Is the vision of having to give a presentation at work in front of your colleagues making you nervous and jittery?
When you’re at a social event like a party, and the attention turns on you, does it ever feel like your heart will jump out of your chest?
In these moments when you’re in a crowd or about to speak publicly or go on stage, it’s natural to feel a bit alert and stressed. However, if your anxiety paralyzes you, prevents you from putting two words together, or makes you sweat, tremble, and feel like you’re going to faint, it’s a good idea to seek professional help like therapy and medication. People who struggle with social anxiety are often prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are a class of commonly used antidepressants. Another solution to soothe any distressing symptoms is to take Nebivolol – a beta-blocker that has been proven beneficial either as a complementary treatment to SSRIs or as an alternative. In this article, we take a closer look at Nebivolol and explain how a beta-blocker can decrease the intensity of your anxiety, allowing you to deliver peak performance, whether at work, with newly made friends, or with your loved ones.
Beta-Blockers and Anxiety
What if, instead of trembly hands, sweaty forehead, and a pounding heart, you could step into social situations with a calm and steady attitude?
That’s essentially what beta-blockers like Nebivolol can offer!
Traditionally, this medication is used for cardiac issues like high blood pressure, arrhythmia, or heart failure, effectively leading to:
- a slower heart rate,
- reduced blood pressure,
- suppressed release of adrenaline and norepinephrine.
Alternatively, one can use beta-blockers like Nebivolol, also known as the “anxiety pill”.
But what’s the link between anxiety and beta-blockers?
How come Nebivolol can effectively do both: bring relief to people with different heart conditions AND successfully soothe anxiety?
To answer that question, let’s take a quick look at our brains:
In the process of evolution, human brains have been hard-wired to seek safety and survive. The most primal part of our brains, called the reptilian brain, is in charge of regulating our bodily functions like heart rate, body temperature, or breathing. Its primary role is to keep us alive by ensuring that we eat, drink, reproduce, and stay away from danger. Facing danger triggers the release of stress hormones – adrenaline and norepinephrine – and our instinctive trauma responses: fight, flight, or freeze. The sudden surge of this hormone is supposed to prepare your body and mobilize all of your resources so that you can fight for your life to the best of your abilities.
While that mechanism was highly effective for our ancestors, who could detect danger, ward off wild animals, or protect their families, nowadays, it can play tricks on us. We no longer have to hunt for food or constantly keep a fire to stay warm. What we interpret as a dangerous situation has changed. Now, what we want to avoid is often connected to our social status. Therefore, our reptilian brain can trigger a release of adrenaline and norepinephrine to help us prevent scenarios like stuttering in front of other colleagues, freezing on a stage, or saying something silly at a party.
Luckily, Nebivolol, like many other beta-blockers, comes to the rescue and:
- blocks the effects of these stress hormones,
- reduces the intensity of your anxiety symptoms,
- stimulates the release of nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels, relaxing them naturally.
Nebivolol for Anxiety: What You Should Know
Did you know that many different public speakers, performers, stand-up comedians, or professional musicians like Adele struggle with performance anxiety?
Taking beta-blockers before a public performance or an important social event like a first date or negotiations at work is quite common and beneficial, especially for people with social anxiety. Nebivolol is not addictive, unlike many anti-anxiety meds. At the same time, it shouldn’t be used in excess. It’s often prescribed by doctors as a “last-resort” option, only after other treatment options failed to improve your state.
Nebivolol has a few side effects, among which are:
- dizziness
- fatigue
- headaches
- nausea
- decreased libido
- abdominal discomfort
It’s important to note here that while beta-blockers can help manage any uncomfortable symptoms like dizziness or a lump in the throat, this medication cannot directly treat anxiety. Nebivolol is a great short-term solution, thanks to which you can soothe bodily reactions but won’t be able to manage the underlying causes of your anxiety.
If your anxiety significantly interferes with the quality of your life and effectively prevents you from fulfilling your responsibilities at work, seek professional help. Starting therapy creates a fantastic opportunity for you to identify the root causes of your anxiety, discuss different issues with an experienced professional, and learn new coping ways that’ll help you take charge of your life and enjoy it once again.
Start managing your anxiety by contacting us here.
