My therapist thinks that DBT would be helpful for me. Has anyone else tried this therapy? Thanks

[lenjan]

I haven't tried it, but most of my mental health helpers have suggested it for me. When my life settles down a bit more, I might give it a shot. I'd be curious to hear others' experiences too!

Candy

you can find DBT information in my blog called Me Myself and I. to get there click on the word Blogs at the top of this page, then click on the words "get your own" then click on my recent entry. once in my blog click on the letterhead and that will bring up some links in blue along the right side of the page. Click on "blog index" and then you will see a list of all my blog entries. you will find the link to the DBT entry there.

Hang in there

[(JD)]

Here's a link to a recent thread on the subject (In Psychotherapy forum) http://forums.psychcentral.com/showf...ev=#Post370125

[scrappy]

yes i am in dbt and i have become more open about things in my life than i used to be. I am able to open up to some people and tell them what is really going on. it takes time and effort just cant sit there and say i feel bad, have to give reasons why and what lead up to such and such. just remember time is well used if your up to it.

[AlteredState01]

I'm assuming you have gotten the concepts of what DBT is and how it works from some of the other posts. If not, it would be good to become VERY familiar with its purpose and objectives. I also think it is good to be VERY familiar with, at least, the basic disfunctional behaviours we borderlines have. I say this because, when I was formally diagnosed with BPD, no one really took the time to go over the symptoms, behaviors, etc. with me. This made it difficult to understand the purpose for some of the techniques they were trying to teach me.

DBT is not easy therapy, especially when you are highly agitated.

The idea of having an instructive group session, combined with one-on-one is good. This way, you can focus your time in one-on-one sessions on perfecting/understanding the techniques taught as they relate specifically to you and your own personal difficulties.

The group sessions are a little more difficult for me, because I am highly attuned to others' "vibes," and am easily distracted. It is also difficult, at times, to see yourself reflected in the behaviours of others in the group. You WILL recognize these behaviours in yourself and some ain't pretty. This doesn't do much in helping to boost your self-esteem initially, but at least it helps you to become more accutely aware of your own reactions to your surroundings, etc. and changes can be worked on from there.

Awareness is everything in DBT (and you will probably get sick of how "aware" you have to be all the time!). One would think being borderline would automatically suggest a hightened state of awareness, since we are so easily upset, but you'd be surprised how 'lost' we are inside our own minds most of the time.

DBT is also a long, long, long process and can be very frustrating. (I'm not helping much here now, am I? but I am trying to be as honest about my experiences as I can for you...)

The most important thing is to have a good relationship with your one-on-one therapist. TRUST and HONESTY are a must, otherwise you are just wasting both yours and the therapists time (but I guess that can be said for any therapy).

The whole thing is highly structured; therapists are ALWAYS available to you (even after-hours); and you get tremendous support from them; more so than from any other therapy program I have been in.

Give it a whirl! It's the most successful therapy out there for borderlines, anyway, so at least you're starting at the top. Stick with it as long as you can because you won't necessarily notice the changes that are occurring until further into the treatment (not to say that you won't experience some changes immediately).

It's a long process, but worth it - even if you only learn a few new techniques to help cope - it is still worth it!

Let me know what you think of DBT if you go.

[lenjan]

I'm not even remotely close to being borderline. Depressed, anxious, PTSD, but no borderline. Will it still help? I'd rather not waste my time and money on therapy I'm not convinced I need.

By the way here is a very informative link that will tell you more about DBT and what the lessons are and so on -

http://www.dbtselfhelp.com/

[AlteredState01]

before you start any treatment? Maybe your life will begin to settle down if you started treatment.

If you can do it then I'd really reccomend it.

It teaches you skills to help with depression, anxiety, and trauma so it really would be about perfect.

:-)

Hey. I did DBT for one year a few years back now... I remember that I really hated group at the time. Didn't like the other group members very much and had trouble with the skills trainers and stuff... But it did help. I didn't realise just how much the skills helped me until later.

I agree that I've never felt like people have invested so much in trying to help me as I've felt doing DBT. That made a *whole heap* of difference to me. I'd do things for my t when I couldn't seem to do them for myself...

I learned a lot. A great deal. I don't meet criteria for BPD anymore :-)

It is hard work... But if you find you have a good fit with your individual therapist then it is a worthwhile thing to do indeed. And the group therapy... Well... I did grow rather fond of the others over time... And I was pretty sad when it came time to stop going.

Yeah, I reckon it is worth it :-)

[lenjan]

I'm getting ready to move to a different state and start a new job. In the meantime, I'm driving 90 miles each way to the job I have currently. I have enough to do right now just dealing with all that!

And no, I'm not waiting to get better -- I put in 8 years of therapy already and I feel fine. I'm not depressed, most days I like myself, and I've done as much work on the trauma as I feel the need to do for now. The anxiety is always there, the severity waxes and wanes, though. My pdoc is all over me about going back to therapy, and I just don't think I need it right now. But I'm willing to entertain suggestions. ;-)

[AlteredState01]

Oopsie!! Sorry, Candybear. I thought you meant you were waiting until you were a little more stable - emotionally/mentally, etc. when you said you were waiting for your life to settle down. I keep forgetting that people DO have lives outside their home...

Anyway, sounds like you have a full plate. Hope everything goes well for you.

You know, I was just pondering whether I would have joined DBT when I was feeling ok. Had I had the hindsight, I don't think I would have, simply because it is such a gruelling type of therapy. Would have ruined my "norm" (which only comes around once in a while)!

This type of therapy can send you reeling very quickly.

Later!