Scared About Dbt

[Blessed84]

True DBT is not just the group work where they explain skills. It is also having an individual therapist specialized in DBT working with you to practice the skills inside and out of therapy as well as a therapist being available by phone when issues arise practicing skills or in general as long as you have not SI or attempted suicide. Very different and more comprehensive than just group therapy

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

so what happens if a person has SI while in DBT?

 

[joeylittle]

what happens if a person has SI while in DBT?

It depends on the program you are in - whether it's a full program with the three components or whether it's a modified program with only a group component. Which are you in?

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

I don't know yet.

 

[Cannottakethis]

I love dbt.
I don't think there's anyone in this world who wouldn't benefit from it.
@recoveringfromptsd in any dbt group I've been in, whether at PHP or private, you can call for phone coaching. You should ask if where you're going has this component. Typically they help you use your skills so you are more regulated so you can think more clearly.

 

[Powder]

DBT sounds really helpful and supportive of growth.

Is 12 steps similar in that you have a sponsor and you call them if you are having trouble using the tools they teach you?

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

@Shells and @Muse I am at just the beginning of my recovery, its only recently that I have gotten treatment for PTSD, until now I kept everything stuffed, even at times in the past when I was in the hospital for SI and SH I never was able to open myself up enough to try to trust someone to even express any of the abuse. While in some hospitalizations they identified that I had it, and suspected abuse history, they even suggested a program but nothing ever happened. So for me this is all new to me, and scary, and, and, and.....

Unfortunately the SP hospitalization was not a magic fix for me, it would be nice if it were, but it was helpful as without SP I would be locked up somewhere for SI and not getting any treatment for the cause. With SP TDU at least I am able to use the grounding tools and other things they taught me to at least stay safe, I know the work towards getting rid of the FB and stuff comes from therapy that will take a long time.

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

I expect to find out soon what to expect from this DBT. In the mean time all this makes me feel vulnerable (because I can't control it situationally), but then again that's part of the problem with my ptsd hypervigilance. I just have to deal with it.

 

[Powder]

It's okay to say you're starting out. I hope you check in here with us often and keep us posted.

I hope it goes really well. Sometimes not being in control, while scary, is actually a good thing. Like on a Disney ride.

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

It's okay to say you're starting out. I hope you check in here with us often and keep us posted.

I hope i...

I know all too well, it drive me crazy sometimes, as being in control of my environment/surroundings/situation/etc. are all part of my hypervigilance, so when something is completely out of my hands I get very stressed and feel vulnerable. Being in control in my brain = feeling safe.

 

[Sideways]

The course and the people and the place - all new and full of unknowns. So I totally understand that would be firing off the anxiety.

But the structure is usually really clear with dbt courses, so you may start to feel comfortable quicker than with other settings you've come across.

Plus, my personal experience is that the bulk of people doing any given dbt course will have almost universal issues with personal safety, from chronic serious self harm to chronic SI. You'll be among peers, and most (if not all) of them are going to be suffering a similar level of anxiety, for similar reasons.

A good facilitator will be completely across those issues from the outset. Their job isn't to make the course terrifying, their aim is to get as many people living healthier, stable, more rewarding lives as possible.

Fingers crossed for you. I think the rigid structure can often be a blessing to the extent that very quickly, you know exactly how it all works and what to expect. The certainty of structure can be really helpful in making therapeutic settings feel safer quicker:)

 

[joeylittle]

Is 12 steps similar in that you have a sponsor and you call them if you are having trouble using the tools they teach you?

Yep, very much like that. The only thing not allowed is calling and threatening suicide or self harm. I believe that's for a number of reasons, and I'd hesitate to try and correctly name them. @Blessed84 was clear in their post about this - tagging in case they can provide more detail.