the place i went to was smaller and more structured... i think maximum capacity was 15 people...
but my experience still was really not that great... because i have social phobia too and they were trying to treat me for bipolar...
and i really wasn't there the whole time i was in another world just trying to escape till they would release me... 8 group meetings a day for 8 days... finally got them to release me.. it sucks in there... it actually made me worse i think... even though it was a nice place... i pretty much dissociated the whole thing though...

im glad you have a good friend that you relate and connect with...
but please becareful... i fell in love with a long distance relationship for 4 years and things just kept being dragged on while im trying to do everything i could to get money saved to either get a visa and tickets to see her or get her to come here or anything...
but it was a fluke... she ended up being in relationship with a guy there and living with him and it just made my symptoms go crazy...

not saying she is doing that to you, but just that one should becareful because never know whats gonna happen... and i dont want your symptoms to spiral out of control like mine did when that happened... it really messed my head up (worse than it already was..) i have alot of trust issues, so i thought it was special that i found someone i could trust... but when that one person you trust whole heartedly betrays you... the world ignites with napalm...

please dont self harm on the wrists, if you absolutely have to then try to avoid those areas because there are nerves that you can cut and will not be able to use your hand/arm or whatever anymore...