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OliversTwisted94 · Jan 24, 2015, 03:57 AM

[quote name="roimata" post=4229473]Example A: If you're struggling with self-harm, one of the "aversive consequences" (I shouldn't have used negative reinforcements because they're two different things. Aversive consequences would be a more suitable term for this) would be that if you were to indulge your urges to use those behaviors your consequence is not being allowed to contact your therapist for x number of days. 
 
Example B: Not completing homework assignments leads to negative feedback from group facilitators: acting cold and irreverent. 
 
Example C: Storming out of a session = client is "grounded" from therapy and is not allowed to attend x number of sessions. 
 
Those are harsher examples I have heard from a handful of people who have experienced these techniques. I'm sure the majority of DBT practitioners use positive and intermittent reinforcement much more frequently since a lot of people are reflecting on their experience in a positive light. But it is a tactic that is used as a treatment approach. 
 
Maybe it's effective for some. It would infuriate me. 
 
Here's one source for you and here is another. If those don't link directly to the relevant paragraphs let me know and I'll try to fix it 
 
ETA: The first link is supposed to direct you to "contingency management" and if you scroll down you'll find it.[/QUOTE] 
 
Ah. I've heard that some therapists enforce a 24 hour waiting period for contact but my understanding was that there was some means of support, perhaps through another therapist. Our group has a hotline with a T always on call although my T doesn't do any of that 24 hour stuff. 
 
As for B & C, I'm surprised. My facilitators just try to discuss what got in the way of doing the work and reinforce the "no judgment" aspect of DBT. I guess some groups run differently but these two seem to feel counter to the effectiveness of it. Bummer. 
 
[quote name="OliversTwisted94" post=4229494]I have. I think you have to have a certain kind of behavioral patterns for it to be a good fit. When I was in DBT groups, I'd think, "What, do you guys think I'm ignorant or something? I know what all this is, I already do this stuff, it's common sense for me. You don't need to make me repeat this and give it a new name just to repeat it again" 
The things they teach are.... really kinda average for a lot of folks. They're already subconscious habits for handling stressful situations (or I thought so for myself, at least). It seemed like some kinda marketing ploy or something, almost; like they had to make it some kinda fancy anagram in order to "sell it" or whatever. They took basic coping and grounding skills and stretched it out into this unnecessarily long and complicated process. I mean "ACCEPTS", "DEARMAN", "GIVE", "FAST", "IMPROVE ", "PLEASE MASTER", "MASTERy" ??? C'mon son, you know that's whack! I honestly think that DBT is for a select group people who need those skills broken down and rebuilt, not for those people who have the skills on a solid foundation and just need them strengthened. Idk, it might just be a shot in the dark here, but I think DBT is too widely used.[/QUOTE] 
 
This comment came across as kinda condescending. It's not a marketing ploy, it's a helpful way to remember the skills, particularly for those of us who came from emotionally unhealthy backgrounds. Yes, for the emotionally stable, many are intuitive (my husband looked at the skills and was like, "Oh yeah! I do these!") but for some of us who came from households that invalidated us or where we were taught to ignore our emotions (as I was), these skills and their acronyms are immensely helpful. 
 
If you want to critique the method, that's fine, but Marsha Linehan who wrote it suffers from mental illness herself (she was hospitalized for a significant period of time in like the 40s and they said she was schizophrenic, although I think she would be accurately diagnosed with BPD if I recall reading it right). She wrote DBT to help people like her - a far cry from a marketing ploy. 
 
I don't have BPD. I have depression and anxiety and I've found it useful. Not everyone will, I will give you that, but no, I don't think it's whack. It's saved my life on more than one occasion and has helped me help friends who were going through crises (the acronyms help me keep the skills straight). 

Sorry if I came across as condescending. I was ripping on the method rather than the people who like and use it. When I was writing my original comment out, I kept running into a roadblock on how to say it so it wasn't mean or condescending to anyone, but I guess that fell on it's bum. So, sorry for that (I'm an vibrant speaker, most times I use my hands and gesticulate a lot when I talk, so I have a hard time saying what I need to online. Easier to explain in person and whatnot. But I digress....)
Point is: sorry if I came across as mean or condescending to anyone, I just meant to rip on the method a bit. All I meant was that DBT only works for certain people, because they have the mind for that kinda thing, ya know? That many acronyms only serves to make me volatile and closed off to everything, so that's how I was trying to relate to the OP.
Again, sincere apologies for being a jerk. Sorry for any upset I may have caused anyone on this forum.