Kava Kava is a root found in the western pacific, and is commonly consumed by many of the inhabitants of that area. In many cultures it is used in the place of alcohol as it has similar effects on a persons level of inhibitions, just without as much acute intoxication. In theory this should make it one of the most viable emergency short term solutions for those suffering from social anxiety, but it's a bit more complicated than that.
Kava affects GABA receptors in the brain just as alcohol does, however it's not nearly as powerful of an effect. It also touches multiple different areas of the brain, offering a wider spectrum of effects. There are many different strains of Kava, some being more sedating and offering a greater degree of anxiolysis. As well as some strains offering a far more heady experience, promoting sociability more. The latter varieties do not last as long.
I used store bought Kava capsules from Wal-Mart in the past for difficult social situations, and without much effect. It came to my attention a couple of months ago that the majority of the product which is usually within those capsules is actually a different part of the plant than commonly consumed, Tudei Kava, this can be extremely hepatoxic, and offers little to no reduction in anxiety, euphoria, or muscle relaxation. What you really want to purchase is called Nobel Kava. This is actually harvested solely from the root of the plant, due to the rest of it consisting of the Tudei variety of plant matter only.
After finding this out I went ahead and purchased verified Noble Kava online and set out to experiment. The results were... disappointing. The first few times I used it I actually felt absolutely nothing, however slowly but surely I started to get something out of it. Kava has a reverse tolerance, meaning the more you take it the better it works. So once my tolerance built up a bit, I started to actually feel something from the plant. What I felt though, was simply a very minor feeling of relaxation and comfort-ability. Similar to a real low dose of a benzo. No euphoria to speak of, except for one occasion. Even then, it was very minor. Nothing compared to something like kratom.
Psychedsubstance made a video on this plant, and he said that perhaps he's the wrong person to review the substance, as he's not a fan of benzodiazepines. I share virtually the same sentiment. I've always abhorred drugs such as xanax and valium. They just don't do anything for me. I can imagine that one who's a fan of those types of substances would enjoy Kava, albeit they'd probably be slightly underwhelmed. Because it gives a feeling reminiscent of them.
I was hoping Kava would be more similar to alcohol than benzos, but I have not found that to be the case. Which is why I'm in no rush to purchase any more. I'll try some different strains sometime in the future, but for now I'm good on Kava. Based on my experience with the product I purchased, it has very little of an effect on social anxiety levels. It eases general anxiety decently well, and when combined with cannabis can stop THC induced anxiety dead in it's tracks. However using it solely for the purpose of socialization didn't get me anywhere.