Do I Have Social Anxiety?

Hello everyone. Thought I would ask a question some of you would be able to answer, so any help would be appreciated.

Back in December 2006 when I was 18 I started a drug for hairloss called Propecia. At the time I thought I was losing my hair, but it ended up being that I was under intense stress and psychological dysfunction because I was having a very hard time with this girl that I liked.

The drug kinda screwed up me up pretty bad. Before I took it I was a pretty social person, I would have no problem coming up with witty things to say when I was with people and I was very talkative. I stopped taking Propecia in July of 07 so I have been off of the drug for about a year now. Propecia inhibits DHT in males and affects GABA in the brain I believe.

Ever since I stopped taking it I have been having problems in social situations with people. I am no longer the witty person I once was, it's like a brick wall has formed in my head and is preventing me from getting access to my thoughts. I can't think of anything to say when I'm with people anymore. I also have this type of jittery feeling and I get butterflies in my stomach when I know I am about to engage with people, I just start thinking what I am going to say when I am with them and different thoughts just start going through my head and I end up losing it, same thing happens when I am talking to someone on the phone as well so I usually just end up avoiding the phone all together.

I have trouble remembering things now as well, my short term and long-term memory have been affected. I also am suffering from depression.

Does this sound like social anxiety? Do people with social anxiety have problems thinking of things to say?

Thanks.

Well, I'm no psychiatrist but it would seem you do express some symptoms. I'd go see a psychiatrist about it and see what they say.

What you described does sound a lot like social anxiety, but I have never heard of Social Anxiety being caused by a drug. SA is something you grow into. If it was caused by you taking a drug that you have now stopped chances are it will go away.

Thanks for the replies.

I just don't like being around people anymore at all. I'm perfectly fine staying in my room the whole day and not interacting at all, as long as I have my computer I'm fine. Basically the only thing I do now is surf the internet, work out, and sing. I'm out of a job right now due to my depression and anxiety. I'm also very philosophical and analyze things ALOT so that could have something to do with it.

I'm not sure if it was the drug that caused it, to be honest I just don't know what has happened. I don't know if there are any tests the doctor can run either to see what is going on, maybe I should schedule an appointment and get it checked out.

What ? Did the medicine you take caused that ? Thats weird !

So I think what you have is a physiological thing. SA is psychological.

I mean, maybe its a hormonal thing... an hormonal dysfunction is causing that. You have to see what a medic had to say.... and maybe not of a single one, they all very confuse and disagree with other all the time and since your problem is a bit strange, they can disregard it.