Anti-Social, Very Low Confidence, Nervous Wreck

[HandTremors]

Hey guys,

I'm 21 years old have really low confidence.  I overthink everything.  I get really nervous...sweating, panicky and my hands shake A LOT.  I'm a bit of a loner, I suppose but a lot of people ask me why I'm the way I am.  My biggest problem is shaking and sweating under even a little bit of pressure.  

The biggest problem is i'm a pharmacy student and we have to mix very small amounts of product.  Now when I work on my own (with no one watching over me), its comes easy to me.  But when the prof tests me to and watches me, I get sooooo nervous and stressed, my hands tremble like crazy and i screw it up.  Its soo embarrassing, especially when other students see me shaking. :(

Now, if I have like 3-5 drinks of alcohol, i completely change.  i have thought about having a few drinks before a presentation or practical asssesment so iam more relaxed (but i havent actually done this).  i am confident and talkative and get along with everyone really easily.  the after a night of drinking people always tell me how funny i am, how much fun we had hanging out and ask me why im not like that all the time.

basically i need to relax..loosen up and stop being so anti-social.  normally, im very quiet and shy and anxious but with a bit of alcohol, im so social.  i know alcohol makes people social but with me its an enormous change.

so im just wondering if there is medication that help me relax and be more talkative and social. i should probably know this but i dont know the exact diagnosis.
should i see a doctor?  psychiatrist?  

please help meeee.

[suzi-q]

Forget the alcohol!!!  that is a NO-NO!  Especially mixing drugs?  

There are anti-anxiety medications.  The best one I feel is Klonopin.  It is a pill that is meant for long-term use.  It is taken once in the morning and once at night.  The med works for 12 hours, so 12 in the day and then 12 at night.  It reaches a steady state helping you remain calm all day.  DO NOT take with alcohol!!!  Also, there are withdrawal symptoms when you and your doctor decide it is time for you to come off so take that into consideraton also.

[Aga135]

You need to find another solution. It's really ironic that alcohol hepls you so much...because  you do realize that if you continue you'll become an alcoholic and become really depressed and life will be so much more misirable. TRUST me. I have the same problems you do and it's hell and I too am looking for meds that would help, but a man I know, who also has such problems chose alcohol rather than therapy and now at 50 his life is a huge mess and he would give anything to go back and change things.

Try the pills suzi-q suggested and do what I do: get really pissed at your weaknes and fears and say "You're not going to control my life! I'm gonna control you!"

[RCA7591]

"I'm 21 years old have really low confidence.  I overthink everything.  I get really nervous...sweating, panicky and my hands shake A LOT.  I'm a bit of a loner, I suppose but a lot of people ask me why I'm the way I am.  My biggest problem is shaking and sweating under even a little bit of pressure."

^quote

I suspect that you suffer from a strong component of social phobia, and perhaps, an obsessive-compulsive disorder. You probably think that everyone is focused on YOU, 24/7, however, that simply isn't the case. As difficult as it may be for you to believe, you are NOT the center of attention, or the talk of the town -  you're just convinced that you are. At the present time, you lack the insight and understanding to appreciate this fact.

Here's what I would recommend:

(1) Avoid alcohol entirely - it's not benefiting you in any way, Masking your issues with alcohol will only lead towards a downward spiral.

(2) Visit a psychiatrist. By far, the two best medicines for the type of condition you describe are Paroxetine (Paxil) and Clomipramine (Anafranil). They are both very effective, although Anafranil is more potent, and slightly more specific. I would not recommend any form of CNS depressants, such as the Benzodiazepines (ie: Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax). Any form of a CNS depressant merely blunts the response to your stressors and obsessions, and masks them. While this works temporarily, it is not a viable long-term solution, and this doesn't cure the underlying problem. What you need is a little kick in the butt, not a downer - the exact opposite of what you THINK you need. Benzodiazepines such as Klonopin should only be used in anticipatory and panic states. They do nothing to alter the thought process, and they make one less responsive to altering their own thought process, which leads me to:

(3) Visit a psychologist. Once you are on a course of Anafranil, Paxil, etc for one month, seek the help of a psychologist. Here is where the real therapy occurs - discussing your issues openly, identifying the causative factors that led to your behavior, and ultimately, understanding them. The psychologist will give you the insight to understand what is causing the problem, and once you understand, you'll be on the road to recovery. Until you are, the Anafranil or Paxil will function as a tool to aid you in the recovery process.

It is important to begin this process now, while you are young, and while the condition is more benign in nature. As with any combination anxiety/depressive state, they are progressive if not addressed. Often times, social phobia, for instance, progresses to agoraphobia and panic attacks - or, in its worst form, panic disorder.

Best to you,

Ryan