Dbt

[Morgan]

It's been really useful to read about othe rpeople's experiences of DBT -I'm due to start soon and really nervous. I was wondering how people with anxiety issues dealt with the group component of DBT - I'm worried I just won't be able to sit in a room full of people let alone speak.

[samsung]

i am in the process of being refered for dbt.. would also like to hear that answer morgan

[William]

It's been really useful to read about othe rpeople's experiences of DBT -I'm due to start soon and really nervous. I was wondering how people with anxiety issues dealt with the group component of DBT - I'm worried I just won't be able to sit in a room full of people let alone speak.

Morgan, I am extremely shy and have a very difficult time speaking in groups, but as I went through DBT, the group therapy was my favorite part. In my group therapy they actually took video of you and played it back and made you watch yourself. It's all part of self-acceptance. I don't know how the group setting will be for you, but the therapists took great care to make sure it was a safe environment. They assured us that what was said in the room stays in the room. And to know that the people in the group have the same problems you have really helped. by the end of the group session we were all great friends and I still talk to some of them today. it was a very memorable experience. I hope you will find it as enlightening as I did.

Bill

[mrs tree]

. I was wondering how people with anxiety issues dealt with the group component of DBT - I'm worried I just won't be able to sit in a room full of people let alone speak

In our group people joined three times a year .When i joined i was the only one to joine the group. I never spoke at all for the first month. I burst into tears after the first group from the stress of holding it together for a few hours. The first time i was made to speak i could barley speak i stammered, was sweating but it did get easier after that.

The second lot to join i hated just about everyone in the group. I would make my husband be there for break. There were so many attention seeking people in that group all fighting for attention i just don't compete in that so ignored them..Then the worst offenders left and i felt more confident in the last group.

It is a journey , i do think it would of been easier if people had joined the same time as me. The rules of the group never made me feel safe but i wanted the skills so much i thought it was worth fighting my desire to run.

good luck

[strat]

BPD isn't recognized in my area, so no DBT for me.

[Morgan]

It sounds like group has both it's positive and negative sides. I've found in the past that managing my social anxiety to the degree that it doesn't completely cripple me takes all my effort, I just hope I will have energy left to work on the skills too if I get that far.

[William]

It sounds like group has both it's positive and negative sides. I've found in the past that managing my social anxiety to the degree that it doesn't completely cripple me takes all my effort, I just hope I will have energy left to work on the skills too if I get that far.

If you have the desire to get better and a will to beat your social anxiety, you can do it Morgan. If I can, anybody can.

Good luck!

Bill

[Morgan]

Thank you for the encouragement- I certainly have the desire to get better.

[becsnoamp]

Hi

I have been doing dbt since July. The cpns run it at our pyschiatric centre. After you've done it with them you then go onto the intensive psychological therapy service and do it there too, which is more intensive.

Its definitely helped me and been interesting and its been good to have support of the cpn/therapist on a one to one once a week too. My only criticism but unfortunately it appears to work for most people is that if you don't meet one of your goals or use a bad coping strategy, support is withdrawn for a week. I find that bit hard. Plus my psychiatric centre does not take into consideration those with co-morbid illnesses such as depression. There is no allowance for those in a depressive episode such as I am in now, and instead of getting extra support during that difficult time, psych support is completely withdrawn until you pull yourself together. I don't think that's helpful.

[DJGreedyG]

I used to go for anger management classes but they stopped them cos there were only a handful of people attending.

I haven't been offered anything else. My local doctors couldn't seem to care less about me. I'm totally on my own here.

There's things available in Newcastle but I'm not allowed to attend cos it comes under Tyneside and not Northumberland, all to do with postcodes.

Gordy

[Diebold]

Interesting, it sounds similar to NLP (Neuro Linguistics Programming).

[KavanIce]

I don't get it. I left NY 3 years ago because I couldn't find a doctor who knew anything about DBT so I ran away to South East Asia where there is no therapy at all. HOW THE HELL DOES SOMEONE FIND A DBT SPECIALIST? Sorry for shouting but I feel locked out of the getting help loop. I have heard there are waiting lists to get into a DBT program. Can someone please send some advice on how I can go about finding one, hell I can move to England if necessary (I carry a british passport but have lived in NY since I was a child). And what about the cost? I mean my mother is so pissed off with the mental health professionals we have been engaged with since I was seven years old and so now she thinks DBT is probably rubbish. I asked her if she would pay for treatment and she said no. How does one get around this. I am so tired of this bullshit, I mean living with depression, suicidal thoughts and the bloody bpd! I admit it I'm jealous of you all who are receiving treatment and have found a caring therapist.

[babic1]

I'm just starting on DBT over here in Australia and my pschyolgist and pschiatrist havent done a very good job at explaining it to me, that short article has helped to make it a little clearer....

[vera76]

Dialectical Behaviour therapy

DBT is a therapy with a growing amount of evidence to support its effectiveness. The thing about DBT that stands out from other therapies is that it was developed especially for the purpose of treating BPD. It was developed by Marsha Linehan in 1991 and is based upon the theory that psychosocial treatment of BPD is as important as traditional psychotherapy. A structure of treatment goals forms part of DBT and these include reducing parasuicidal behaviours, reducing behaviours which interfere with the therapeutic relationship and finally reducing those behaviours which directly impact upon the sufferer’s quality of life. Studies have shown that DBT is effective in achieving these goals.

The theory behind DBT maintains that some people, due to invalidating environments during upbringing and due to biological factors as yet unknown, react abnormally to emotional stimulation. Their level of arousal goes up much more quickly, peaks at a higher level, and takes more time to return to baseline. As a result borderlines experience crisis-strewn lives and extreme emotional lability (emotions that shift rapidly). DBT is a method that teaches skills that will help handle the rapid mood changes more effectively.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) consists of two parts:

Psychotherapy sessions (one per week) in which a particular problematic behaviour or event from the past week is explored beginning with the chain of events leading up to it, going through possible alternative solutions that might have been used, and examining why more useful solutions to the problem were not used.

Both between and during sessions, adaptive behaviours are taught and reinforced especially as they occur within the therapeutic relationship. The emphasis of DBT is on managing emotions rather than crisis intervention.

DBT also involves weekly 2.5-hour group therapy sessions in which interpersonal skills, distress tolerance skills, emotion regulation, and mindfulness skills are taught.

From the Priory Clinic in summary – “Dialectical Behaviour Therapy then is a novel method of therapy specifically designed to meet the needs of patients with Borderline Personality Disorder and their therapists. It directly addresses the problem of keeping these patients in therapy and the difficulty of maintaining therapist motivation and professional well-being. It is based on a clear and potentially testable theory of BPD and encourages a positive and validating attitude to these patients in the light of this theory. The approach incorporates what is valuable from other forms of therapy, and is based on a clear acknowledgement of the value of a strong relationship between therapist and patient. Therapy is clearly structured in stages and at each stage a clear hierarchy of targets is defined. The method offers a particularly helpful approach to the management of parasuicide with a clearly defined response to such behaviours. The techniques used in DBT are extensive and varied, addressing essentially every aspect of therapy and they are underpinned by a dialectical philosophy that recommends a balanced, flexible and systemic approach to the work of therapy. Techniques for achieving change are balanced by techniques of acceptance, problem solving is surrounded by validation, and confrontation is balanced by understanding. The patient is helped to understand her problem behaviours and then deal with situations more effectively. She is taught the necessary skills to enable her to do so and helped to deal with any problems that she may have in applying them in her natural environment. Generalisation outside therapy is not assumed but encouraged directly. Advice and support available between sessions and the patient is encouraged and helped to take responsibility for dealing with life’s challenges herself. The method is supported by empirical evidence which suggests that it is successful in reducing self-injury and time spent in psychiatric in-patient treatment.“

Other Treatments

is this similar to CAT therapy?

[vera76]

Is this similar to CAT therapy?

[JTBadBug]

Is this similar to CAT therapy?

I don't think it will be, I have had CAT therapy...usually it is fixed term for about 16 weeks....one to one.

[Amanda28]

kinda similar except dbt has more eastern practices mixed in, for example mindful meditation,

[xochicklet]

OKay so I just started "DBT" with a new therapist who specializes in CBT... The way hes been doing it is, basically step by step through Linehan's Book " SKill Training Manual for Treating Borderling Personality Disorder"... hes been copying out some pages and giving it to me... and sorta walking me through some of the things.... I see him about 1-2 a week(he leaves that up to me). Its very abstract and not so organized

FROM what I just read about DBT, this is NOT wat DBT should be like... Am i correct in assuming that?

That being said, where do I go now...

My symptoms are getting worse and worse,

I want the best treatment I can get, and I want to be agressive about it, and I want to start IMMEDIATELY, because it's getting to the point that I can't take the pain, and my suicidal thoughts are increasing and well you now how it works...

I live in LA... WHERE can I go for an agressive and structured DBT Program? Group Sessions and a Primary Therapist and whatever it takes for me to get better...

I'm willing to drive a bit far if need be, I'm willing to check into an inpatient program for a few weeks... I'm willing to do whatever it takes

Somebody please tell me WHERE TO GO, and WHO TO GO TO.

(I've already looked on the web for referrals, but I think it's just lists of therapists who say they treat BPD... whether they're new at it, whether they're good at it, whether they specialize.. makes no difference, they are all on the list)...

WHO is KNOWN to be good in the LA area for BPD treatment and DBT?

Please give me a couple places and people to go to and contact....

[thatguy]

...My T says ( and i agree with him) DBT helps have coping stratergies that make you more able to function but doesn't deal with the underlying reason for the way you are feeling.Linehan believes you can measure happiness by levels of SH I don't agree.

I've opted to stay away from DBT. For one thing, like you said, it doesn't actually address the underlying issues. If it can help people make it through life, fine. But it doesn't sound like it's for me.

Another thing, the first time someone got "in my face" to confront me about my many maladies would be unfortunate for both of us.

I don't deal with that well. Another wonderful survival skill learned well.

[thatguy]

I live in LA... WHERE can I go for an agressive and structured DBT Program? Group Sessions and a Primary Therapist and whatever it takes for me to get better...

I'm willing to drive a bit far if need be, I'm willing to check into an inpatient program for a few weeks... I'm willing to do whatever it takes

Somebody please tell me WHERE TO GO, and WHO TO GO TO.

(I've already looked on the web for referrals, but I think it's just lists of therapists who say they treat BPD... whether they're new at it, whether they're good at it, whether they specialize.. makes no difference, they are all on the list)...

If you have the dinero and want to go to what I've been told is the "premiere" program, come up and see me in Seattle. Harborview medical Center has a program with a lot of good press.

The University of Washington is also one of your best bets. That's where DBT was invented.

[xochicklet]

I live in LA... WHERE can I go for an agressive and structured DBT Program? Group Sessions and a Primary Therapist and whatever it takes for me to get better...

I'm willing to drive a bit far if need be, I'm willing to check into an inpatient program for a few weeks... I'm willing to do whatever it takes

Somebody please tell me WHERE TO GO, and WHO TO GO TO.

(I've already looked on the web for referrals, but I think it's just lists of therapists who say they treat BPD... whether they're new at it, whether they're good at it, whether they specialize.. makes no difference, they are all on the list)...

If you have the dinero and want to go to what I've been told is the "premiere" program, come up and see me in Seattle. Harborview medical Center has a program with a lot of good press.

The University of Washington is also one of your best bets. That's where DBT was invented.

Money is not an issue if I can have my sanity back... The only problem with Seattle is that the distance interferes with the rest of my life pursuits like trying to get into medical school this summer and all that...

So, Do you know anywhere closer to LA?

AND IF Not... Whats the Shortest Tme Period I can get some reasonable help in your Seattle program, that I can then follow up on here in LA?

[alice.f]

In my group therapy they actually took video of you and played it back and made you watch yourself.

Bill

goodness... no. i don't want that. i can't have that. i have body dysmorphic disorder, i won't be able to deal with watching myself. i will feel so... i don't know, i can't describe it.

this terrifies me. perhaps when my DBT comes through they won't do this, or i can opt out?

i'm willing to do almost anything for the sake of my mental health, but this is crossing a huge line for me. :(

[pain-dance]

Hi Em

Good to see your post about DBT. I am on the DBT programme here in the UK at the moment, and would like to offer the following comments ;

The structure of DBT is like no other. It is really rigid - you have to stick to discussing present difficulties which interfere with Therapy and your quality of life. Discussing the past is not allowed. Stopping self harm is the big issue in DBT. Finding other ways of coping.

There is a 'no nonsense' approach to the programme. All topics and issues are discussed matter of factly and you are confronted 'head on'. I think it is quite brutal in some ways. You have to get used to it and go with it.

Homework and the feedback of it is compulsory. No one gets away without completing it. Diary sheets too ...

The methods and ideas that are taught in the group sessions are not rocket science! I was amazed at how so much of DBT is common sense ... BUT, applying the techniques in real life, at crisis point, is VERY HARD.

Trying to learn all they teach,and put it into practice without using the coping mechanisms you have always used, and endure 1 hour of therapy every week, plus living life ... well ......

Anyway, I am sticking with it, reminding myself that I have no choice. I need to get control over my SI otherwise it will be too late.

So if anyone is waiting for DBT ... remember,

It is not an easy ride, or fun, or a 'talking therapy'.It is about learning new skills to cope with life, and it can be difficult, frustrating, confusing, and annoying. Is it worth it? Well I am still here ......

Is DBT available anywhere in Oxfordshire at all? The provision of therapy here is very hit and miss.

[Greensilver]

i have had cbt which was one on one with a theripist and now im being refered to dbt got my apointment to asses wether im fit for it soon and im passing bricks about it! i hate group situations (aspergers) and i dont like being away from home and kerry (my wife) so yeah i AM NOT looking forward to it but im willing to try anything as i cant live like this anymore

[Teen-G]

hi

my doctor thinks my bpd is behavioural?

from teen-g