Abstract: The disclosure provides a pharmaceutical composition for treating social anxiety, performance anxiety, and social phobia comprising a therapeutic amount for die treatment of a patient of a ?-adrenergic receptor antagonist, an anti-diarrheal compound, and an optional anticholinergic compound. The ?-adrenergic receptor antagonist may be the lipophilic ?-blocker propranolol HCl, the anti-diarrheal compound may be the opioid diphenoxylate HCl, and the optional anticholinergic compound may be atropine sulfate. The composition for treating performance anxiety and social phobia can further include a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. A method of preventing or treating social anxiety, performance anxiety, and social phobia in a patient is also provided, comprising administering a composition of the disclosure to a patient in need of such treatment.