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Suggest Treatment For Severe Social Anxiety While On Seroxat
Question: Hi Dr,
I am a 32 year old male. I have been diagnosed with social anxiety 4 years ago. I have been on Seroxat since then I have had good progress on the social anxiety front although I have to admit at times I did feel socially anxious. I had a problem even maintaining an eye contact with a person and used to get spaced out during a conversation. Now with the Seroxat certainly things are much better.
There is another thing which keeps bothering me. When I talk I feel that my mouth movements are not how it used to be. As a result of this my speech clarity and pronunciation has suffered and I do not feel connected to my inner self when I am talking. The talking seems very shallow to me. The facial/lip movement seem lethargic and due to this my pronunciation suffers. My psychiatrist tells me that this is certainly anxiety related. However I do not find much help from Seroxat that I am consuming. Can you please advise. ?
I am a 32 year old male. I have been diagnosed with social anxiety 4 years ago. I have been on Seroxat since then I have had good progress on the social anxiety front although I have to admit at times I did feel socially anxious. I had a problem even maintaining an eye contact with a person and used to get spaced out during a conversation. Now with the Seroxat certainly things are much better.
There is another thing which keeps bothering me. When I talk I feel that my mouth movements are not how it used to be. As a result of this my speech clarity and pronunciation has suffered and I do not feel connected to my inner self when I am talking. The talking seems very shallow to me. The facial/lip movement seem lethargic and due to this my pronunciation suffers. My psychiatrist tells me that this is certainly anxiety related. However I do not find much help from Seroxat that I am consuming. Can you please advise. ?
Brief Answer:
With treatment social anxiety will decrease
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
I can understand your concern. Social anxiety cause significant problems in day to day functioning and even normal routine conversations become affected. Problems in maintaining eye contact, fear of being judged, sometimes slurred voice while conversing with opposite sex are common symptoms. In some individuals individuals become conscious about their body also. Facial redness, slurred voice, abnormal twitch like weird lip movements etc are also seen commonly. So yes, the changed lip/ facial movements you are having are anxiety related. A lot of patients with social anxiety present with similar complaints.
Seroxat is Paroxetine and the drug is a SSRI drug. In my opinion the drug is right drug for social anxiety. But the drug is known to cause sedation and weight gain as side effects. Other SSRIs like Escitalopram, Fluoxetine can be used. I prefer to use Escitalopram to my patients, though efficacy of these drugs in almost identical. For relief of the abnormal lip movements drugs like Propranolol can be used for some time. The drug will help to reduce the sympathetic nervous system activation and thus will help to improve the symptoms. This will reduce the anxiety also. You can discuss with your doctor for that drug.
Try to remain confident. In most of individuals with proper treatment social anxiety improves with time.
Thanks, Hope this helps you. Please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts.
With treatment social anxiety will decrease
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
I can understand your concern. Social anxiety cause significant problems in day to day functioning and even normal routine conversations become affected. Problems in maintaining eye contact, fear of being judged, sometimes slurred voice while conversing with opposite sex are common symptoms. In some individuals individuals become conscious about their body also. Facial redness, slurred voice, abnormal twitch like weird lip movements etc are also seen commonly. So yes, the changed lip/ facial movements you are having are anxiety related. A lot of patients with social anxiety present with similar complaints.
Seroxat is Paroxetine and the drug is a SSRI drug. In my opinion the drug is right drug for social anxiety. But the drug is known to cause sedation and weight gain as side effects. Other SSRIs like Escitalopram, Fluoxetine can be used. I prefer to use Escitalopram to my patients, though efficacy of these drugs in almost identical. For relief of the abnormal lip movements drugs like Propranolol can be used for some time. The drug will help to reduce the sympathetic nervous system activation and thus will help to improve the symptoms. This will reduce the anxiety also. You can discuss with your doctor for that drug.
Try to remain confident. In most of individuals with proper treatment social anxiety improves with time.
Thanks, Hope this helps you. Please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Dr,
Thanks a lot for your quick response. I forgot to mention a condition I have been diagnosed with 5 years ago. I have been diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia which causes the muscles around the vocal cords to be strained leading to a very effortful and strained speech. Do you think this could have played a role in my wierd lip/facial movement behavior while speaking. Do you think there is a correlation between my anxiety and muscle tension dysphonia ?
I have also been having Pharmaceutial grade Omega 3(Vayarin) for better energey levels. The reason I started off with Vayarin is because I feel feel groggy or brain fogged in the morning and I am unable to think properly and always feel sleepy and tired till I have something major to work on which catches my interest. Do you think this is anxiety related as well ?
Appreciate your help on my case.
Regards
Thanks a lot for your quick response. I forgot to mention a condition I have been diagnosed with 5 years ago. I have been diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia which causes the muscles around the vocal cords to be strained leading to a very effortful and strained speech. Do you think this could have played a role in my wierd lip/facial movement behavior while speaking. Do you think there is a correlation between my anxiety and muscle tension dysphonia ?
I have also been having Pharmaceutial grade Omega 3(Vayarin) for better energey levels. The reason I started off with Vayarin is because I feel feel groggy or brain fogged in the morning and I am unable to think properly and always feel sleepy and tired till I have something major to work on which catches my interest. Do you think this is anxiety related as well ?
Appreciate your help on my case.
Regards
Brief Answer:
Anxiety can cause weird movements.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again
No vocal cord problems with muscle tension dysphonia wouldn't cause sudden weird facial movements. These are related more to anxiety. Though the dysphonia might reduce confidence in long term which could worsen anxiety and thus might aggravate these movement. But there is no direct co-relation.
Omega Fatty Acids in some individuals are known to cause brain fog like condition and this is the reason I advise my patients to take these supplements in evening during bedtime. Most of individuals during don't feel the fogginess and these become tolerable. This effect is not anxiety related.
Thanks, Still have doubts please ask again.
Anxiety can cause weird movements.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again
No vocal cord problems with muscle tension dysphonia wouldn't cause sudden weird facial movements. These are related more to anxiety. Though the dysphonia might reduce confidence in long term which could worsen anxiety and thus might aggravate these movement. But there is no direct co-relation.
Omega Fatty Acids in some individuals are known to cause brain fog like condition and this is the reason I advise my patients to take these supplements in evening during bedtime. Most of individuals during don't feel the fogginess and these become tolerable. This effect is not anxiety related.
Thanks, Still have doubts please ask again.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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