[healed84]

So apparently the gold standard it Borderline Personality Disorder therapy is DBT.. T tried to shift focus in our therapy and ordered us a workbook to work through together which is DBT based that I guess he has used before in a group setting. The first two pages sent me into a panic attack. I think it upset at that time, just because I was ready to work on that stuff. The more research on DBT I do the less convinced I am that it will help me. Anybody have any experience with different kinds of therapy for BPD that they can recommend?

[HazelGirl]

I really think you should give it a try before rejecting it.

[Perna]

Like HazelGirl says, you can't know what will help you, until you try it. I think your reaction to the workbook was very telling that it would be helpful to you, not that it would not. Wanting to researching other/easier means looks like avoidance to me.

Originally Posted by healed84

So apparently the gold standard it Borderline Personality Disorder therapy is DBT.. T tried to shift focus in our therapy and ordered us a workbook to work through together which is DBT based that I guess he has used before in a group setting. The first two pages sent me into a panic attack. I think it upset at that time, just because I was ready to work on that stuff. The more research on DBT I do the less convinced I am that it will help me. Anybody have any experience with different kinds of therapy for BPD that they can recommend?

I think i'm fairly borderline, and psychoanalytic/dynamic therapy works best for me.

DBT might be worth a try for you, but as far as 'evidence' goes, there are so many flaws with that, especially when it comes to psychotherapy, that i would not use that to make a decision. I would, however, consider it. Many people here say that it really helped them.

DBT seems to be designed to treat the symptoms but not the core issues. Some people use DBT as a stepping stone to a more in-depth therapy later, so that might be something to consider.

Psychoanalysts are trained in transference and attachment, as well as the most complex mental health issues. I have always found them to be the most well-trained therapists.

*Re-reading now and see that you have a therapist already. Talk to him about this!!

[healed84]

Originally Posted by HazelGirl

I really think you should give it a try before rejecting it.

Originally Posted by Perna

Like HazelGirl says, you can't know what will help you, until you try it. I think your reaction to the workbook was very telling that it would be helpful to you, not that it would not. Wanting to researching other/easier means looks like avoidance to me.

Both of your analysis may be close to hitting home.. It doesn't answer the question, though. I am just wondering if there have been other therapies out there that have helped people with BPD. Regardless of the reasons for my avoidance/panic around DBT it doesn't seem to sit well with me.. So, why not explore other options as well?

I generally already know when I am avoiding things, and don't need somebody to point out to me.

[HazelGirl]

You have more self-awareness than many BPD people, then.

Up until DBT was invented, BPD was considered very treatment resistant and extremely difficult to treat. So the simple answer is no.

[msxyz]

Originally Posted by HazelGirl

You have more self-awareness than many BPD people, then.

Up until DBT was invented, BPD was considered very treatment resistant and extremely difficult to treat. So the simple answer is no.

Of course there are other treatments for BPD, for example mentalization based therapy or schema therapy.

[HazelGirl]

Originally Posted by Akama

Of course there are other treatments for BPD, for example mentalization based therapy or schema therapy.

Yes, other things are effective in some individuals. Basically, any sort of therapy can be effective. However, as for therapies specifically for BPD, the only one I am aware of is DBT.

[healed84]

Originally Posted by Akama

Of course there are other treatments for BPD, for example mentalization based therapy or schema therapy.

I have never heard of mentalization based therapy, thanks! I have heard of Schema Therapy, but have never looked into what it is.

Originally Posted by HazelGirl

Yes, other things are effective in some individuals. Basically, any sort of therapy can be effective. However, as for therapies specifically for BPD, the only one I am aware of is DBT.

Transference-Focused therapy has also been validated as an effective treatment for BPD.

Personality Disorders Institute, borderline personality disorders, psychotherapy, psychiatry, mental health, public

It's a modified psychoanalytic therapy. The analysts were actually the first to focus on treating borderline patients.

[msxyz]

Originally Posted by HazelGirl

Yes, other things are effective in some individuals. Basically, any sort of therapy can be effective. However, as for therapies specifically for BPD, the only one I am aware of is DBT.

Those I mentioned were developed for BPD specifically and have been empirically validated

[ScarletPimpernel]

I have yet to try DBT (though my T and Pdoc are pushing it...but there's nothing available in my area atm).

I have found great success with supportive patient centered therapy for BPD.

In a very generalized sense, DBT is CBT mixed with Buddhist mindfulness and very structured.

I didn't get too far into Linehan's book, but from what I understand, most of her research is based off of parasuicidal women in a hospital setting. If I remember right, she did a trial comparing DBT with CBT, and both showed improvement in BPD...just DBT had slightly higher results.

I personally don't get why everyone is into DBT. To me, it's not really a new concept. It's just mixing two therapy approaches that already existed. Yes, I will still try it out when I can...I'm very compliant with my doctors...and I will be open minded as I am a little familiar with both CBT and Buddhist concepts. But I know it doesn't work for everyone.

My Pdoc says (don't attack me for this), that most BPD's won't see improvement with ANY treatment if they are not open to it. My T says that most people with BPD will turn down any type of treatment simply because they are resistant to any suggestions. You have to get to a point where you are willing to put in the effort. I figure, anything is better than being stuck in our cycle...

[healed84]

I do agree about needing to be open Scarlet .. and T well knows already that things will be suggested to me over and over again and until there is this click inside of me that says ok this feels ok.. it is the only time I will be open to it. I think it really has to do with my need to be in control of everything and general distrust. I am however, willing to put the effort in.. just trying to fing something that feels right for me

[dark_sweetie]

I'm pretty severe BPD (which in my case I think is a stand-in dx for C-PTSD, but I fit all the BPD criteria too b/c I am very low-functioning) and have done DBT and it helps but a lot of it is aimed at less self-aware people in general. I mean, people who are suffering because of low self-awareness and (conscious) distorted beliefs of reality.

Personally some of the things DBT teaches are really obvious and frankly not always helpful when, in the first place, I am treatment resistant because I often have such horrible emotional states and such hopelessness/emptiness that it pretty much takes the choice aspect out of choosing to get better, I mean fundamentally you have to believe you can and want to get better. That's where DBT fails for me, where the skills and extra awareness are just simply not enough, and I can't really even adhere to it or internalize it.

I find that what works best for me is just the transference in general, it sort of gives me a good parent to actually make me want to do all the things I just can't do for/by myself. Mindfulness also can help.. sometimes.

That said... healed, I think it is worth a try at least. You can just take what you want out of it. If you learn even 1 thing, and I think anybody would learn at least 1 good thing from DBT... then it was worth it. Just try to hold onto 1 thing. Hope that helps.

[NowhereUSA]

I don't have BPD, but I have done DBT for depression. It's pretty intense when you start (idk, it should be done as group + individual therapy - there's like rules on getting certified to do DBT or so has been my understanding). I really recommend googling Marsha Linehan, her story is pretty powerful. When I did DBT the first time, I would freak out and hide in the hallway. Recently I restarted it to help with PPD (idk, I know the skills, it just helps me feel grounded if that makes sense). Again, very intense resistance inside even though I insisted to my therapist I wanted to do it (he hadn't even brought it up).

Sounds like there are some other really good suggestions though too. Just my 2cents.

[guilloche]

Well... shoot... I wanted to post a link that someone else had posted in another thread about schema therapy and BPD, but I need one more post (literally!) to get "link posting priveleges". So... look for a follow-up post from me in a sec...

[guilloche]

Here is the link re: schema therapy and BPD (hope this works!): Major Outcome Study

I hadn't heard of it before, but it sounds fascinating... unfortunately, it doesn't look like there are any trained schema-Ts in my area... Might be worth checking out?

[CameraObscura]

For a good discussion of mentalization therapy, the book "Attachment in Psychotherapy" by David Wallin was very useful for me. It's written for therapists working with clients with attachment difficulties (not that I know anyone with attachment difficulties ), but I found it really useful as a client.

I have a DBT workbook, and I find it useful. I'm not BPD but I do have/had C-PTSD and can relate to a lot of it, particularly distress tolerance training. I can't handle DBT groups, though.

[Wysteria]

Thanks Guilloche,

Have sent it to my T for review...very interesting...
Appreciate your bringing it up...
And welcome to the forum!!

Wysteria Blue

[guilloche]

Originally Posted by Wysteria

Thanks Guilloche,

Have sent it to my T for review...very interesting...
Appreciate your bringing it up...
And welcome to the forum!!

Wysteria Blue

You're welcome... I wish I could claim credit for finding it, but it was something posted (I thought in this forum) a few days ago. When I went out and started googling - it looks absolutely fascinating. There's a book out for the general public (and another one more technical one for therapists) - look for "Reinventing Your Life" by Jeffrey E. Young.

My previous therapy-attempts were so messy and painful and useless - the little bit I saw in the book preview on Amazon kind of made me go... "Ohhhh!" - although I'm not sure how they actually *resolve* all the schemas (ha!). Really makes me nuts that there aren't any schema therapists close by to me to talk to... I sort of wonder if it's the type of thing that could be done remotely by phone?

Thanks for the welcome! And... hopefully I'm not de-railing the original question too much!

[healed84]

Originally Posted by guilloche

Here is the link re: schema therapy and BPD (hope this works!): Major Outcome Study

I hadn't heard of it before, but it sounds fascinating... unfortunately, it doesn't look like there are any trained schema-Ts in my area... Might be worth checking out?

This does sound very interesting.. It actually sounds a lot like my therapy with T now, though as far as I know, he is not a trained Schema therapist. Also, minus the limited re-parenting that the article mentions. I will def. look into this more!