. But from what I've heard about it, it works amazingly for some people, and doesn't do anything for others. It works by reducing the symptoms of physical anxiety by lowering your heart rate. If your blood pressure is getting low for whatever reason though, it might not be the best medication.
nick007
Veteran
Joined: 4 May 2010
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 27,125
Location: was Louisiana but now Vermont in the police state called USA
_________________
"I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem!"
"Hear all, trust nothing"
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Ru ... cquisition
I'm taking Lyine from the company PEAK, but I don't know if it's an international company. I take around 2000 mg, what's not that much. But there are also certain foods who are rich on lysine.
Some people combinate lysine with arginine and/or ornitine.
I have the feeling that my anxiety level is better - I also suffer from claustrophobia - but it is still a bit outside of the norm. But I don't want to take too much and first want to continue this dosage. I'm taking lysine already since a view months, but also cod liver oil (high amounts of omega-3) and melatonine at night.
Here is a study to lysine and arginine with anxiety reduction:
PubMed
I would be very carefull with Benzodiazepines, because especially autistic peoble tend weak conectivity in their brain and benzos can lead to even weaker conectivity.
_________________
"I'm astounded by people who want to 'know' the universe when it's hard enough to find your way around Chinatown." - Woody Allen
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