Hi All!

I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with or been in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)? I know it was originally used for Borderline Personality Disorder but more recently it has expanded to other areas, such as depression, anxiety, ADD, PTSD.

Ever since I lost my job a year ago, I have been unable to move forward in my life. I know I was grieving that loss, but it's a year later and I still can't get myself out there.

DBT sounds like it is what I need to give myself the skills to do just that, put myself out there and get a life. I am so hoping it will help...

I am starting DBT this week and if you have anything to tell me about it, I'd like hearing it.

~Hope

(This is a duplicate post from the General Mental Health forum. Forgive me for being lazy!)

Hi,

Give it a good try. It sounds like a good thing.

The closest experience I have is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy -- my old therapist was big on this when he and I started out.

My current hypnotist/therapist uses a few of these techniques -- having to do with mindfullness and such.

Good luck.

Mari


I cut and pasted a few bits from wikipedia because I wanted to know more about it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialect...havior_Therapy

Thanks Mari

I'm going to be starting tommorrow. Since the group already started, I have a session tommorow and Monday individually to catch me up before I join the group sessions on Thursday.

I'm kinda nervous about it. Wish me luck!

~Hope

good luck hope and let us know how it is going.
Did you see the thread that I bumped up for you?
bizi

Yes I did, Bizi

It looks like that might be the precursor to the mindfullness module in DBT. I'll find out soon enough as the catch-up sessions are the mindfullness module. I'm not sure about that though. And I just skimmed the article. My brain hasn't exactly been in "reading" mode lately....

Thanks Bizi

OK, maybe I'm more than just a little nervous... I'm breaking out in hives!!!

Dear Hope,

DBT was originally developed for Borderline Personality Disorder.

I don't have Borderline Personality Disorder and it seems to me to be difficult to differentiate it from Bipolar Disorder. However, I am assume that people with BPD lose their sense of identity, especially when stressed, and that BPD is supposed to help them retain it.

It is used now for other disorders for which it was not originally designed. I have to say that using it for ADD, at least, seems ridiculous. ADD, it is agreed, is caused by the torpidity of the part of the brain that enables concentration. That's why central nervous system stimulants are given for it.That is, so that this regulatory part will speed up and send the proper signals to the cortex to permit concentration. I don't see how changing your cognition would affect an autonomic function.

I have actually done two courses of CBT. In both, I was the only attendee who showed up for all the meetings. I found the sessions to be interesting academically, and I liked many of my fellow participants. However, I have never found cognitive therapy, (and DBT is a particular type of cognitive therapy), to be useful.

My opinion is that people like myself, with lifelong Major Depressive Disorder, need meds. We have already tried all the cognitive stuff both intuitively and as a result of research. It didn't work. I remember how outraged Francoise Sagan was when she developed breast cancer and someone implied that it resulted from her negative energy, (or some such bushwa). I think that the same is true of endogenous major depressive disorder. You can't think it better.

On the other hand, people whose Depression is situational can recover using cognitive measures and no meds. It is hard for many to know which group to place themselves in. Their life is crappy but is that a cause, an effect, or coincidence? For me it was easy.

Good luck!

Cordially

I talked to t-doc about my experience with the group last week and we both came to the conclusion that this is not for me. So, I just got off the phone and left a message and told them that I am dropping out. I feel really good about it and I believe I made the right decision.

Now, it's time to abandon that path and find another...

bizi, it was hard for me to open up and I admit that I got online again the next morning with the intention of maybe deleting my post until I saw your replies.

highhatsize, thank you. You really hit the nail on the head for me. I agree totally. This is not for me, nor does it make any real sense in the realm of ADD or depression. Cognitively, I think I know better. It's a bunch of bushwa!

Thanks again everybody for welcoming me, I so appreciate what everyone has had to say. It has helped me immensely.

~Hope

Hi,
Sometimes after we make a decision we feel much better.
I'm glad that the tdoc supported you.

You'll do fine in whatever you choose as your next step.
M.