Department of Psychology
Personal Stories of Recovery
The CASP team would like to extend our sincere thanks to the following participants for sharing their experiences of recovery and the changes they were able to make during treatment.
Adam’s Letter*: "I really surprised myself"
Dear Sonia,
I thought I’d write to let you know how things have been going for me since we finished, and to thank you for your help.
About one week after we finished I got a call from someone I used to work with. I ended up helping out the tradies, but funny enough the job was located at an RSL working in the main bar area. Thought that was perfect, but I still haven’t had a drink.
I’ve started applying for jobs after finally putting together a decent looking resume. I have been to several interviews, and even went to group interviews for two different companies. Each time we were required to give individual and group presentations, and do role plays as well! I nearly got up and left but I stayed and I really surprised myself at how calm I was. Still hard but I did better than I thought I would.
Thank you for your help. I felt very comfortable talking to you and I miss the sessions now.
From Adam
*Name has been changed
When we checked in with Adam 3 months after he had finished treatment, his persistence attending job interviews had paid off and he was working part time in customer service. He still wasn’t drinking alcohol, and was working towards his goal of taking a martial arts class.
K's Story: "released from the grip of my own fears"
Hi,
Just a quick email to say that I am, in my estimation, "cured".
My biggest inhibitor to my life happiness and career success has always been myself. Social anxiety is an unnecessary yet very real pain, and to be released from the grip of my own fear feels better than you could imagine without experiencing it first-hand.
I recently put my hand up to travel to New Zealand to promote for my company at a conference exhibition stand. Not only did I volunteer myself, but I was a resounding success. I met many of both my personal and business goals
including making some great NZ friends who I will keep in contact with, speaking over a microphone in front of a crowd of 400 project managers, and generating dozens of business leads and contacts in NZ for my company.
Everyday there was another self-affirmation of my social ability and my progress. Next week, I travel to Canberra to do the same thing and I can't wait.
I wanted to thank the Macquarie University Anxiety Research Unit [now called the Emotional Health Clinic (Ed.)], with whom
I attended a 10-week treatment program at the end of 2007, for rehabilitating me through to a healthy self-esteem and for giving me my confidence.
I recently featured in a newspaper with the aim to raising awareness about social anxiety as there are a great many silent sufferers who haven't conceived of experiencing a party without fear, or speaking in front of their friends, let alone speaking to a room full of people. In the weeks and months proceeding the article, many of my friends have expressed surprise as
they never would have though I had a problem as I have, to them, always appeared so confident and sure of myself. Now I can be just as surprised when I tell them that I don't have a problem.
I will and do recommend your program to my friends who I see struggle with the same problems and fears as I did. I now look forward to the rest of my years without fear.
(Please feel free to distribute this letter as you see fit)
Kindest regards,
K
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