[TheRealFDeal]

I found this website on FB, by a woman who claims that with DBT she has reduced her symptoms down to where she no longer meets the criteria for BPD.
HealingFromBPD.org: About Me
What do you think?

[shezbut]

DBT has helped me a lot, but I do still have flare-ups. However, these flare-ups occur much less often than before and I am more aware of how my negative self-talk makes my experience more intense & miserable. I was unaware (before DBT) of what was happening in my mind and body and it felt as though my moods were changing from zero to sixty within seconds. I can now see that it doesn't have to always be that way.

DBT has not cured me. But, I am learning helpful techniques to get me through difficult situations, without always being stuck in "emotional mind". I now tend to avoid people and situations that trigger me. I also try to talk myself down when I am triggered. It does work for me a lot of the time. But it takes a lot of practice!

I haven't mastered Interpersonal Relationships yet, which is a very important part of DBT. In fact, I have a very difficult time with this section. I do feel pretty good about the 3 other sections though: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, and Emotion Regulation. Maybe when I have a better grasp on the Interpersonal Skills my perspective on whether or not DBT = recovery, will change.

It would be nice...

[allme]

Yeah I hear great things about DBT! Nice to have some hope but I guess it wont be for everyone but worth a try right?

[UnderTheRose]

I think its pretty great. Takes dedication and takes a strong desire to own up to your responsibilities and a want to change. But I'm learning a lot. Its the kind of thing that could be useful for many MANY people. I wish it were more available to more people.

[Mustkeepjob32]

I love the idea of DBT, I wish I could find a cheap therapist that does DBT. Of course to do that, I would have to stay in one city for longer than a couple weeks!
Z

[TheRealFDeal]

I'm really surprised that this didn't get more response than it did, so I'm selfishly moving it back up to the top. Is there something about us that makes us cling to the idea that there is no true recovery fro, BPD? Do you believe this woman is in recovery? If so, do you think if you got some hard-core DBT you could "beat" it too? It seems kind of like a permanent diet with her; she changed her emotional habits, and continues to rely on DBT to stay healthy, and it sounds like she will be using it all her life, and knows and accepts this reality. Or the alcoholic/drug addict who knows they can never use again, take it day by day, and know that if they mess up, there is a way back out into health again.

Not at all suggesting it would work equally well with everybody if everybody had equal access to it. (I know it's inaccessible for a lot of people, including myself.) Just wondering what you think about her story and if it is at all encouraging. For me, I think it presents a degree of hope, but at the same time disheartening because I don't have the opportunity to try it. (I realize there are workbooks and online groups, but I am not a self-starter, nor a self-learner. I need the discipline and accountability of belonging to a group.)

When I was in DBT, one of the group leaders told us about a few people that have been "recovered" of BPD from DBT. I think it was to give us hope.
In my opinion, I don't think anyone is ever completely cured of it. I depends on whether or not you believe personality disorders are permanent.

I mean, I guess there are some people who start off with all the symptoms of BPD and then later on all the symptoms go away, but I don't know if it's purely because of DBT. There's a lot of other factors that go into it too.

[Altinak]

Pdoc on Tuesday told me BPD can't be cured, but can be managed to a point where you don't fit the criteria, but that doesn't mean that you do not have borderline anymore, as it can flare up in later stages in life. DBT seems like it does help but it does require hard work, time and dedication.

I haven't yet done DBT but yesterday my Pdoc said it's next in line for me when I finish with my current therapy.