267- On progress with CBT and exposure

Yesterday we had plans to go to the museum, but the tram had a technical glitch and wasn't running. 

The old me wouldn't have called the friend we were supposed to meet over there. Old Lulu would have gone back home, called and canceled those plans. Even if it meant missing the chance to see an exhibit the museum wasn't going to run again - this would've been the case yesterday, if old me had the reigns of anxiety.

Yesterday, however, I called that friend to come get us with his car, and we waited for him at the bus stop. We enjoyed company and art, before going back home to watch the movie & eat dinner with him like we had planed.

Yesterday, we didn't miss that exhibit, that only ran one more day, and then disbanded. Old me wouldn't have planned a second trip to the museum, to see its permanent collection, for this same week. Nah huh! Old me would've have thought you crazy for even thinking this could be a possibility and suggesting it to me. Now, however, I've had 22 CBT sessions, looking forward to #23 that would be the last or penultimate session for social phobia, so I can tell all about my exposures recently... I'll detail them in a couple weeks, so stay tuned.

If you ever asked yourselves if CBT and exposures can help recover from social phobia and lack of self esteem, the answer's yes. Although the road to full recovery's still long, and full of loads more of work, I have progressed enough to reach that level where I can call close friends, telling them I need help - for shopping, or to pick us up so we can fulfil all our plans more or less on time.

Chronic depression made me think I couldn't ever beat anything. Thus far, I've made a lot of progress with this particular issue of social phobia, and a tad bit

about my cptsd, but overall, when my mental illnesses are manageable, I can live more or less okay. I just need that extra nudge of help, support and patience, because I suffer from over 2 dozen mental illnesses, and am quite tired, quite often.