Wow! I've been catching up with this thread and I'm so happy to read all the improvements so many are experiencing! What a blessing indeed.
And also, I guess I'm not just imagining the improvement I feel in myself too because it's pretty similar to what some of you have been reporting, although I've only had 10 sessions so far. I feel so different sometimes that it's almost as if I'm another person, although I do notice that some of the "new" I see has always been there, but I was completely holding it because I was afraid all the time. In general it's just a general courage to speak my mind, make jokes, less feeling of dread and catastrophic imagination, having more contact with my emotions in what I would call a more positive way... because I can notice better what I'm actually feeling and have more acceptance of it without it being overwhelming or something to shut down because of fear (again). Also, not so much guilt. I also noticed better focus and retention of information, which for me is huge because I always had the feeling that my brain didn't work very well and I couldn't focus or retain a lot of information.
I do notice that sometimes NO seems to leave me a little too hyperactive (not in an anxious way but more like wanting to do too many things and think about things) and maybe it will be good to find some balance in that aspect. I have trouble sleeping some nights (which I very rarely had before). It's like my brain is hyperactive and I can't sleep until very late, or, I sleep but it seems that my mind was still so active while sleeping that I didn't really rest. I'm also having lots of dreams when I do sleep. I think that if I do more physical activity I might be able to improve my sleeping, so I'll try that.
I also notice lots of back and forth from "not-so-afraid-and-anxious" to "very-afraid-and-anxious" + gloomy states. But when I'm in those anxious/gloomy states, it's easier to deal with them as others have pointed out. Sometimes it feels like a whole different way of being, so that in itself brings a bit of anxiety for me, because still having my old way seeing things, I'm trying to figure out this new way of seeing things, I guess. I suppose here is where the process of working and reading and networking comes too, which is very important, IMO.
All in all, I'm VERY thankful for the NO, the changes for me have been great, even if there are plenty of things coming up that are a bit depressing, and there's much that I need to balance and work on still. I feel more alive and authentic now, and that's really something.
