Side Effects of Benzo Medication that is for Social Anxiety
Embarrassing things happen in life and that is just normal. You will do things on accident that will mortify you - there is no getting around it. However, one of those embarrassing situations is taking too much Xanax or Klonopin for social anxiety. If this is done, there is a possibility that one can slur his/her speech. Actually, it would sound like this person is drunk.
On the flip side of the coin, if you don't take enough Benzo type drug (still talking Valium, Xanax, Klonopin etc) for your social anxiety, there have been cases reported (and I can verify for myself), that your speech becomes slurred. Very interesting it does that. Chances are that if you take a too much of Benzos, it will cause you to slur your speech. However, if you doctor prescribes to you let's say 1 mg per dosage (taking it three times), then you would think that everything should be ok - and let's say you do take the amount that the doctor prescribes. Logic says that your doctor knows best - but in reality, these type of medications are very strong, and it maybe in the end, that you have to go back to your doctor and have your dosage adjusted.
There have been a few times when I suffered this. There have been certain events that I have been afraid to go to and I take more than my prescribed dosage. BAD THING TO DO! I might as well get drunk and go to the event that I'm afraid to be at, and make a fool out of myself. Over the years that I have been on Xanax (then eventually Klonopin), I have done this type of thing. I would be so scared to go into a particular meeting, that I would overdo it with the meds and noticed that I would be slurring my speech. One "social event" that I went to, my wife and I started going to a new church. We went to Sunday School and was very nervous going in and introducing myself. So I took more Xanax as usual (because my social anxiety disorder was really driving me nuts), and walked in and sat down with my wife. Well, fortunately for me, I didn't have to stand up and introduce myself, but we did sit in groups. Someone asked me my name and what I did for a living. I felt so "high" that I was slurring my answers and then laughing like I was plastered. These people had to be thinking I was drunk! Then someone asked me where my wife worked - and I couldn't remember (short-term memory loss is a symptom as well), I laughed and asked my wife - "Where do you work at?". I look back on this and find it a little amusing that these people probably thought I was drunk in Sunday School! However, in the end, I felt very embarrassed about it.
We no longer go to the church - but we left for other reasons in the end, not because I made a fool out of myself. However, getting back to what I am trying to say is that yes, most benzo type of medications, can slur your speech. I am not saying this will happen to everyone - but for the sake of avoiding embarrassment, do take what your doctor prescribes and if it is to much - then go back and have him/her adjust the dosage.