DBT-Does it work for you?

So I started taking dialectical behaviour therapy. I find it kind of hokey and I am having trouble trying to use the skills in every day life. The group that I am in also has art therapy which seems like a joke. Is there something you are getting from this therapy that's positive? How and what skills are you using in daily life from DBT?

hi leilana. i do dbt, im also diagnosed borderline and it helps more with the symptoms of tthat than it does for the bipolar stuff really, but it does help me in the areas of impulsivity and sometimes depression.

i downloaded an app on my phone called dbt911 that has a random list of skills to use in a crisis moment that really helps me, mostly to distract from the painful emotions until they're at a manageable level. making pros and cons lists helps me to see if i'm objectively seeing a situation that's bothering me so i can make less impulsive and healthier choices.

radical acceptance works so well when i can manage to grasp the concept and apply it to my situation whatever that is.

it's hard because dbt is so broad and there's a lot to remember. i did group dbt for a while and i like to go on dbtselfhelp website and look thru the skills on my own as well though i think its easier to do it in a group or at least with a facilitator.

take anything that works for you, use it, you dont have to believe in all of it to get help with some situations or feelings.

I didn't like DBT. I went to a partial/IOP program and I just didn't feel like they met my needs. When I was depressed it was ok and some of the distress tolerance skills would work, but halfway through the program I had a severe manic episode. I began believing that a being was implanting thoughts in my head and telling me to kill myself. I wrote three long notes to my therapist explaining this but she only responded once, and then it was only to say she wouldn't speak to me unless I filled out my diary card (which I forgot to do because I couldn't focus). All she said was focus on my life worh living goal. Which is all well and good if you're suicidal because you hate life, but since it was my head telling me to do things I felt she didn't appreciate the urgency. I didn't WANT to kill myself, I felt like I had to. They also wouldn't allow me to see the doctor again even after I ended up in the ER for stitches and came in Monday telling then the thoughts were still there and had progressed to telling me I was evil and deserved to die.

All in all I think DBT can be helpful for some but it won't help in an acute episode of psychosis, and my program should have realized that. As it was they treated me like I was manipulating them for attention, which I know is what they're used to from BPD clients. It may be better in a different program. I do think mindfulness is helpful for me during acute anxiety attacks, and some distress tolerance skills work for depression. I think you don't have to commit your life to the program just yet. Use the pieces that work and maybe in the future you can build up to a life commitment.

I found DBT useless for my bipolar symptoms. I was in a group with a bunch of borderline girls and could not relate to any of the examples or anyone else in my group. I like the idea of mindfulness and use it a lot but I learnt that on my own before DBT and much of the distress tolerance stuff I already did previously in my own self guided therapy and study.

IMO its great for BPD and those that have traits but not very useful for 'real' Bipolar.

I do love me some DBT!

It does work for some bipolar stuff like impulsivity and agitation. There is also a focus on relying on your body to tell you what you are actually feeling, and I think listening for physical cues probably really helpful for bipolar.

Mindfulness, goal setting, distress tolerance and self care are all good skills to have going up against any mental illness.

However, when you need an antipsychotic, you NEED an antipsychotic.

DBT wouldn't work for me if it were not for my excellent team. The place I go to specializes in BPD and PTSD. The clinicians meet regularly to discuss patient's progress and road blocks. My T, my group leader and my Pdoc are all in communication. Its pretty awesome.

My T is really good at identifying bipolar problems, unfortunately my T (and the whole program) would not be available to me if I did not have the BPD and PTSD diagnosis along with bipolar.

I found DBT browsing the Psych section at Barnes and Noble before Kindle and Nook. I read bits and pieces before I purchased it. I've never taken a full class. I seem to be stuck in the "Emotional Distraction Technique" as I call it. Being able to distract myself in a positive way was a god sent. One of my biggest challenges is visiting my biological family. Before DBT I could tolerate 5days at max and two of those were travel days. The year my father died, I was able to handle 180 days without a meltdown.
I would like to explore the therapy in a more professional basis and work on the mindfulness piece. I think that would be a good addition to my tool box.

In my experience, determining if something will work or not is my mindset when I approach the therapy. If I find it questionable from the beginning, I am less likely to adopt it. For example, I don't see how coloring can serve as therapy. I can see where the repetitive process and focus to stay within the lines might be something, but I don't see it.

Art therapy is nice (being creative makes me feel better about myself), but DBT doesn't help me at all. It might help some bipolar people, but definitely not all. I was also in a group with only BPD girls. Could not relate. They seemed to get major crises from, in my opinion, not very significant problems, and then they had forgotten about it before the next meeting. And the therapists used invalidation as a technique to make us less absorbed with our emotions. I doubt that works for many people who don't have BPD.

For me dbt seemed to work. The only problem is that I deal with disassociate amnesia so my ability to retain info is nearly impossible. I.usually use mindfulness practice in my daily life. Trying not to slip into an all emotional mind but remembering logical mind which puts me into wise mind. I have a really hard time getting out of emotional mind.b I've survived so long inn that state that it's really difficult to think wisely. My depression is always there and dbt can't seem to break through it. Idk maybe I need a refresher course. I've looked into it and it's available thru my therapist office. I'm hesitant to start it cause I'm worried it's a waste of my time. The thought of going, driving there and participating is overwhelming.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk