Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- 1. Social anxiety involves intense fear and avoidance of social situations, impacting mental clarity and overall quality of life.
2. Imbalances in neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and norepinephrine significantly contribute to social anxiety.
3. Natural nootropics such as L-Theanine (which promotes relaxation), Ashwagandha, Bacopa Monnieri, Rhodiola Rosea, and Magnesium effectively lower stress and ease anxiety symptoms without typical pharmaceutical side effects.
4. Natural beta-blocker alternatives like Magnesium and Potassium can manage physical symptoms of anxiety, such as rapid heartbeat and trembling.
5. Combining targeted nootropics can enhance confidence, calm nerves, and improve social performance, creating long-term relief from social anxiety.
What is Social Anxiety?
If you feel inadequate, embarrassed, inferior or humiliated. And it prevents you from going out, meeting new people, or generally messes with your mental energy and quality of life – nootropics can help.
Social anxiety is a form of anxiety. And according to one study affects at least 14% of people living in the U.S.[i] I have a feeling that that estimate is far too low and not an accurate estimate of what’s really going on in our community.
You are dealing with social anxiety if you tend to avoid going into any situation where you feel you may be negatively judged or evaluated. Back in the day, they used to call these things ‘phobias’. In this case, it was “social phobia”.
People with social anxiety often remain in a state of high alert, even after the social situation has ended, making it difficult to relax and regain peace of mind.
In this post, you’ll find out why prescription drugs often do not succeed in taming your symptoms. Here you’ll learn about some natural options that may work better for your social anxiety symptoms.
Use the “Table of Contents” above if you’d like to skip down to nootropic supplement suggestions so you can get started right away.
What Causes Social Anxiety?
Social anxiety can be caused by a number of cognitive issues that can wreak havoc with your emotional regulation and anxiety levels:
Genetics: If you have a family history of anxiety, depression, or related mood disorders you are more likely to experience social anxiety. Genetic susceptibility can influence the structure and sensitivity of brain cells and networks involved in fear and emotional processing.
Brain chemistry: Neurotransmitter imbalances often play a key role in the development of social anxiety. Low levels of serotonin and GABA can lead to reduced mood stability and poor stress regulation. Dopamine dysregulation may reduce motivation and heighten feelings of self-consciousness. Elevated norepinephrine can create a hyper-alert, fight-or-flight state that amplifies social tension.[ii]
Personality traits: Traits such as behavioral inhibition, heightened sensitivity to rejection, and high neuroticism contribute to an overactive response to perceived social threats. If you have low self-confidence or high levels of self-criticism you are particularly prone to anxiety in social settings.
Environment and experiences: Traumatic social experiences—such as bullying at school, exclusion, or embarrassment—can create associations between social interaction and emotional pain. Overprotective or overly critical parenting can also foster social avoidance or dependence.
Cognitive patterns: People with social anxiety often engage in negative self-talk, catastrophizing, and overgeneralization. You may mentally rehearse potential failure or judgment before social events, reinforcing or anticipating anxiety and avoidance behaviors.
These risk factors contribute to overactivation of the amygdala (your brain’s emotional threat detector) and under activation of your prefrontal cortex (which helps regulate and rationalize fear responses).
This neural imbalance creates a feedback loop where social threats feel exaggerated and difficult to control, perpetuating social anxiety symptoms.
In these situations, the body’s stress response is triggered, activating the fight-or-flight mechanism and leading to physical symptoms like increased heart rate, sweating, and emotional distress.
What Does Social Anxiety Feel Like?
In social settings, individuals with SAD experience:
Physical symptoms: Rapid heartbeat, trembling, sweating, blushing, nausea, shortness of breath, and muscle tension.
Cognitive symptoms: Persistent worry about being negatively evaluated or appearing foolish.
Emotional symptoms: Overwhelming feelings of dread, fear, shame, or humiliation.
Behavioral symptoms: Avoiding eye contact, speaking at inappropriate times or not speaking at all, or avoiding social gatherings.
In severe cases, these symptoms can become debilitating and significantly interfere with daily functioning.
These symptoms often lead to feelings of isolation or underperforming in public roles because of fear of scrutiny.
How does social anxiety work in the brain? Neuroscience breakdown
Social anxiety is rooted in neural circuitry involving:
- Amygdala hyperactivity: Over-sensitive to negative social cues, like criticism or rejection.[iii]
- Prefrontal cortex under-regulation: The medial prefrontal cortex normally dampens amygdala responses; weak top-down control means heightened anxiety in social settings.[iv]
- Neurotransmitter imbalances:
- GABA: Main inhibitory neurotransmitter; low GABA activity causes over-arousal.[v]Serotonin: Important in mood and anxiety regulation; imbalance contributes to heightened social fear.[vi]Dopamine: Drives reward and motivation; low levels can reduce confidence and exacerbate negative self-focus.[vii]
Norepinephrine: Heightened stress/fight-or-flight response in social contexts.[viii]
These neurotransmitters and brain regions are all components of the central nervous system, which coordinates the body’s response to social stress.
- Stress hormones: Elevated cortisol worsens neural sensitivity to social interactions specifically.[ix]
SAD reflects overreactive threat detection and insufficient neural regulation, leading to anxiety symptoms when faced with social interactions.
Nootropics for Social Interactions
Navigating social interactions can be challenging for those who experience social anxiety, but the right nootropics can make a significant difference.
Nootropics for social anxiety are designed to support both mental and bodily health by targeting the underlying anxiety symptoms that make social situations feel overwhelming.
These supplements work by enhancing cognitive function, reducing stress levels, and promoting a sense of calm, which can help you feel more at ease during social interactions.
Some of the best nootropics for social interactions include L-Theanine, Rhodiola Rosea, and Bacopa Monnieri.
L-Theanine, found naturally in green tea, is well-known for its ability to promote relaxation without causing drowsiness, making it easier to engage in conversations and group activities.
Rhodiola Rosea helps the body adapt to stress, supporting a balanced mood and improved cognitive function even in high-pressure social settings.
Bacopa Monnieri, another powerful adaptogen, has been shown to reduce anxiety symptoms and support memory and mental clarity, which can be especially helpful when you need to think on your feet.
By incorporating these nootropics for social anxiety into your routine, you may notice various subtle improvements in your ability to handle social situations. Whether you’re attending a meeting, giving a presentation, or simply socializing with friends, these supplements can help reduce anxiety, boost cognitive performance, and make social interactions feel less daunting.
What are the best nootropics to reduce social anxiety symptoms?
Many natural nootropic supplements have evidence supporting their anti-anxiety effects.
In addition, many of these nootropics are also valued for their cognitive enhancement properties, improving memory, focus, and decision-making.
L‑Theanine
L-Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea. It helps reduce cortisol, increases brain levels of GABA, serotonin, dopamine, and boosts alpha brain waves and theta brain waves .
Clinical trials (100–150 mg 3-times per day) using an L-Theanine supplement shows stress relief, lowered heart rate, and reduced anxiety in social situations.[x]
Ashwagandha
An Ayurvedic adaptogen. Ashwagandha lowers cortisol and increases the sensitivity of GABA receptors which helps reduce stress levels and less social anxiety.
Clinical studies have shown Ashwagandha can repair and even reverse damage caused in the brain caused by chronic anxiety and stress. Recommended Ashwagandha extract dosage for general anxiety is 300 mg twice per day.
Bacopa Monnieri
Bacopa Monnieri is an herbal adaptogen that has been used since ancient times to reduce anxiety, depression and stress. It protects your neurons and balances neurotransmitters.
Bacopa Monnieri has a significant anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effect. It appears to modulate brain levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This has an effect on mood regulation.
Research at Banaras Hindu University in India showed Bacopa Monnieri as effective for reducing symptoms of anxiety as the benzodiazepine drug lorazepam.[xi]
Recommended dosage of Bacopa Monnieri containing 20% bacosides is 750 mg per day.
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola Rosea activates AMPA receptors in your brain. Which helps decrease depression and stress-related mood swings, reduces fatigue, stimulates energy and alertness and boosts cognition.
Rhodiola Rosea boosts mood by influencing serotonin and norepinephrine levels in your brain, and the feel-good opioids like beta-endorphins.[xii]
Recommended dose of Rhodiola Rosea extract is 150 – 200 mg per day.
Phosphatidylserine (PS)
Phosphatidylserine (PS) helps lower cortisol which is effective in relieving stress.
Many clinical trials with Phosphatidylserine (PS) have shown improvements in working- and long-term memory, recall, logic and even speech. Attention span increases while using Phosphatidylserine (PS). And motivation, socialization and initiative all increased when using Phosphatidylserine (PS) as a nootropic.[xiii]
Recommended Phosphatidylserine (PS) dosage is 300 mg per day.
GABA precursors and analogues
GABA
Clinical studies show that boosting GABA with a supplement relieves anxiety, stress, and boosts the production of alpha brain waves.[xiv] Recommended dosage of PharmaGABA is 250 mg per day.
Taurine
Taurine modulates GABA and glycine receptors in the brain which helps treat anxiety.[xv] Recommended Taurine dosage is 500 – 2000 mg per day.
Aniracetam, Noopept (Racetam family)
Aniracetam
Aniracetam can reduce anxiety, depression and fear. And increase sociability. It works by its effects on dopamine and serotonin receptors in your brain. Improving verbal fluency.[xvi] Recommended dosage for Aniracetam is 750 mg twice per day.
Noopept
Noopept boosts Alpha and Beta brain wave activity.[xvii] You become calmer and more creative. It’s easier to go into a flow state. And you are prone to making innovative and resourceful decisions. Recommended Noopept dosage is 10 – 30 mg per day.
L‑Tyrosine
L- Tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine and norepinephrine, boosting mental clarity, mood and confidence during stressful situations.[xviii] Recommended L-Tyrosine dosage is 500 mg twice per day.
Magnesium (especially L-Threonate)
Magnesium is a precursor to the synthesis of GABA, dopamine and serotonin which stabilizes mood, and supports cognitive function.[xix]
Magnesium L‑Threonate is particularly neuroactive and consistent daily use can help reduce prolonged anxiety. Recommended dosage of Magnesium L-Threonate is up to 1,000 mg per day
Kava
Kava seems to provide a calming effect by increasing the number of GABA-a receptors. And Kava inhibits norepinephrine reuptake. Clinical trials show short‑term anxiety relief comparable to prescription anxiolytics.[xx]
Kava extracts have also been seen to bind to GABA, dopamine, serotonin and opiate receptors as well. This implies that more of each neurotransmitter is available to your brain since their associated receptors are blocked or inhibited by Kava.
Most research shows there is little to no evidence to support the notion of liver damage when using Kava. For example, one large review out of the University of Melbourne included 24 clinical studies.
One of the researchers stated, “Of the 435 clinical trial participants taking Kava supplements in our review, some at high doses, no liver issues were reported. Therefore, the current review supports the conclusion that liver toxicity is indeed a rare side effect.”[xxi]
Look for a Kava extract called “WS1490”. For anxiety and other cognitive issues use 300 mg of this extract daily. Preferably split into three 100 mg doses. One dose in the morning, one in the early afternoon and the last in the evening.
Nootropic Supplements Alternatives to Beta Blockers
Beta blockers (e.g., propranolol) reduce physical anxiety by blocking adrenergic receptors—but many natural options offer milder effects:
Magnesium
Magnesium acts like a beta blocker, reducing stress-induced heart rate and blood pressure. See Magnesium above for all the ways this mineral will boost cognitive performance.
Potassium
Potassium channels in your brain are involved in serotonin regulation. And how serotonin is used to reduce feelings of guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, low self-worth and even suicide.[xxii]
You need adequate levels of potassium for serotonin to work and do its job. Even small decreases in optimal potassium levels can result in social and generalized anxiety.
What are the best natural alternatives to SSRIs, MAOIs & other anti‑anxiety drugs?
For you if you are looking for alternatives to prescription treatments like SSRIs or benzodiazepines:
Ginkgo biloba is another natural supplement that may help regulate serotonin levels and reduce anxiety and is often included in herbal nootropic stack for its safety and effectiveness.
St. John’s wort
St. John’s wort inhibits the uptake of serotonin, dopamine, GABA, glutamate and norepinephrine. Inhibiting the neuronal uptake of these neurotransmitters can have a profound effect on depression and mood.[xxiii]
And St. John’s wort moderates the genes controlling the function of your HPA-axis which is directly related to symptoms of anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and stress responses.
St. John’s wort has been shown to be as effective as many antidepressant medications. Recommended dosage for St. John’s wort extract (Perika®) for social anxiety is up to 900 mg per day.
Holy Basil
Holy Basil increases levels of dopamine, and serotonin, and reduces epinephrine, norepinephrine, and monoamine oxidase.[xxiv]
On study found that Holy Basil may be useful in the treatment of General Anxiety Disorder in humans and may be a promising anxiolytic agent”.
Research shows Holy Basil as effective in treating depression as the tricyclic antidepressant Tofranil and and Valium for treating social anxiety. Recommended dosage for Holy Basil extract for social anxiety is 300 – 2,000 mg per day.
Passionflower
Passionflower supports healthy GABA levels in your brain. As a nootropic it provides an anxiolytic effect without the unwanted side effects of anti-anxiety meds.[xxv]
One mechanism involves the GABA system and a GABAa (benzodiazepine) receptor which is the binding site of benzodiazepines, and which regulate chloride flow through ion channels. Studies show the anxiolytic activity of Passionflower is due to Passiflora apigenin and chrysin which are partial agonists of the same GABAa receptors.
Recommended dosage of Passionflower for social anxiety is 250-1,000 mg per day. Larger doses should be divided into 2 or 3 smaller doses during your day.
CBD Oil
CBD oil has been shown in the lab and through practical user experience to provide anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects. Reducing anxiety in those with social anxiety disorder. And as an antidepressant by enhancing serotonin and glutamate signaling via 5-HT1a.[xxvi]
A double-blind, placebo controlled trial conducted in Brazil worked with 10 patients diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. One group received 400 mg of CBD while the control group took a placebo. The researchers concluded that CBD was effective in reducing anxiety.[xxvii]
Safety and Efficacy of Nootropics
When considering nootropics for social anxiety, it’s important to prioritize both safety and efficacy. Clinical trials have shown that nootropics like L-Theanine, Rhodiola Rosea, and Bacopa Monnieri are generally safe and well-tolerated, with a low risk profile and minimal side effects for most people.
These supplements have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing anxiety symptoms, improving cognitive function, and promoting relaxation, making them valuable tools for those seeking natural support for social anxiety.
However, everyone’s body and brain functions are unique, and you may want to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new nootropic supplement—especially if you are currently taking prescription drugs. A healthcare professional can help you monitor any potential interactions or side effects.
And keep an eye on things like blood pressure and sleep quality when using nootropics for social anxiety. Regular monitoring ensures that your supplement regimen support both your mental and bodily health without causing unwanted effects.
Taking a thoughtful and informed approach, you can safely and effectively use nootropics to reduce anxiety symptoms and improve your overall well-being.
The World is a Better Place After Eliminating Social Anxiety
Imagine a world where social anxiety no longer holds you back from enjoying your life to the fullest.
Nootropic supplements are a strong alternative to many anti-anxiety medications currently prescribed by doctors. And promoted by the Big Pharmaceutical companies.
I encourage you to try some of the supplements I reviewed in the article above. Try them one-at-a-time until you find one or two that works. All it takes is a day or two to try each nootropic supplement to see if you get any relief from your social anxiety symptoms.
But a very strong word of caution – if you are currently using any prescription anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications. Or any medications for that matter. Research each nootropic including side effects and prescription drug interactions before using them.
You can eliminate social anxiety once-and-for-all with nootropics. If you do your research. And are willing to experiment until you find the one or two that is right for you.
Join The Discussion - 228 comments
samer
September 13, 2023
Are there nutritional supplements that have the same effect as the anticonvulsant primidone (Mysoline)?Because I suffer from essential tremor disease. The doctor prescribed me the anticonvulsant primidone. It was a very effective treatment, and the tremor completely disappeared..but it contains side effects
David Tomen
September 13, 2023
Samer, we can often reverse engineer a prescription drug and find a natural alternative. The problem here is even after over 50 years on the market no one knows the mechanism of action for primidone. So we have nothing to work with when looking for a natural solution based on how primidone works.
TIM
October 23, 2023
Is there a supplement on the market you recommend for anxiety. Yes all these listed is nice but to buy or go thru them all. What supplement or brand of smthn seems to be legit n work best. Even if it’s a list of 3 dif ones. Any recommendations dating.
David Tomen
October 26, 2023
Tim, there is no “best” supplement for anxiety because anxiety has so many different causes. If you had success with a prescription anti-anxiety med you could reverse engineer its mechanism and possibly find a natural solution. But if you have not then the only way to find the best for you is trial and error.
Mark David
December 31, 2023
One sometimes overlooked cause of tremors is low Magnesium levels in the body. I thought she had Parkinson’s until I tried Magnesium Threonate at 400 mg/day. Within the first day, the hand tremors started to subside and then went away on the third day.
Ryan
August 31, 2023
Hi David,
You mention excess serotonin having the potential to cause anxiety. Is this referring to serotonin transmission? Or just physical levels of serotonin in the brain? I ask because I am wondering, if someone gets anxiety from taking 500mg tryptophan, would that indicate that they are also likely to get anxiety from taking an SSRI?
Thanks,
Ryan
David Tomen
September 13, 2023
Ryan, that’s physical levels of serotonin. SSRIs are reuptake inhibitors but don’t increase levels of serotonin.
Ryan
September 14, 2023
Okay, thanks for the response. Are you aware of the reason why excess physical levels of serotonin increases anxiety but medications that increase serotonin transmission don’t have that same effect? Is it because increasing physical levels would be stimulating the presynaptic serotonin-1a receptor but SSRIs/SNRIs don’t stimulate it?
David Tomen
September 20, 2023
Ryan, I haven’t dug into the neuroscience on why this happens. But again, SSRIs do not increase physical levels of serotonin. There is even some debate recently that SSRIs help some with depression because they increase BDNF and not how they affect serotonin. The other thing is serotonin and dopamine must be in balance. If you increase one in excess and not the other you’ve got problems and which can manifest as anxiety or depression. The amount of either may be different from person to person.
Ryan
November 1, 2023
Thanks David. I wanted to ask one quick thing to add on to that, can the serotonin-boosting effects of MAOIs cause this same kind of anxiety as tryptophan? I get anxiety from even small doses of tryptophan and am wondering if that means I should avoid MAOI-A inhibitors.
David Tomen
November 1, 2023
Ryan, that’s a complete unknown and the only way to find out is to try using a natural MAOI. Each of us is unique in body chemistry and genetics. There are some general known side effects for each supplement. But after that it is individual testing by experimenting.
Jerry Cahill
January 26, 2023
This is very good information. The task of trying all these supplements seems overwhelming to me.
I do think there are a few that keep coming up in different places and I do take some of those.
I wonder if you might do some research into the area of Insulin Resistance and it’s ill affects on the body and the brain.
I often read about the gut – brain connection. I wonder if the prevalence of non-alcohol fatty liver might also somehow impact the brain. It just seems like when the liver is slow it impacts the body a lot.
I am currently looking at Rapamycin and Ketamine. Not OTC options but interesting developments.
David Tomen
January 27, 2023
Jerry, use Berberine for insulin resistance (https://nootropicsexpert.com/berberine/). And you are correct about liver problems and cognition. A good supplement for liver support and one which I have not reviewed is Milk Thistle extract.
aslı
December 27, 2022
Hi David,
Thank you for the website
Do you think piracetam will do any good for long term psychological ptsd/ mood enhancing? As trauma is related to the broca (speech) area and loss of neuroplasticity therefore change in the path ways of the brain and also memory loss ? I also read it is good for social isolation.
After trying almost every natural supplement in the book, I came across to nootropics. I have tried 800 mg once and the nausea was awful and I almost slept for the whole day. Do you have any idea about what can I do about it, is it only for a couple of days? I also read that it may cause depression and anxiety and apathy somewhere. What do you think?
Thank you
David Tomen
December 28, 2022
Asli, did you use Piracetam with a choline supplement? Either Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline? Because if not then that’s likely your problem.
aslı
December 29, 2022
I had a vitamin B complex containing Choline, does it also counts? Anxiety and depression as a side effect is also related with Choline or is it depending on the dosage?
I think aniracetam would work for me better but it’s not available in the country.
Thank you so much for the time and advice
David Tomen
December 29, 2022
Ash, it depends on what form of choline is used in that B-Complex and the dosage. Manufacturers often add something like choline bitartrate and at a very low dose. Which does not even cross the blood-brain barrier. So it is useless addition in the majority of cases.
Bob
December 5, 2022
Hi, would you recommend supplements to support SSRI therapy for anxiety and social anxiety?
I am thinking about l-tyrosine or antioxidant complex.
I am researching a lot but my knowledge is still small..
Thanks in advance
Bob
David Tomen
December 10, 2022
Bob, any of the supplements I mentioned above should work. You just need to double check each one you decide to try and carefully read the “Side Effects” section before using it. To make sure it is not contraindicated with the drugs you are using.
Olaa
November 15, 2022
Hi David,
Any thoughts on combining St John’s wort (600 mg once daily in the morning) with Mind Lab Pro (2 capsules 2 times daily) for slight social anxiety and mild depression?
David Tomen
November 16, 2022
Olaa, the two supplements are not contraindicated and should not be a problem. But it all depends on your system and how it uses these two supplements. This combo may or may not work or you. Testing them is the only way to find out.
But keep in mind that St. John’s wort is a very powerful supplement. And acts more like a prescription drug than most other supplements. So it’s up to you to consult with a medical professional if you think you need the support to be sure.
Ola
November 14, 2022
Hi David!
Thanks for a great homepage with so much information! I have read a lot here and learnt so much, are currently experimenting with my nootropics stack and wonder if you can help with some advice.
Since I was a kid I have always had some issues with social anixty. It started with very easily blushing every now and then when I was around 10 years and was teased about it by my class mates. I always had friends but somehow this etched into my mind and the provoke followed me until I was about 18 years. I guess I developed some sentensy for certain social situations during that time which I’m still fighting with today and now I’m 40 years old; not blushing anymore but I am very sensitive to when people ”review me” and I’m anxious that they think that I look uncertain or not confident enough. I care too much what they think. The thing is that since two years I’m working as a project manager and constantly being in the middle of attention. Somehow it is good since I’m forced to handle the slight social anxiety, but on the other hand I need something for my mind to calm down and don’t activate the fight and flight system.
Now to what I’m taking:
Day starts with 2x Mind Lab Pro. I have since a couple of days also added 600 mg of St Johns wort (and that is what my concern is about, but let’s come back to that).
An hour after lunch I take additional 2x Mind Lab Pro. If I have an extra challenging day socially I add additional 200 mg Suntheanine at around 10 am (in between the MLPs) and additional 200 mg at around 5 pm.
I have been tested a lot of different things over the years (including SSRIs for a short period but with way too many side effects) and MLP is what I find best so far (started about 1,5 month ago). During the first weeks I was still taking what we in Sweden call snus (tabacco that you put under your lip) which gives you nicotine kicks. That in combination with MLP and extra Suntheanine was amazinh! But I decided that I cannot continue with snus and stopped 3 weeks ago. After that I thought maybe I need to compensate the loss of dopamine with something and tried with extra L-tyrosine. That didn’t help much and almost made me in a worse mood. So if not low on dopamine I now think maybe low on serotonine and here is where the St John’s wort come in.
I have tried for a couple of days and feel in a better mood and more confident at work. So maybe it is the right thing for me..? But I have had read a lot about St Johns and know it has some interactions, so I mailed MLP customer service and they responded that there may be risk for too high levels of serotonine wheb combining like this (serotonine syndrome). What do you think, is there a real risk for that? Any risk that the effects of MLP will be limited or shorter due to St Johns? I have understood that I could take L-tryptophan instead, but it is hard to order to Sweden.
When looking at my history and stack – do you have any advice?
Thanks a lot in advance!
BR Ola
David Tomen
November 16, 2022
Ola, St. John’s wort is a very potent supplement and acts more like a prescription drug that it does a supplement. Theoretically, Mind Lab Pro could be a problem taken with this supplement. But there are no clinical studies verifying this of course.
My only recommendation is become very familiar with the symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome and the side effects of MAOIs. And if you start to feel any of those symptoms then stop using Mind Lab Pro if you continue to use St. John’s wort.
Aubrey
March 27, 2023
I have an upcoming event where I need to be socially engaged, negotiate in-person, and provide adult entertainment for a week. However, I struggle with alcohol as it makes me feel terrible and embarrassed, and also reminds me of my father’s lifelong alcoholism and resulting dementia. I was previously addicted to street Xanax years ago, but it was immensely helpful and might be a good option if I could find a doctor that would actually provide it. I’m now trying to address my issues through neuroplasticity and career development. While I would like to see a psychiatrist for my social anxiety, binge eating, and possible ADD, I’m uninsured and have had slow and unhelpful experiences in the past. Therefore, I’m turning to nootropics and experimenting with Anxie-T, I also just purchased the month starter kit from Thesis, and I’ve had negative experiences with Kratom in the past (sweating, increased anxiety, agitation, fainting on low doses) but still have it in my supplement cabinet. I’m looking for fast-acting relief for my event that will provide me with motivation, euphoria, and socialbility to assist in my efforts in abstaining from alcohol. Do you have any stack recommendations that would be the best bet for my circumstance, given my limited time to experiment with different compounds? Thank you!
David Tomen
March 31, 2023
Aubrey, try not to write in blocks of text because it is very hard to read.
Use the search function top right of this website and search for “Xanax”. And see what turns up. You will get a list of supplements to either work similar to that drug or users have said it worked as well as or better than the drug.
MmH
October 11, 2022
Hello,
I’ve been taking a lot of supplements that contain B6. Do we know if it is possible to be getting too much B6 and in turn perpetuating a cycle of constant anxiety from too much serotonin produced by the B6? I believe B vitamins are water soluble, but if I’m taking B6 morning, noon and night couldn’t that cause a problem?
Thank you for all the information, it is so concise and easy to read.
David Tomen
October 12, 2022
If you are using pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (P-5-P) form of Vitamin B6 you are safe up to 100 mg per day.
But if you are using the synthetic form Pyridoxine is is toxic if using more than 100 mg per day. 200 mg and above can be extremely dangerous.
See my full review of Vitamin B6 here: https://nootropicsexpert.com/vitamin-b6-pyridoxine/