Way to improve nervousness....

[malelee21]

Not sure if there is a way to improve nervousness through medication (off the shelf medicine). Whenever I speak in front of crowd or give presentation, I tend to get nervous, which seriously affect my ability to speak with confidence. I am wondering if there are any off-the shelf medicines available which can help me improve on such condition.

I am glad I found this website as there are tons of information on many health related topics.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jayhawkk]

non script stuff that can help is st john's wort(sp)
Lay off any caffeine type of stuff including tea and coffee's.

 

[bigfucer]

Not sure if there is a way to improve nervousness through medication (off the shelf medicine). Whenever I speak in front of crowd or give presentation, I tend to get nervous, which seriously affect my ability to speak with confidence. I am wondering if there are any off-the shelf medicines available which can help me improve on such condition.

I am glad I found this website as there are tons of information on many health related topics.

Thanks in advance.

I would recommend phenibut. It seems to take the edge off in pressure situations. What is REALLY effective are beta blockers. these are prescription meds that work by blocking the effects of adrenaline. the net result is lower hr, bp and a relaxed feeling. Golfers have been using these medications for a few yrs now in tournament play. Since availablity may be an issue it may not help you at right now, but if you could get ur hands on it i would strongly recommend taking it. I have used it when giving speeches and presentations and it makes it a whole lot easier to get in front of a hundred people. hope this helps

 

[tsc]

Not sure if there is a way to improve nervousness through medication (off the shelf medicine). Whenever I speak in front of crowd or give presentation, I tend to get nervous, which seriously affect my ability to speak with confidence. I am wondering if there are any off-the shelf medicines available which can help me improve on such condition.

I am glad I found this website as there are tons of information on many health related topics.

Thanks in advance.

There are several things that could help. If the main issue is just around these speaking engagements you might want to look in Phenibut. Its not something to be taken daily as it will lose effects quickly, but for the occasion talks etc. many people have benefited from it. Start with lower doses and assess. Many people go crazy with the doses of phenibut to get a quasi-high, but in the right dose it should relax you enough to ease the nervousness. Once you have a few good presentations in a row you will get a good bit more confident. You may always need something to help with the nerves. Either way, the more you know your topic and prepare (both for the presentation and questions etc) the easier it will become. Do your best to feel you know the topic better than anybody listening and that is why you are presenting it.

Things that have helped me ...which may or not work for you is to practice both a written text of your talk and the several "free form" versions. When I do talks, its usually on the same topic or something closely related. I know the topic well enough to handle anything and I no longer prepare talks other than to make a few notes and of course prepare slides. This works great for me and allows for crowd questions etc. If you are dead set on a script, then inevitable moron will interrupt you with a question that will throw your flow off. My slides keep my on topic, but my comfort level makes it easy to change my talk on the fly.

Do everything you can to naturally relax yourself before a talk, and prepare. This with the added help of phenibut or other supps. will make your talks golden.

TSC

 

[Jayhawkk]

Things that have helped me ...which may or not work for you is to practice both a written text of your talk and the several "free form" versions. When I do talks, its usually on the same topic or something closely related. I know the topic well enough to handle anything and I no longer prepare talks other than to make a few notes and of course prepare slides. This works great for me and allows for crowd questions etc. If you are dead set on a script, then inevitable moron will interrupt you with a question that will throw your flow off. My slides keep my on topic, but my comfort level makes it easy to change my talk on the fly.

Excellent advice.

 

[malelee21]

Thanks guys for great tips. You guys seem much mature and knowledgeable than many other forums I have been to.

 

[yeahright]

You might look into the IBE product NEURO-BALANCE (see the log in my sig line). It's a phenibut derivative.

Also, sort of on the other end of the spectrum is sulbutamine. Sulbutamine is a stimulant but it seems to work selectively on the speech and language centers of the brain....so speaking is easier and more fluid. If you're more confident in your speaking abilities, that might help reduce the natural stress results.

 

[glenihan]

copius amounts of marijuana ... lol jk

 

[malelee21]

One thing to ask though... it is safe to take these medicines? I want something that won't affect doing my daily task. My work is not stressful and am quite happy. It's just when I have to give presentation in front of PhD's on some of technical stuff I am working on. I don't know why... but I tend to get really nervous when I stand in front of many people. I want product that is not addictive and something I can take daily as daily supplement.

 

[yeahright]

I want product that is not addictive and something I can take daily as daily supplement.

Well, you're making the mistake of assuming that something is safe, effective and non-addictive just because it is a dietary supplement. In point of fact, being declared a dietary supplement EXCLUDES a product from most requirements of efficacy and purity. If someone claims that their dietary supplement can do X, Y and Z, then (under US law) it is no longer a supplement, but is a drug and is regulated by the FDA.

Supplements (in the U.S.) exist in this loophole. As long as they don't make health claims, they aren't under the jurisdiction of the FDA. Without the accompanying government regulations requiring proof of safety and efficacy, there is no guarantee that what you're being sold is safe, effective or even what the manufacturer claims it to be.

For better or worse, you simply have to trust them.

So, make your own decisions based upon your trust level. Personally, I research things before I put them into my body. I get a good idea of what the literature and annecdotal reporst say, then purchase from a manufacturer with a good user reputation. I'm not sure that there is more that could be done (other than conducting my own lab tests).

If you're going to take these things, you do so with your fingers crossed.

 

[tsc]

One thing to ask though... it is safe to take these medicines? I want something that won't affect doing my daily task. My work is not stressful and am quite happy. It's just when I have to give presentation in front of PhD's on some of technical stuff I am working on. I don't know why... but I tend to get really nervous when I stand in front of many people. I want product that is not addictive and something I can take daily as daily supplement.

Do you give presentations etc. to these groups daily? Its sounds like are saying you need something for specific and occasional events, but you want to take a daily supplement.?? While there are several things that can help you with these occasional events, most wouldn't be as useful if taken daily. If take them daily, you will get use to them, and they become useless for those specific events where you need them the most.

I wouldn't use phenibut on a daily basis. Some gabaergics are best for infrequent use such as phenibut. Others such as theanine and GABA itself can be taken daily with good results for the right people. You may not need that increase in gaba for your everyday life. If that is the case, its better to stick with the short term use of phenibut or related products.

How often are you in these nervous situations?

TSC

 

[malelee21]

I would say about once a week?

 

[tsc]

I would say about once a week?

If that is the case, phenibut would be fine. One acute dose a week will most likely always work (assuming it works for you at all) as you won't develope any tolerance. I could be wrong, but it sounds like this is something you will be able to control pretty easily. Gabatropin was the original phenibut product, the standard dose of 500mg would (i think that was the dose they used) work well. The company that made gabatropin makes another product that may work for you (psychotropin... yes, its a stupid name). It has phenibut, theanine, and a few different adaptogens (which reduce stress).

Speaking of adaptogens, they are some products you can take on a daily basis that are known to be quite safe. Bacopa, ashwaganda, maca, rhodiola, etc. could be of help. These are good for relieving stress from several different angles. You can find capped versions of most of these, and some are available as bulk powders from various internet stores including our board sponsor stores.

If I were you, I'd do the preparations I suggested and order some type of phenibut product for those once a week situations. Depending on how that works, I would eventually want to incorporate some type of adaptogen. You may not need it though, so start with the simple approach. The best case scenario is to get yourself in a state where you don't need any supplement help. I've read a few product reviews where people used phenibut and were able to overcome their fear of public speaking in a short time (ie, they no longer needed to use phenibut or anything else).

TSC

 

[malelee21]

Thank you so much for your great advice. I'll proceed and get phenibut. I'll take once a week and keep you posted of results.

 

[malelee21]

One more question. If I were to take it once a week (let's say Monday), how effective would it be for a period of one week? More effective on Monday vs. Sunday?

 

[tsc]

One more question. If I were to take it once a week (let's say Monday), how effective would it be for a period of one week? More effective on Monday vs. Sunday?

I'm not completely sure what you mean, but I am assuming you are asking if you'll feel the effect from the dose on monday later that week on sunday? If so, the half life on most supplements is usually only a couple hours. If you took it on monday before your talk, the effect would most likely be gone in say 4 hours. That number varies person by person, and some people take very large doses and end up with a hangover like effect the next day... but that is not what you are going for.

If you meant taken a dose every day for a week, and comparing the effects of the first dose versus the seventh, for most people the seventh dose will do almost nothing for you. Most get a tolerance to phenibut in a very short time, that is why it is more effective for those occasional uses.

Now for something like theanine, and the adaptogens I mentioned, their effects come from continuous use (you would want to cycle them though). There are some fast acting benefits usually, but the bulk of their effectiveness comes with time.

TSC

 

[doggzj]

Hey malelee,

It sounds like you have Social Anxiety. It's a real condition, and alot of people have it. If you do a Google search, you will find tons of information on it, I'd recommend this.

Your best bet is behavior modification. Your problem is based on reinforcements in your brain, and you need to remove these to help fix the problem. You should be able to find many good sources on google for this.

I've delt with the same thing, so I know how hard it can be. Help yourself and you won't regret it.

-doggzj

 

[Cordeen]

I concur...Phenibut works great...but use it randomly...another to consider is Rhodiola Rosea and can be taken daily...and speaking of that...someone mentioned Gabatropin...contains both Rhodiola and Phenibut....was first put out Ergopharm but now only available through Giant Nutrition (same owner actually)

Relax-ALL by MRM is another you might want to look into.

 

[malelee21]

Does Relax-All affect your ability to work during day time? It says that it gives you a mild feeling of tranquility.

 

[millerman]

I think I may have social anxiety disorder. What kind of doctor do you guys recommend? (i.e. general practitioner, psychologist, et cetera)

 

[bioman]

I second Rhodiola. It's terrific at controlling stress. Ashwagandha and Bacopa are also good for keeping me calm.

 

[malelee21]

bioman, does it give you a feeling of tranquility when you take it? I wonder if it will give me a funny feeling if I were to take it in the morning prior to work?

 

[anabolicrhino]

I second Rhodiola. It's terrific at controlling stress. Ashwagandha and Bacopa are also good for keeping me calm.

These have all worked for me. I also like Kava, inositol passion flower hops and valerian. I find that most are effective when used short term then I rotate to another source. This took me about 25 years to get a good regiment, so don't expect miracles that have no side effects. Iwould first try to isolate what it is that meks you nervous then systematically eliminate the nervous triggers. Supplement should be a last resort. Good luck!!!

Just remember in 100 years, who will care?

 

[bioman]

Rhodiola will not "tranquilize" you like many other sedatives will. It basically boosts serotonin levels and has some very mild interaction with the opiate receptors. As an adaptogen, it provides energy and anxiety control without drowsiness or sedation.

take it on an empty stomach 2-3 times per day.

 

[Cordeen]

Rhodiola will not "tranquilize" you like many other sedatives will. It basically boosts serotonin levels and has some very mild interaction with the opiate receptors. As an adaptogen, it provides energy and anxiety control without drowsiness or sedation.

take it on an empty stomach 2-3 times per day.

NOW brand Rhodiola @500mg/cap is hands down the best I've ever had.

 

[doggzj]

bioman, does it give you a feeling of tranquility when you take it? I wonder if it will give me a funny feeling if I were to take it in the morning prior to work?

I've honestly never gotten mine taken care of, but I'm not in the position where it really harms my life. I think your best recourses would be searching the internet, I'm sure you can find pages from doctors/psychologists that deal directly with social anxiety.

I hope you have lucky working things out.