wellbutrin and anxiety

[algore]

hey doc,

i have bipolar ii. this has caused agoraphobia.  bipolar is doing fine with lamictal.  the anxiety is still here.  pdoc gave me wellbutrin 150 mg for the depression that goes with the anxiety. i feel completely good now, but i'm still scared of doing anything in public, even seeing my friends.  i know its just an irrational fear.  he won't give benzos except for special occasions, i.e. weddings and such.  will the wellbutrin help the anxiety.

if i use exposure therapy on myself is it better to go slowly or do the most anxious thing i can think of?  it seems this would be faster.

thank you.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Yes, the wellbutrin can help your anxiety. The way to deal with your social anxiety is to do it more naturally. That is, don't go to the wildest, most frightening.  You can change by doing something daring once or twice.  Instead you should go where you know you should go, and when, and keep on getting little success experiences.  Don't give in to your tendency to hide.

[Venora Moonwind]

I am bi polar also and it took lots of therapy as well as the meds to get me to the good place I am in now.AFter my episode 1 breakdown I felt the same as you.I would stay at home and not talk to anyone but my husband and 2 daughters.this went on for about 9 months then I found a therapist I liked and my doc put me on celexa /zyprexa. That was 7 years ago.I now have lots friends a steady job and a great overall quality of life thatnks to meds  and therapy.
Give the the therapy a try and go form there.
Love Venora
PS let me know how it goes.