We’ve all been there: that knot in the stomach, the dry mouth, the heart racing in your chest and sticky, clammy palms. Whether it’s a job interview, public speaking, or any number of equally nerve-racking experiences, the physical sensations of being anxious can be crippling.
These sensations are often what people are describing when they talk about feeling anxious, worried or nervous.
It’s also what many find the most debilitating.
The harder your heart beats, the more you panic, and the more you panic, the harder your heart beats. Stress hormones are released which make these sensations worsen, and so the sorry cycle continues.
However, there is a group of medications that can help: beta blockers.
These drugs, such as propranolol and atenolol, have been around for decades. Propranolol was developed by the Scottish scientist Sir James Black in 1962 when he worked at ICI.
Beta blockers work by blocking the effects of adrenaline. This means a racing heart doesn’t beat so hard and blood pressure is lowered
They were used to treat high blood pressure and heart arrhythmias and are still prescribed for such conditions today. But doctors soon realised they were also useful for easing anxiety.
Over the years, they’ve increasingly been prescribed as a safe, non-addictive, non-sedating way to help people suffering from the physical symptoms of anxiety.
Beta blockers work by blocking the effects of adrenaline. This means a racing heart doesn’t beat so hard and blood pressure is lowered. They also stop other symptoms of anxiety caused by adrenaline – the sweating, fast breathing and trembling hands.
However, the jury is out on how good beta blockers are for helping anxious people. Some studies suggest they can be very effective, others less conclusive. For helping those with longstanding or severe anxiety, it’s generally considered beta blockers are less effective compared to antidepressants.
I’ve found beta blockers are particularly helpful when seeking a temporary respite from anxiety symptoms, or when facing a stress-triggering event. Many people swear by them. At Hollywood events this year, actors Kristen Bell, Rachel Sennott and Natasha Rothwell all mentioned taking beta blockers beforehand.
Khloe Kardashian and Robert Downey Jnr have also admitted to taking them in the past.
In fact, I’ve taken them, and my experience revealed there may be an element of placebo in their effect.
A few years ago I was doing a lot of live TV and radio but whenever I walked on set I would get very nervous. My hands would shake and my throat would go dry.
A doctor friend recommended propranolol and my GP prescribed it to take when needed.
It worked a treat. I’d take a small dose an hour or so before my live studio appearances. I felt calm and even enjoyed myself. Taking a small dose became a ritual when I was on my way to any studio.
Then the day came, halfway through a live segment, that I realised I’d forgotten to take my ritual dose that morning. I had a moment of dread believing the nerves would descend.
But it quickly dawned on me that I’d already been happily chatting away on air for ten minutes and had felt not a jot of nerves. For me, the medication had been a prop. I never took it again.
I’ve witnessed the benefit they can have for others, too.
Last year, I was chairing an event when one of the speakers was so nervous she froze, unable to get any words out and had to leave the stage. This woman had a fierce intellect and is formidable, yet in front of an audience she crumbled.
Later she confessed to me that her heart had been beating so loudly she couldn’t hear anything else. She was so shaken by the experience that she was thinking of cancelling all her other planned public speaking for the rest of the year.
I suggested she ask her GP to prescribe beta blockers, to take before she went on stage.
A few months later, we were at another event and she was like a different woman. On stage, she was smiling, confident and calm; she even managed to crack a few off-the-cuff jokes.
Of course, beta blockers target the symptoms of anxiety, not the underlying psychological distress that might be the cause. But there’s no doubt that this medication can be a great help for some people.
A hard life, but truly well-lived
Robert Redford had four children, two boys and two girls, both sons predeceased him, one as a baby and one aged 58
Hollywood legend Robert Redford died last week at the age of 89. Reading his obituary, I was struck by what a difficult life he had.
Although he had four children, two boys and two girls, both sons predeceased him, one as a baby and one aged 58. His mother died when she was just 40. He was 18 at the time. He began drinking, which meant he lost his scholarship and was forced to drop out of school. He also contracted polio aged 11 and in his late teens was involved in a serious car accident in which he nearly died.
Yet I found reading his life story life-affirming because despite these setbacks, Redford found a way of coping. I often recommend reading obituaries to patients for the very same reason.
It sounds morbid, but learning about the incredible hurdles people have overcome and their extraordinary achievements can give you hope and strength.
Dr Max prescribes
Dr Max suggests taking D3 as it is more easily absorbed than D2
As autumn sets in, I’d recommend everyone consider taking a vitamin D supplement. Last week I had my bloods checked by my GP and was told my levels are low.
Vitamin D is made in the skin when it’s exposed to sunlight, and in the autumn and winter lower levels of sunshine mean that around one in six people become deficient.
I’d recommend taking D3 as it is more easily absorbed than D2.
