I've been having a problem when speaking in front of
a group, even a small one. When I start to speak, my
saliva seems to block my throat and I have to pause
for what seems like an eternity to swallow. I think it
is apparent to others that I am nervous, and this problem
has only been getting worse! It is making me so
apprehensive about certain situations, that I just
want to avoid them completely now. What is going on?
Is there anything I can do for this?

i have a similar thing... when i get nervous i feel like i cant swallow, or almost as i anticipate choking on my own saliva... its annoying... had it for over a year... at times though its non-existant, like i have learned to sort of slow down my thinking and not get so uptight...

anxiety can effect the throat, making swallowing or talking difficult, a valium and/or a beta blocker med about 1 hour before speaking helps a lot

also get doc to check your throat

i have a similar thing... when i get nervous i feel like i cant swallow, or almost as i anticipate choking on my own saliva... its annoying... had it for over a year... at times though its non-existant, like i have learned to sort of slow down my thinking and not get so uptight...
What are the techniques that you use to become
less uptight?

anxiety can effect the throat, making swallowing or talking difficult, a valium and/or a beta blocker med about 1 hour before speaking helps a lot

also get doc to check your throat
Thanks. I tried Xanax twice, and I felt so drowsy that I was
unable to concentrate. Does this continue? What
would the doctor look for if they checked my throat?

"What are the techniques that you use to become
less uptight?"

well it first started for me when i choked on a powerbar... then everytime i ate i was obsessed with choking... basically i had to "learn" that i wasnt going to choke... i had to "learn" that i could not choke on my own saliva... i would become so obsessed with "can i swallow this?" "is my throat too dry to swallow right now if i wanted to?" that it became a nightmare... then it became an anxiety symptom.. when i was nervous the swallowing was a problem... still is sometimes...

basically, i just tried to find a comfort in that im not going to choke... it takes a lot for the body to choke, not a mouthful of saliva... lol...

I think my main fear about the choking is that it is
evident. Maybe you can call it gagging. I hate that
people can see it, which in turn prompts me not to speak.
Trust me, I have a lot to say - but I think I appear as
if I know nothing!

if xanax made you drowsy then the dose was too high for you, split the tablet into halves or quarters

if you just keep chewing the food and are distracted you will swallow it automaticlly without realising

How much Xanax did you take? I'll take .25mg and all it does is relax me, I don't get tired or anything like that. Try a tiny dose.

if xanax makes you drowsy this means the dose was too high, reduce it by splitting the tablet, into halves or quarters a pill cutter makes this easy and can be had for about $2 from a pharmacist

you will be less drowsy when you get used to the xanax and can then up the dose

doc will check for many possible throat problems and probably tell you its just from anxiety