Wouldn’t it be nice if losing weight on a diet were as easy as gaining it was? It would be nice if it were just as fun, too. If you have lost the battle of the bulge, you might just be missing a few important things that could make the difference on your journey to successful weight loss.

1. Become active. You may be tired of hearing it, but you have to get some exercise every day that you can. You don’t have to strain yourself; you just have to get moving. Do simple things like go for a walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park farther from the entrance, and ride a bike.

2. Eat several small meals per day. Rather than starve yourself, eat more often. You don’t want to gorge all day, but you do want to graze. Taking food all day keeps your metabolism revved up. A speedy metabolism burns more calories even when you are sedentary.

3. Clean the cupboards of forbidden foods. Sorry, but it’s time for the chocolate doodle ditties to go. You know what’s bad for you, so throw it out. You don’t need sugar or other refined food, and you certainly don’t need junk food. Successful weight loss means out with the old and in with the new.

4. Drink lots of water. You should drink water all day long. When you are done, drink more water. Drink it as if the water company is shutting off the supply tomorrow. Quite often, people confuse hunger with thirst. When you drink a lot of fluid, it gives the tummy something to do between meals. Always drink water before a meal, too. A big glassful will help you to feel full faster. In addition, it will stop you from retaining water.

5. Stop dieting. The best part comes last; this is your payoff. Really – stop dieting. Maybe you didn’t get the memo, but low calorie diets don’t work. They might for a short time, but your body will figure out what you are doing and balk. Your metabolism will slow down and you will have a harder time with losing weight than you did before. And you will have a harder time in the future because of your messed up metabolism. That’s why dieters seem to gain back more than they lose.

Social anxiety medication is used to treat social anxiety disorder and social phobia. These disorders are caused by irrational fears people have in social situations. They fear being watched or judged and have difficulty socializing in many in situations they do not feel safe.

These drugs are usually accompanied by cognitive behavioral therapy to overcome their irrational beliefs. They are either benzodiazepines, antidepressants or antipsychotics. There are also some typical agents that are used like buspar and beta blockers.

Benzodiazepines are a class of medication that is used to treat social anxiety disorder. They are often called anti anxiety agents and they include such drugs as Valium, Ativan, Xanax and Klonopin.

This type of social anxiety medication is fast acting and usually brings relief within a half hour. There are side effects to these agents. They diminish brain activity, cause drowsiness, fogginess and can interfere with everyday functions such as school, work or driving.

These drugs are to be taken on an as needed basis. The sedating effects of these drugs can potentiate with other substances such as alcohol, pain medication or sleeping medication. They can also become addictive.

Antidepressants are another class of social anxiety medication. Older tricyclic antidepressant medications are sometimes used for anxiety disorders. These include Imiprmine, Doxepin, Anafranil and Nortriptyline to name a few. These medications can also be sedating, cause dry mouth and constipation. They are not addictive but need to be withdrawal slowly.

Some of the newer antidepressants called SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and SSNRI’s (Selective Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors) are used for treatment. The most widely one of these used has been Paxil.

Buspar is another anti anxiety medication that does not fit into any of the other categories. Betablockers such as Inderal and clonidine are sometimes use for treatment.

Antipsychotics and major tranquilizers have also been used to treat anxiety. The newer classes of antipsychotics have been quite successful. Some of these include Seroquel, Zyprexa and Geodon. These medications can also be sedating and have other side effects such as weight gain and constipation.

There are plenty of agents used to treat anxiety. Some are better than others for social anxiety. The fast acting less sedating ones. This anxiety disorder is a medical condition. It should be treated with medication and psychotherapy. In time the medication can be withdrawn with successful treatment.