Question: Once a month, my job requires me to speak in front of a hundred people. I have thought of going to my doctor and getting a prescription for either Klonopin or Inderal. Which one should I take?
Answer: Inderal is the brand name for propranolol, a nonspecific beta-adrenergic blocking agent, which has demonstrated its beneficial effects in situations of performance anxiety. I once knew a violinist who would tremble before performances. This trembling went away if he took a dose of Inderal.
Klonopin is the trade name for clonazepam, an anti-anxiety drug of the benzodiazepine class. One of the indications for this medication is panic disorder.
Both Inderal and Klonopin are prescription drugs and should be administered only under the supervision of a physician. The list of their adverse reactions and contraindications is too long to be included in this article.
When confronted with such a long list of possible problems when taking these medicines, one might consider a less toxic approach to performance anxiety.
The homeopathic remedy Gelsemium (yellow jasmine) has been used for anticipatory anxiety for more than 200 years. Given in a single dose in either the 30c or 200c potency, it has enabled people to overcome performance anxiety, as well as the anticipatory anxiety that they might feel before dental work or flying in airplanes. Even animals have benefited in stressful situations.
Several years ago, our neighbors gave us permission to borrow a pair of donkeys to take to a fair to be ridden by young children. When the older donkey was put into the truck, she started shaking from fright. Within 30 seconds of putting a few granules of Gelsemium 30c in her mouth, her trembling stopped. The pair attended the fair and returned home without incident.
The above homeopathic remedy, given as a single dose in the above recommended strengths, has no side effects and is quite safe.
If one would rather take Bach flower remedies, one could take a few drops of Rescue Remedy a few minutes before speaking. Also quite safe and without side effects.
To completely eliminate the problem of stage fright, one might consider a form of cognitive therapy known as neuro-linguistic programming, which has many documented cases of eliminating instances of anticipatory anxiety.
Or one could consult a homeopathic physician for constitutional homeopathic prescribing, which, in addition to lessening or eliminating stage fright is frequently able to substantially improve one's overall health.
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