Anyone went from having a hard case of approach anxiety and conquering it through progressive exposure?

When I say hard case I don't mean you were already an expressive person towards women, but just needed a couple of warm ups to start going direct and then "Solved" your AA.

I mean you are a relatively socially adjusted person (generally at ease around strangers in general, store workers, etc...), but you took hours just asking a couple of girls for directions and this went on for weeks. You don't look at a girl and get so horny that you just focus on trying to sleep with her. Instead you are more worried about how you will be perceived. Girls continuously walk by you, and you felt like there was a mental barrier keeping you from opening. Even when girls are receptive, standing there smiling and moving closer to give you directions, you are so stifled you can't even make additional small talk.

I've been trying to work through this alone but its been very hard doing it by myself. I think having someone there who went through the process would help a lot.

Background: I was in the game for 2 years (but never really handled my AA), and approached mostly "easy" sets. Stopped for like 4 years, now I'm back and it feels harder than ever.