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I take a beta blocker for unrelated reasons, but they do definitely help with this sort of thing and it’s easy to get a prescription, so I’d say there isn’t much harm in giving them a shot. Certainly better than alcohol!


Beta blockers don’t do the same thing at all. Beta blockers prevent you from exhibiting physical symptoms of anxiety like a shaky voice or pounding heart. They do nothing for mental symptoms of anxiety.


For some people, that physical feedback is most of the discomfort felt with anxiety. For others, it won't do much. There's a reason it's not always used


That’s incorrect. The beta in beta blocker refers to the beta adrenegeric receptors in your body , that are sensitive to neurotransmitters like adrenaline. The mental is the physical in this case, it’s why people tend to feel sluggish on beta blockers, you are slowing down your body’s internal clock. That’s why they are also classed as chronotropics.


There’s a big feedback cycle here. A pounding heart certainly won’t improve your mental state.


That's not correct - adrenaline (which is what beta blockers mess with the release of) absolutely has effects on brain function.




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