Okay, I debated with myself whether to make this thread...going for a 'quick fix' is not usually the best thing, but sometimes, it can be your only option.

I'm not a spammer, I'm someone who has become interested in PUA relatively recently - since I banished my social anxiety and it became a fun game rather than something that turned me into a nervous wreck.

My fix came when I got some advice from an acquaintance regarding my 'deer in headlights' syndrome when it came to giving presentations at college. It was getting debilitating; before a presentation I would get sweaty, nervous tremors, increased heart rate and general feeling of dread in my stomach...similar symptoms persisted when I would try to pick up a girl - never a good look, as I'm sure you all know.

So on the advice, I did some reading on medications known as Beta Blockers and made an appointment with my gp. Beta blockers essentially take away the physical side-effects of social anxiety - that's it. They will not take away any negative inner voices or hang-ups..it's purely acting on your body's 'fight or flight' responses which are hard-wired into our brains from pre-historic times when we were roaming the wild plains, trying to avoid being mauled by lions. This response is not so helpful in our relativey safe and secure modern lifestyle.

Well, my experience on BB's has been profound. Just knowing these little red pills are on hand makes me feel like an angry gorilla has my back. No more racing heart, tremors etc. My mind is completely free to concentrate on the task at hand - rather than worrying if I look like a nervous, ineffectual dick.

Some quick notes on Beta Blockers for social anxiety:
- They are NOT benzos (Valium, Xanax etc)
- You do not take them regularly, you only take before you have to 'perform' - usually between 30 mins and 1.5 hours beforehand.
- Not addictive.

Examples of uses of beta blockers?
- Musicians (stage fright)
- Drug traffickers (keeping calm and cool when passing checkpoints etc)
- Surgeons (keeps their hands steady)
- Pick Up Artists

There might be issues with people who have heart conditions and or asthma. Discuss everything with your gp first.

...I'd be surprised if I am the first person to bring up BB's and some people are going to advise against this, I'm sure. But sometimes a psychological disorder can get to the stage where it manifests in physiological symptoms...it is truly debilitating. In an ideal world, visualization techniques etc would work every time, but sometimes....you might as well just pop a pill.

Hope this little write-up helps someone who may be in the same boat that I was. I'll stress again, talk to your gp before going down this path.

Note: If you are uncomfortable telling your doctor you want BB's for picking up, just tell them you have presentations to give at work/school or something equally benign.

Any questions welcomed. Start your own research by going to Wiki and search for 'beta blockers', the type you are after is propranolol - a non-selective beta blocker. Specific brand names are: Deralin and Inderal.

But you really dont want to become dependant on them do you?

I don't know much about long term effects, but speaking generally, dependence should be avoided of course.

During my use (coming up to 2 years now) I noticed that my use has significantly dropped over that period. Basically because I have become used to performing tasks that I previously had problems with. I took away the physiological aspect and my mind seemed to go at ease - because I wasn't worried about looking nervous.

I mean, you never get nervous going to the kitchen to make a coffee right; taking BB's allows me to take away nervousness associated with tasks like picking up, thereby making the task fun and allowing me to get used to it...helping me realize that picking up or giving a presentation at school is essentially no different than walking to my kitchen and making a cup of coffee...

Anyone who has been in the same situation I have been in knows it is a vicious circle: You spend time worrying about the task and how you will handle it, which in turn just adds to the anxiety...trying to beat anxiety adds to it...if that makes sense.

I do the same thing, i use valium, but only when its really necasery like when i preform or doing a speach and the nice thing about it is that now when i have used it for the things i was afraid of, i'm not afraid of it anymore and have to find harder things to do so i can cure that fear to btw thanks for the beta block advise, valium is a little to strong like lack of consentration. and u dont have to worry about getting adicted cuz u have to take several pills each day for a very long period.

actually the best thing that happend to me, now i nearly know what shyness & anxiety is

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Norway represent

HI guys,
my own fifty cents worth is screw having to try to manage my anxiety with pills.

I have used pills, alcohol etc to try to do it. But on the day after when you have to go on a day 2, and you need to take another pill just to feel OK or more than one.

I think that dependency on pills to be able to pull off any social deal is going to create more anxiety because let us suppose that one day you don't have the magic pill . and your anxiety goes into overdrive.

Really, I think it is better to feel the anxiety and approach because even after a rejection you learn lots. I would prefer to be myself and scared etc and do the approach and get rejected than go in and number close after having taken anything.

Just my fifty guys but I am totally against taking ANYTHING>

You can become "addicted" to anything, really. Beta Blockers do not have any addictive qualities at all. There will be no physical addiction. Beta blockers simply block the Beta-1 and Beta-2 receptor sites which deal with "fight-or-flight" just as previously stated. If there is to be any addiction it will be the psychological addiction of using it because of the "calming" effects when sarging.

I'm not a doctor, just a paramedic, and I deal with beta-blocker users on a daily basis.

These Beta Blockers are very appealing.
I myself suffer like that. In college when knowing I have to 'preform' I have the same feeling/recations aswell as my face going bright red, also the same when approaching and speaking to women. This then makes me want to aviod doing these things, when I know I need to do them to move on.

Iv'e also read about this
h ttp:/ /uk.zenmed.c om/ski nare/rosacea/thesystem.aspx
Anyone tried this?

How do you get them?

Is it over the counter or prescription? If prescription, what do doctors usually prescribe them for?

Yea but still you aren't doing this by yourself, you become dependent on something you don't need. If you go out and just talk to girl, I'm fairly sure you will get over it. I wouldn't know since I am still an AFC and haven't had a chance to work on anything major other than my wardrobe. But I have taken drugs before and I felt great but I would rely on these drugs to make me feel good instead of myself. Are they over the counter or just pick them up at a drug store or supermarket?

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Do unto others as you would do unto them.

You move around, head movement, side to side and when you see it throw a jab slip and go for the take down. Ground and Pound, don't choke it out. Punish it and STAB IT at THE HEART.







I'd like to thank brother Nazim Richardson

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WTF? I have 100+ post...Geez! I'm such a Keyboard Jockey.

Pills are never good. I read in other forums that people who have used them, have depression now and suddenly got fat. Sometimes you need to go for the difficult way, not the easy one.

Half of me wants to give em a shot, but knowing how i am....i probably eat a whole script just to catch a buzz or something...

But the other half is telling me Mr. E's right i mean lets just say you happen to run out and then your dealing with something your not used to then you really panic and are the definition of ''fucked''

Personally (even though zannies are loads of care free fun)....
Taking Mystery's Definition of a Venusian Artist into account: you should train for the worst case scenario so that way you'll know what to do when you find yourself in thoes sticky situations.

Beta blockers sound like a good tool to use for a person trying to get over anxiety issues. As was said earlier, they don't do anything for inner game, but they do dampen the adrenalin overload and flop sweat issues some of us have. Short-circuiting the body's misguided response might help in retraining the mind and bolster one's confidence enough to overcome one's anxiety. However, while there may be no physical dependencies, I can certainly see how one could become psychologically dependent on them, *needing* to take them to function day-to-day. It could quickly change from a quick-fix to a crutch.

I'll have to look in on this, as I've suffered from locking up during some social scenes. I wouldn't take them for more than 6 months though, and the 2 years that was mentioned earlier seems excessive.

Seriously...

People! I know exactly what beta blockers do and yes some people can use it to overcome anxiety. But it doesnt remove your fear. It doesnt improve your game.

All it does is calming your physical reactions down like slowing your heartbeat for example. It does other stuff to your body as well but thats basically the most important thing. I wouldnt worry about long term effects either.

However I do recommend against it. Because it will in the long run damage your game. They will help you for now, at least to go up to a girl and approach. Then what? They wont give you routines, inner game or the ability to socially calibrate. Basically you will be at the exact same level as you already are.

So Even with the blockers you go up to a girl and crash and burn. Hey, that shows that there is no point in approaching right? No, it shows that you are living a lie.

I can also pick up girls by telling them that I got free booze and lots of cash in the room behind the bar. Then they see that Im lying. I lose.

How desperate can you get, even considering medical SPAM to a disease that is basically you are too chicken to go up to a girl. (No offense man.)
There is absolutely nothing wrong with you medically, but if you take shortcuts like this you will never learn the most important lesson in pickup, and in life. That you have to face your fears.

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I'm not trying to be a dick Ezo, but you're being a Pick Up Snob in my opinion.

bbardot: you just reminded me about porn

I dont agree with you there. If taking medecines takes away your anxiety, you can progress much faster with your game than without taking it. If you take this everytime you go out, you can practice as much as you want with as many women as you want. Your game experience will get a boost as will your confidence. The reason to not take it, is because of its side effects. If these medecins wouldn't have side effects I don't see any problem with taking them.

You can also not call someone a chicken because he is scared to open. I think you should respect every person's flaw. There are men out who are not scared to fight wars but they are scared to open. Are they less man than you because you speak to women ? I don't think so.

There is nothing wrong with having anxiety. Anxiety is normal. It is there to protect anyone of us. If you wouldn't feel anxiety, then there would be a problem with you. Anxiety means your body works properly. Unfortunately the anxiety can cripple your game. So you have to fight it and get rid of that. But please, don't call him a chicken.