Dbt Support/discussion?

[DylanZ]

'Wondering about the possibility of a DBT discussion/support thread?

 

[MisterCatLady]

Love! I don't know what kind of vision you had for this but I support it.

 

[Lucycat]

DBT discussion/support thread

I think you have just started one. What did you want to discuss about DBT - or what did you want to ask those with experience of this type of therapy?

 

[DylanZ]

Well, let's see....I guess discussion, questions, experiences.

For myself, I was deeply involved with EBT for nearly a decade but, in the end, it failed with extreme/ongoing distress and so when, on another thread, DBT was suggested it resonated for me. I went to the dbtselfhelp site and have begun reading and downloading materials, but know that interactive support is always better than going it alone.

Where I am at this moment: the life I had so painstakingly constructed fell apart (about 4 years ago) and it's never been put back together again (and perhaps it really shouldn't be), but with my first tentative attempts with DBT skills, I can see that community, support, etc., is a real 'must'. During those four years I must have....decompensated, I guess? My mental acuity/agility, flexibility, emotional intelligence, etc., have deteriorated. I guess I could just say, "I'm not as smart as I was", ha ha. But it's more than that...I don't know if anyone here watches Legion, but it feels similar to what happened to that main character - like a mental/psychic virus invaded and saturated and became part of my mind and I can't seem to just oust the thing.

My initial practice of what little I know is with the compassion/acceptance as well as the mindfulness of just letting my thoughts be (without believing/following them). For the first piece, I've had to do quite a lot of back-up: I was unable to have compassion/acceptance [for myself], I needed to back it up to where I could at least have compassion/acceptance for the fact that I struggle to have compassion/acceptance [for myself]...if that makes sense. Quite a bit of relief in that.

Would anyone else like to share where they're at with DBT work, etc? I'd love to hear others' experiences and what's going on with it and you...

 

[Gloria]

I have been using a DBT worksheet in Excel that I made up myself to keep track of things I have already dealt with so when the thought comes up again, I just visualize my worksheet and it goes away immediately. I have been doing this for seven years.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to be invited to DBT therapy group but due to lack of transportation didn't go. My therapist says that I have it nailed about dismissing negative thoughts and I had to start listing affirmations. However, I had nightmares last night and got up and went directly to my DBT worksheet and dealt with it. Once I put something down in the worksheet it is nothing much to me because I have logged my "stuff" for years. When I go back and look at the things that I obscessed over I find them ridiculous now.

Keep at the DBT. I wish I would have learned this years ago. It changed my life.