[Jotun]

Hey I would like some advice on this oddly troubling time I'm going through. I have an extremely high level of social phobia and I've had it my entire life.. and it limits me in every way that would make me happy. Recently, I took a small dosage of Klonopin here and there after doing much research on it off the internet. And.. well now I feel I am more screwed up than ever cause it helped me be the person I truly am around others and I was able to go out and meet new people and socialize without the persistant fear of interacting with new people, especially girls.

Well here's where the problem lies.. I "obtained" the drug after doing extensive studies on it and basically I have no perscription and haven't ever seen a doctor about these problems. I know it was wrong of me to go about things this way but it feels like I've been living in a hole my entire life and I just felt like things couldn't get worse anyway.

I also believe I may have bipolar disorder but not to the level that is usually entailed with its definition.

So now I am making plans to see a doctor about all of this (im doing something right!) but from what I have heard from friends who have taken similar medications in the past is that perscribing Klonopin is a no-no to most docs and if they were to perscribe a benzo at all it would be Xanax.. Obviously I would prefer taking Klonopin since my experience with it was an enlightment but would other benzos have practically the same effect?

One last thing.. when I do finally see a doctor I'm not sure if I should mention that I have taken Klonopin without a perscription since it might make me seem like a drug addict... or would it possibly help my circumstance?

Any input would be so much appreciated!

-Jotun

[Dragonkittys]

Hi Jotun,
I have had social phobia my whole life also I am 28 yrs. old now. However my past has contributed to that alot, I don't know how it has been for you. I have never taken Klonopin though. My doctor of course put me on the standard Xanax most start you out on 1mg. once daily or in the event of a "panic attack". However I take 1mg. twice daily and one at the onset of "panic attack". I can tell you my personal expierence with Xanax is it really doesn't help me that much. At least not with being able to put myself out there. It really just helps me in rare occasions that I go out and I have that anxiety feeling(I stay that way alot). But as far as like giving me confidence to put myself out there it doesn't do that. It just helps take the edge off the anxious feelings you have when you "make" yourself put yourself out there. If you know what I mean. As far as when you go to the doctor telling him you have been taking a benzo such as Klonopin (sorta self medicating), I probably wouldn't do that. Only cause it could send up a red flag. Sometimes when we go to doctors and we tell them these things they can contact the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and "red flag" you. What that means is it tells the DEA that you have been optaining this benzo med. on your own. So then they in turn are on the look out for you after that point on how you optain that benzo med. So that could back fire on you. If I were you I would try the old " I have a family member that has this disorder (social phobia) and was first put on Xanax and after a trial it didn't work for him/her, and then was put on a med. called Klonopin and that seemed to really work for him/her" And then be like "What do you think about that?". And then see what the doctor says then. Usually by saying you have a family memeber who has this disorder it establishes a potentially inherited disorder and your just wondering since the "Xanax" didn't work for him/her and the "Klonopin" did you were thinking should you try this? Bring it as a question kinda like your asking his/her proffessional opinion therefore boosting their proffessional ego and showing you have done reaserch and put thought into this showing your interest in learning to cope thru treatment(meds.) of you social phobia disorder. Making it more of a your looking for a positive treatment to help you with this rather than making it seem more like your going to him/her to get this medication. I don't mean to offend you if I did. That is just the way I would handle it. Cause speaking from experience, when you go in saying I've taken this medicine (self medicating) and was wondering if you could prescribe it to me cause it seems to be working for me. They are going to see it more as This person knows they have been doing this lets say "illegally" and they are scared of getting caught so they want to come and get me to prescribe it to them. So they will be lets say "legally" taking the medication now. It just sounds better saying you've done reaserch and someone in your family has found this medication to work, do "this doctor" think it could work for you. That's just what I think. Sometimes I have done online reaserch on meds and suggested it to my doctor and ask if he thinks it might work and he has been like well hmm.. Lets see! I hope this info. and personal ideas might help and I'm sorry if I have offended you or hurt your feeling by anything I've said or the way I have worded it. Good Luck! I hope your able to find the help that will make you feel more confident and able to stay out in public comfortably. Take it a day at a time, that is what I do.. Dragonkittys.. [:I]

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[mpvt]

Go see a doctor,these drugs can be very harmfel.The problems you have are common and doctors deal with them everyday.Taking addictive medicines before trying other types of therapies is not productive.See a doctor asap and stay away from the illicit drugs until they are prescribed for you.Good luck and hang in there......Dave