I’ve had pretty bad anxiety since around middle school, but I’m in college now and it’s gotten a decent bit worse. Anytime a professor/classmate addresses me/asks me a question, my heart immediately starts racing and my voice gets shakey and I just turn into a mess and I hate it. I would love to talk more. Would medication help with this? Would it, and this sounds so dumb, but would it allow me to just…conversate like a normal person without panicking.

Also, if I were to take medication (and I understand it affects everyone differently) I’m kind of afraid that it might “change who I am” in a sense (of course anxiety holding me back definitely changes who I am, too, I guess). My mom used to take similar medication and sometimes it just…doesn’t feel like I’m talking to her when she’s on it? Or like I’m not really talking to another person at all if that makes sense. I’m just worried I won’t feel “in control” if I was taking a medication like that, does anyone have any input on this?

Any advice is appreciated!