Does CBT work for you, or stats whether CBT works for ultra rapid cycling bipolar?

Are you ultra rapid cycling? I cycle up and down all day when I don't have meds that work. I have tried CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and it works well AFTER an event, sometimes, but it's never helped stop me from reacting to things like rudeness. By that mean rudeness by a person towards me, or, what happens a lot in this day and age, rudeness by machines such as computer company tech support who don't know what they are doing, and keep saying "Not to worry. I will help you," while they work on my computer for more than an hour, doing the same routine over and over. At least I don't believe them anymore, but that doesn't get my tech problem solved. And of course I know the real source of this rudeness -- it's the top managers of these companies who are glad to treat their customers like chattel, who are there to make money for them and no other reason.

It sounds like your moods are going up and down in reaction to what's going on around you. I don't know a lot about it, but from what I've read about DBT, I think it's supposed to help you not be so reactive, to put some time and reflection between the emotion or thought and the reaction and to help with what triggers these emotions/reactions. Others' can probably speak with more authority about what DBT involves, but it sounds like something that might be useful for you.

the underdpg always seems to win so soon their will be a winner!

Thanks for writing so soon, Gabyunbound. CBT and DBT are not the same. CBT is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Dr. David Burns has written a lot about it, maybe even created this mode of therapy. DBT on the other hand is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and was invented by Marcia Linehan for people with borderline personality disorder. Now DBT is also used for bipolar. Not sure if it's used for any other disorders. I have twice tried Linehan's methods -- once in a DBT group with an ice-queen therapist who had studied directly with Linehan. Years later, I took a few individual sessions with a man who was also cold as ice and had studied with Linehan. Makes me wonder how Linehan can justify creating people like that. I like CBT (cognitive,etc), but have not been successful at preventing reactivity.

I don't think I explained myself well, sorry. I just meant that since CBT wasn't working well for you, that DBT might, as I think, at least in part, it's tailor made for dealing with reactivity. But I see you've had really bad experiences with it in the past. I don't know if you'd be willing to give it one more try, hoping to get an empathic therapist/group leader this time?

Has your CBT therapist given you skills for how to react to people in ways you'd like to?

Whatever you choose to do, I really hope it works out for you.

Thanks for clarifying, Gabyunbound. I'm convinced that all I need is medication that calms me down. I've had this so many times already. My brother and sister have told me how great it is, and how hugely I've improved since I started treatment and meds 20 years ago. And I almost never reacted like this since meds were working. My plan is to live my life; the quality of my life at my age is ALL that matters to me. I'm a musician, and when I'm involved in the music scene, as I perform at an open mike 2x a month, and a jam I created 1x a month, and play with friends other days, I'm happy. My therapist knows this - he remembers how sad I was when I was not playing, then I found some fantastic musicians, who are now friends, and I've been happy since last Jan or Feb, till lamictal made me fall down and the new pdoc put me on Lithium. Big, huge mistake. I'm seeing my long-term great therapist on Tuesday, and will talk all thie over with him. I will also change pdocs.