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Have you ever felt an intense feeling of dread or fear before a social situation? Did this fear cause you to perform worse than you otherwise would? You could be suffering from performance anxiety.
Also known as situational anxiety, performance anxiety is a debilitating mental health condition that causes great distress and a wide array of physical symptoms, such as sweating or a rapid heartbeat.
While it’s normal to feel nervous before doing something big, feeling overwhelmed to the point that you’re hindered by your emotions could entail the need for anti-anxiety medications—with Propranolol being a major one.
That said, Propranolol’s main purpose isn’t to curb anxiety. It’s mainly used to treat heart problems. However, with the correct Propranolol dosage, people who face performance anxiety before bed can benefit from this medication.
Let’s look into the underlying mechanisms behind Propranolol, as well as ways it can cure performance anxiety.
Causes of Performance Anxiety
Being anxious is not an uncommon phenomenon—and sexual anxiety is something that afflicts about 9 to 25% of men, according to one study.
With that said, that doesn’t make it any less desirable. Sexual anxiety can turn an otherwise perfect cap-off to a romantic dinner date into an embarrassing and unfulfilling situation.
That said, you may be wondering, what are the causes of sexual performance anxiety anyway?
Here are some of the things that could be causing your sexual anxiety disorder:
- Low self-esteem about performance in bed
- Poor body image
- Poor perception of your erection
- Underlying relationship problems
- Concerns over ejaculation time
- Anxiety about not orgasming or enjoying sex
When these concerns are top of mind, your body can tighten up and not enjoy sex as much. Stress hormones like norepinephrine and epinephrine may also get released during this period, further worsening your psychological symptoms.
How Does Propranolol Help Relieve Anxiety?
It’s important to understand what Propranolol is to give more context on this type of drug. This medication is part of a group of medicines known as beta-blockers, and its primary purpose is to treat anxiety and high blood pressure.
The way Propranolol does this is by slowing down your heart rate—which in turn, makes it easier for your heart to pump blood throughout your blood vessels and organs.
Moreover, by reducing your heart rate, you will also feel calmer and more at ease when on Propranolol. This can make you feel less anxious even in times of great distress. It can also reduce a plethora of other anxiety symptoms—such as trembling, flushing, and shaking.
According to a published study, propranolol has helped surgeons and musicians reach milder distressing states. This is largely because of Propranolol’s effect on the brain and mitigating the fear response.
Other Medical Uses of Propranolol
Propranolol, being a commonly prescribed beta blocker, has a wide range of uses. Here are some of them:
- Treats tremors
- Treats irregular heartbeats
- Treats subaortic stenosis
- Lessens the risk of angina (chest pain)
- Reduces migraine headaches
- Improves survival chance after heart attack
Propranolol can be ingested in tablet or liquid form, and it’s usually taken orally. It’s typically taken before bedtime and swallowed as a whole.
That said, be sure to contact a doctor before taking Propranolol to ensure that it’s right for you.
The Benefits of Propranolol for Anxiety Disorders
Performance anxiety can remove the fun of any supposed fun activity, including sexual encounters. Fortunately, taking propranolol can help in treating anxiety.
Recommended Propranolol Dosage
Your doctor is the best person you should turn to when it comes to finding the recommended Propranolol dosage for you.
That said, for anxiety patients, it’s common for people to take 40 mg of pills once to thrice a day.
Patients with underlying conditions, such as angina or high blood pressure, may need to take a different dosage than the one prescribed above.
If you are stopping Propranolol suddenly, such a situation is fine, just refrain from taking more than two pills in a short time span.
Cautionary Aspects to Know Before Taking Propranolol
It’s important to know that Propranolol isn’t safe for everyone, even those with physical anxiety symptoms.
If you have any of the following conditions, you should consider alternative ways to treat your performance anxiety.
- Diabetes
- Heart failure
- Low blood pressure
- Depression
- Liver or kidney problems
- Metabolic acidosis
- Allergies to Propranolol
- Asthma or lung disease
Furthermore, Propranolol can also give rise to a slew of side effects. These include the following:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Cold toes or fingers
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
If you have any of these symptoms, talk to a doctor as they can adjust your dosage or prescribe you another beta blocker.
Furthermore, if you are experiencing:
- Yellowing skin or eyes
- Dark and discolored urine
- Pale feces
- Bruising
- Nosebleeds
These are considered emergencies and you’ll need to get medical attention immediately.
Alternative Ways to Overcome Performance Anxiety
While seeing a doctor should be the number one priority, you can also help keep SPA under control at home.
Here are some ways you can do just that.
- Have open communication lines with your partner: Be honest with your partner and try to work through problems together. This can bring the relationship closer and improve your sexual outcomes.
- Don’t jump straight to penetrative sex: Consider going for massages, masturbation, or roleplay before engaging in sexual intercourse. This can relieve some pressure and help you increase libido naturally.
- Play some music: Find a way to keep yourself distracted while in the act. You can, for instance, play some music in the background to remove a sense of worry amidst the act.
- Contact a therapist: If all else fails, get in touch with a couple’s therapist so that you can work through the strain in your relationship with a professional.
Improve Your Performance in Bed With The Aid of Cincinnati, Ohio’s Best Male Health Doctors
Propranolol is a great way to relieve anxiety episodes before bed, but it’s not the only way to reinvigorate the bedroom.
At Cincinnati’s Proactive Men’s Medical Center, we offer a slew of male health treatments targeted to uplift the sex lives of men of all ages.
This includes ED treatment, low testosterone therapy, RestoreWave therapy, and PE treatment—among others.
Schedule a consultation with us today, your initial consultation and first treatment are completely free.
