If it helps, DBT isn't mutually exclusive with medication. I take anti-anxiety medications and I have a medication for depression (ketamine). The DBT has helped me be able to take less of my anti-anxiety meds - but I still need them. Sometimes my body simply has a panic attack and all the deep breathing and distraction in the world won't bring my body down to baseline. So I'll pop a xanax. I also get terrible anxiety at night and it interferes with sleep - taking care of yourself is a big deal in DBT - so I take a low dose of klonopin to help with my restless leg and my anxiety.

And I get not being in a place or able to do a program. Even the program I went through has a waiting list and I've heard from others that there are cost, time, and availability issues.

The way we did the class (if it helps you to go through it like this), was that we would do the core mindfulness (so we'd go over the mindfulness stuff). Then we'd spend several weeks in a unit, like Interpersonal skills really only going over one or two skills a week and focusing on just practicing them in conjunction with core mindfulness. Then we'd review mindfulness again. Then jump into another unit like emotion regulation. Then back to mindfulness and then into Distress Tolerance.

The core mindfulness skills are the foundation on which it's all based and the hardest of those (I think) is non-judgmental stance. Be kind to yourself. Give yourself grace and room to breathe.

The skills are invaluable. Good job wanting to keep trying