# Xanax for Public Speaking



## hey25

I made a post on here about a month ago about my experiences with panic attacks/anxiety regarding public speaking and presentations in school. I was advised to ask my doctor for Inderal as a beta blocker that slows the adrenaline rush and cuts the physical symptoms (shaky hands, heart rate etc). Anyway I was at the doctor's today and asked him about it and he seemed to think Inderal was a bad idea because he said that's something that I'd have to take every day (?). Instead he prescribed me a low dosage of Xanax to take as needed (.25 mg). I've heard not so good things about Xanax, benzos etc. that they are very addictive, make you really tired, and wasn't really looking to be on them. I've just wondered what anyone else's experience has been with it especially in regards to taking it as needed for presentations, interviews etc. How far in advance should you take it, what are the major effects... Any advice would be helpful. Also has anyone had experience taking it when you are going to be drinking later? I'm assuming the result is bad?


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## db0255

hey25 said:


> I made a post on here about a month ago about my experiences with panic attacks/anxiety regarding public speaking and presentations in school. I was advised to ask my doctor for Inderal as a beta blocker that slows the adrenaline rush and cuts the physical symptoms (shaky hands, heart rate etc). Anyway I was at the doctor's today and asked him about it and he seemed to think Inderal was a bad idea because he said that's something that I'd have to take every day (?). Instead he prescribed me a low dosage of Xanax to take as needed (.25 mg). I've heard not so good things about Xanax, benzos etc. that they are very addictive, make you really tired, and wasn't really looking to be on them. I've just wondered what anyone else's experience has been with it especially in regards to taking it as needed for presentations, interviews etc. How far in advance should you take it, what are the major effects... Any advice would be helpful. Also has anyone had experience taking it when you are going to be drinking later? I'm assuming the result is bad?


If you're going to do some public speaking/presentations, it's best to take Propranolol about 30 minutes to an hour beforehand with some food. This should take care of all your physical symptoms, at a dose as low as 10 mg, although you can take higher if you want. You only need to take it beforehand once for a performance.

Xanax, although I'm not familiar with this particular benzo takes a short time to start working and has a relatively short half-life (doesn't last long) and works for a few hours. And when a benzo works, it works; it'll take out all your mental anxiety. So I'd say if you take .25mg of Xanax and 10-40mg of Propranolol an hour beforehand, you'll have zero anxiety. I'm talking, you'll WANT to get up there and speak, and you'll be thinking WTF were you worrying about in the first place.

I'm pretty sure if you combine a benzo and drinking you'll have a pretty bad headache, at least that's my experience. They both work on GABA, so it's like you'll have an overload. Taking a benzo is analogous to being drunk in a sense anyway. I'd say with such a small dose of Xanax you'll be A-OK, but be prepared for getting drunk faster and maybe a bad headache.

Also, with respect to your hesitancy about benzos in general, I had the same view years ago before I even took them; now I take them whenever and don't feel at all afraid. Benzos are not addictive in the sense of cocaine, heroin, etc. That is to say, if you were given a Xanax pill every day for a week, and then a placebo pill every day for a week, and then afterwards offered the option of one or the other (placebo or xanax), you'd have no preference. Moderate drinkers however are different and can be prone to dependency and will have more of a "euphoric" effect, if you would even call it that. You would have to take a high dose (2 mg or more) over the course of 2 weeks straight, or a low dose over 6 months or more to build up any type of withdrawal. Taking one pill (.25 mg is a very low dose) will not make you addicted...


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## arth67

both inderal and xanax can be taken as needed and will help a lot for public speaking


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## hey25

Thanks guys. My doctor would not prescribe me Inderal, but I think the Xanax will be fine. I'm just going to take it for presentations and maybe here and there for different situations.


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## homer

Strange. First time I heard of a doctor who wouldn't prescribe inderal. I'm sure xanax will work. It is a more powerful drug, but it might not be the best drug if all you need is inderal. I would talk to another doctor.

Inderal doesn't have to be taken every day and it rarely is for SA. It really just helps for certain types of situations.


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## No Limit

I took Xanax and Atenolol (another beta blocker; helps with the rapid and/or increasing heart rate during performance anxiety with speeches) when I was taking a speech class awhile back. Both really helped when I was up there making a speech. I usually take Atenolol a day or 2 before the time I make my speech just to make sure it's in my system. I can usually feel the effects of Xanax within 1/2 hr to an hour so I just take that just before making the speech.


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## hey25

Yeah I was surprised and confused as well. If the Xanax isn't enough I'll go to the campus doctor and ask about beta blockers.


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## icedCoffee

hey25 said:


> Yeah I was surprised and confused as well. If the Xanax isn't enough I'll go to the campus doctor and ask about beta blockers.


Xanax has helped me immensely w/ public speaking altough I still don't feel anxiety free. I would try inderal but I haven't experienced that myself yet. I need to try that also. Xanax helps but there is a point with every person where if you take too much (every person is different) you experience less anxiety but it affects you mentally to the point you have trouble thinking straight. You need to experiment to find what helps but doesn't totally numb your brain. It is a tradeoff.

For me I needed a full 1 mg of xanax to handle my anxiety for public speaking. It did negatively affect my thinking at that level somewhat and I probably could have used a bit less say .75 mg and been more alert. I think I should try some inderal w/ xanax so I can take less xanax and think clearer which is needed for public speaking especially if someone has a question for you at the end of your presentation!


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## itsamystery

*Inderal*

I've been taking it for quite some time (years). You do NOT have to take it a couple days before to 'get it in your system.' You need 1 hour tops. 
Any doctor who would give you Xanax over Inderal should be fired as your doctor.
Inderal has the added effect of helping your heart (little bit lower blood pressure, less stress from the adrennaline, etc). In fact,it is desgined to be used at much higher doses for people with high blood pressure and heart disease. You don't need more than 10-20 mg and it'll last over 8 hours.

I sometimes take a little Xanax to take the mental fear away in these situations, but you cannot take it every day because you build up a tolerance and have to take more of it to get the calming effect. Xanax lasts only 4 hours. Be careful with benzos, because while they're not as addictive as heroin, they are still addictives and people do overdose on them.

You can take Inderal every day or in certain situations and you'll be fine.

the only reason I'm answering this is I'm a lot older than most of the people on this board (I think--because I see a lot of people in their lower twenties) and I've been dealing with SA before they even had a name for it (I even had a psychologist tell me that I was weird) and I just happened upon a psychiatrist who prescribed Inderal and took it himself for his own social anxiety.


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## SH2011

*Phobia of giving presentations in class*

I am new to this but please bear with me...

I have a severe phobia of giving presentation in class and I was wondering what the best solution would be. I have taken Propranolol in the past but it didn't seem to help me a whole lot since I still couldn't think about what to say during the presentation. I literally can't put sentences together even when I know what I am presenting on if it is in front of a classroom. My 2 presentations this semester aren't for another month and I'm considering going to see someone on campus about it and if there is any way of possibly not having to give the presentations. Do any of you have an experience with this sort of situation and if so, has it worked for you?

Besides the presentation anxiety I have regular anxiety that causes me to worry about a lot of irrelavent things and zaps a lot of my energy. My doctor at home gave me Serenagen to take for anxiety but it hasn't done much for me.


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## c0ry

I was able to speak at my graduation in front of hundreds of people with the help of Xanax. I also used it before a job interview a few weeks ago and was hired on the spot. It's been wonderful to me.


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## speaker

*How much xanax for public speaking*

I was prescribed xanax for public speaking. practiced a situation with .25mg no effects. Tried .50mg for a another speaking situation helped a little but still some jitters and issues. I know it wont cure all, but I dont want to take too much to cloud my mind judgements. Wondering what people generally take before a presentation/speaking engagement. I also understand everyone is different etc. I dont take any other meds except this if I need for a speaking gig. Thanks in advance.


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## Cletis

I took Xanax for a while. I thought it was very mild. Didn't calm me down much at all. I took .5 mgs as needed.

They say not to mix it with alcohol. It will enhance the effects of alcohol but unless you plan on binge drinking it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Don't over do it.


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## yourfavestoner

hey25 said:


> I've heard not so good things about Xanax, benzos etc. that they are very addictive, make you really tired, and wasn't really looking to be on them. I've just wondered what anyone else's experience has been with it


:roll

A) Addiction isn't going to occur if you take it a couple of times as needed. Furthermore, most people who get addicted to benzos were using them for recreational usage in the first place and add to that, have a history of drug/alcohol abuse. Furthermore, if you WERE on it for an _extended period of time_ you can minimize the withdrawal and the addiction "risk" with any MD who knows a lick. Ween off slowly, but that's only if you're on it for a longer period of time.

B) The "tiredness" will wear off quickly as you build up tolerance. I felt tired after my first two or three doses of Ativan, and since then benzos haven't made me "tired."

Benzos are overrated in my experience. I haven't found them to have a powerful anxiolytic effect at all.


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## ILOVEXANAX

It is great for public speaking andf you wont get a habit out of it when you only take it for a public speech


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## UltraShy

yourfavestoner said:


> Benzos are overrated in my experience. I haven't found them to have a powerful anxiolytic effect at all.


Again I find you sounding just like me.

Many docs act like Xanax is the atomic bomb of psych meds, when it's more like a squirt gun.


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## istayhome

UltraShy said:


> Again I find you sounding just like me.
> 
> Many docs act like Xanax is the atomic bomb of psych meds, when it's more like a squirt gun.


yeah, I have started to get pretty angry when people ask which and how many benzos I take and I tell them, then they gasp and and ask me a bunch of ridiculous questions like, "how are you still standing, should you be passed out and barely breathing." "man you must be extremely messed up." "dude you have a serious drug problem you're going to go through hell when _they_ cut you off."

No these drugs enable me to function at a minimal level, they keep the anxiety that is a roaring lion tethered so that I can get up each day and do one thing or the other. I wish benzos were half as powerful as people make them out to be, that might help me live a bit.


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## UltraShy

istayhome said:


> "how are you still standing, should you be passed out and barely breathing."


Perhaps those folks are used to washing down their benzos with a liter of vodka?:stu That might produce the profound effect they describe. Not nearly so dramatic if you down them with mere water.


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## yourfavestoner

UltraShy said:


> Again I find you sounding just like me.
> 
> Many docs act like Xanax is the atomic bomb of psych meds, when it's more like a squirt gun.


I don't understand why anyone would want to use benzos for recreationally. Whatever they're getting from it I'm clearly not. They've been extremely mild _at best_ for me.


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## Maslow

Better living through chemistry. 

Try this: DISHmethod.com


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## UltraShy

yourfavestoner said:


> I don't understand why anyone would want to use benzos for recreationally. Whatever they're getting from it I'm clearly not. They've been extremely mild _at best_ for me.


I've been saying the same thing on SAS for the last decade. We're like two of a kind here.

I can't imagine any reasonable amount of benzos that could produce a buzz for me. By "reasonable" I mean an amount that one could realistically ingest given that benzos aren't something you can buy OTC in unlimited supply like you can with booze. With booze if you're not drunk, you can just buy more to get wasted. I'd need an all access pass to a pharmacy to get enough to even attempt to see if there even exists an amount that that could have recreational value.

The most I've ever taken in any day is 20mg of Xanax & I sure didn't feel drugged, buzzed, high, or anything of the sort. I felt my normal level of nervous, which is the reason I had to take so damn much. Nobody who saw me could have identified that I was "drugged" as I sure didn't appear to be and I sure didn't feel drugged.

This is why I want access to more powerful CNS depressants, though such will never happen as things like barbs are "too dangerous." I'm so sick of that load of crap. I'm competent to wear a loaded gun, but I'm too f'ing stupid to safely handle the contents of a pill bottle. Really? How is that possible?


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## yourfavestoner

Indeed. I remember you've mentioned how trying benzos for the first time was anti-climatic for you. Well, here here. What was this magical relaxing effect I was supposed to be feeling on these drugs? Where was it? It was same ole anxiety riddled me. :roll



UltraShy said:


> I'm competent to wear a loaded gun, but I'm too f'ing stupid to safely handle the contents of a pill bottle. Really? How is that possible?


Psychiatrists have incredibly effective SSRIs at their disposal! How would they ever need to prescribe something else when these ''treat damn near everything" drugs are available? :roll And don't you dare suggest an alternative to SSRIs or SNRIs, you might offend their Dr. God complex!


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## Intricate

fear of public speaking is the worst when you are in school


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