need advice on good medication without side affects

[cobalt]

well this is my first time talking about this online...ive always felt well its a problem i will grow out of or i will just deal with because thats just the way it is. BUT... as i have grown older i realize that its not ever going to go away..and now i say to myself your not a teen age kid trying to find himself but a adult and feeling alot of stress in most social interaction not to the point i wont go out..but to the point i think how nice it would be to actually be like alot of other people that actually enjoy talking with each other..most of the time when i talk to anyone im always trying to think of the next thing to say to avoid that aqward silence..then comes the piont how to end the coversation and be able to walk away...i usally feel like the other person can feel my inner uneasyness...but now when i notice having the same uneasyness talking to family members too thats where i realize i need something..soooo if anyone can tell me of stuff i can take that could help that is not addictive or with side affects or thats natural i would love to hear from you and you experiences...thanks :D

[shoe]

cobalt, welcome to the forum. Most medications you will find will cause you to eventually have a physical dependence on them over time - which usually can be resolved by a slow tapering off of them (still not all that fun - but at least tolerable). Benzodiazepines are one of the few medications considered 'addictive' by doctors but this is dependent on the person, and probably unlikely among most anxiety sufferers (my opinion, basically from talking to a few others who have taken benzo's).

As far as natural remedies, there are a number of ones that are recommended in various books and websites. I've tried 5-HTP myself and found no benefit from it. Kava-kava, passionflower, valerian root and some others are recommended for anxiety. There's also supplements too. You might wanna take a look at the resources section to see some common types and links to sites about them:

Herbs & Supplement Alternatives:
http://www.mentalhealthdiscussion.com/forum/about166.html

Medications for Anxiety & Depression:
http://www.mentalhealthdiscussion.com/forum/about114.html

Alternative Therapies:
http://www.mentalhealthdiscussion.com/forum/about161.html