Getting an Rx for a beta blocker was the best thing I did for my career

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like everyone is “treating their ADD” and taking speed, and “treating their anxiety” and taking benzodiazepines or beta blockers.

This is how people stay skinny, work 80 hours a week, and show up publicly. I’m not sure it’s a good idea personally. Though I’ve been offered both by my GP.

Willing to share your GP's name ha ha?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Beta blockers DO NOT help me with nerves. They don’t. Not sure what kind you all are taking that they are performing this miracle.

I wouldn't say they're a miracle worker for me but they do take the edge off and help me function better in stressful work situations. However I do get headache-y and a bit nauseous when I take them, so I use sparingly.

[Anonymous]

I was prescribed them a few years ago. They caused significant hair loss which apparently is not an uncommon side effect. Had to stop taking them.

[Anonymous]

Am I the only one who has never heard of people doing this? I used to have speaking anxiety, but just practiced a lot and over time it has subsided quite a bit. Not a problem anymore. No drugs needed. Are you all treating something more significant or just trying to skip the part where practice and experience gives you more confidence? Real question, no judgment here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who has never heard of people doing this? I used to have speaking anxiety, but just practiced a lot and over time it has subsided quite a bit. Not a problem anymore. No drugs needed. Are you all treating something more significant or just trying to skip the part where practice and experience gives you more confidence? Real question, no judgment here.

Yeah, you’re being judgmental. I’ve done a LOT of talks, to crowds of up to 300. Like you, I’m a pro. I practice until I’ve got it down. But, you know those butterflies you get, heartbeat pick up, a little bit of sweat, don’t eat breakfast before the talk? That’s what a beta blocker is for. It’s not a magic pill that will make your unprepared ass a lyrical genius on stage, but it calms the physical aspects of anxiety. It takes everything down a notch. And, after doing it without drugs for 20 years, I’m with the OP, it’s really nice, and zero side effects. I used to be anti medication, all natural blah blah. But I’m a convert after 3 months. Don’t mock what you don’t know PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who has never heard of people doing this? I used to have speaking anxiety, but just practiced a lot and over time it has subsided quite a bit. Not a problem anymore. No drugs needed. Are you all treating something more significant or just trying to skip the part where practice and experience gives you more confidence? Real question, no judgment here.

Do you understand that there are people for whom this does not happen as described? Real question, no judgment here.

[Anonymous]

Yes, that’s why I was asking if you were treating something more significant. I get that not everyone experiences anxiety the same. Anyway, I’ll probably try it, I really wasn’t judging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, that’s why I was asking if you were treating something more significant. I get that not everyone experiences anxiety the same. Anyway, I’ll probably try it, I really wasn’t judging.

You seem to believe that “practice and experience give you more confidence” and that therefore a person with practice and experience, and no anxiety disorder, has no obtrusive physical symptoms when speaking in public.

None of that inevitably connects, is the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, that’s why I was asking if you were treating something more significant. I get that not everyone experiences anxiety the same. Anyway, I’ll probably try it, I really wasn’t judging.

You seem to believe that “practice and experience give you more confidence” and that therefore a person with practice and experience, and no anxiety disorder, has no obtrusive physical symptoms when speaking in public.

None of that inevitably connects, is the point.

It does though. If you are well prepared and speak often you develop more confidence and lose some of the anxiety. That’s how life works. The more you do something that scares you, the easier it becomes. I tell my kids this all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, that’s why I was asking if you were treating something more significant. I get that not everyone experiences anxiety the same. Anyway, I’ll probably try it, I really wasn’t judging.

You seem to believe that “practice and experience give you more confidence” and that therefore a person with practice and experience, and no anxiety disorder, has no obtrusive physical symptoms when speaking in public.

None of that inevitably connects, is the point.

It does though. If you are well prepared and speak often you develop more confidence and lose some of the anxiety. That’s how life works. The more you do something that scares you, the easier it becomes. I tell my kids this all the time.

It happened that way for you. You are not everybody on Earth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was prescribed them a few years ago. They caused significant hair loss which apparently is not an uncommon side effect. Had to stop taking them.

That's why I was never interested in BBs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, that’s why I was asking if you were treating something more significant. I get that not everyone experiences anxiety the same. Anyway, I’ll probably try it, I really wasn’t judging.

You seem to believe that “practice and experience give you more confidence” and that therefore a person with practice and experience, and no anxiety disorder, has no obtrusive physical symptoms when speaking in public.

None of that inevitably connects, is the point.

It does though. If you are well prepared and speak often you develop more confidence and lose some of the anxiety. That’s how life works. The more you do something that scares you, the easier it becomes. I tell my kids this all the time.

It happened that way for you. You are not everybody on Earth.

NP, and I’m pretty sure that’s why she was asking. Because practice and experience does work for some, but not all. I think she’s trying to see if it might work for someone like her or not. I was thinking along the same lines.

[Anonymous]

I'm a classical musician and I've used beta blockers (propranalol) on an as needed basis for the past 20 years. Probably about 20 times over a year I'll have a performance that is particularly stressful and that is when I take them. I just take a 10 mg pill and it's enough to take the edge off and keep my body relaxed, breathing deep, etc.

[Anonymous]

The main reason I use beta blockers is that they stop me from blushing/flushing, which is what happens when I’m on heightened alert due to being in the spotlight. I actually don’t mind public speaking that much, but my autonomic response of blushing makes me look more nervous than I really am. The only side effect that I’ve experienced is that I can’t do hard exercise later that day due to the effect of the drugs lowering your maximum heart rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just adding that the occasional beta blocker I was on (propranolol) caused low oxygen and difficulty breathing that required an urgent care visit. This way a super low dose, too.

MD here. Beta blockers are the opposite of beta agonists. Beta agonists are bronchodilators and are used to treat lung conditions like asthma. I wonder if you have any underlying lung disease, PP.

https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.200806-963ed

Doctor said I have asthma. 46F and had never been diagnosed with asthma until then. Also happened about 8 weeks after I had COVID, so that may have been a contributing factor. I just wanted to share this side effect because I had no idea what was going on.