Personal experiences from a former CCBT group member
Dear Dr. Richards,
After arriving home, things are going well now for me. The progress is coming along slowly with the usual ups and downs.
Every day I am doing small things that prove to me that I am making progress. Sometimes I get inpatient or I get into a hard situation and get frustrated, but the exciting thing is is that my negative circles don't last nearly as long as before.
I'm trying to focus a lot more on being more rational and positive and it's working.
Have you talked to the others in the group yet? Just wanted to see how they're doing.
I just keep sticking with it (the cognitive-behavioral therapy) and it only gets better and better. Getting through the first couple of months after the comprehensive session is hard when you get home ...but once you get through them, it really does just get easier and easier.
The ANTs destroying gets more and more specific...like stronger and more automatic. I realize things now that I never realized before. I remember you mentioning in Phoenix, that, although I've made a lot of progress (in four weeks), I still have a ways to go.
Since I've been back home, I've read the cognitive handouts about 95% of the days. This is something I'm really proud of. I never thought I would follow through as well as I have, but I am proud of myself.
Now, I'm trying to focus in on different little things like procrastination...I went over the handouts on this last night again. I wish everyone would do the cognitive material more consistently, since it really makes all the difference in the world towards getting better.
Send my regards to everyone. I'm going to email everyone sometime this week. By the way, I liked that statement you sent me about the brick walls: to not fight through them but rather only push them over with your little finger...it makes sense and that is the only way to treat social anxiety, I know ...
Jason