Difficulties with DBT

sunshinegardens · 13-09-2012, 05:41 PM

I know there must be loads of threads about DBT..but here's another one.

I started DBT a few weeks ago and it doesn't really seem like it's getting me anywhere..

we've gone through mindfulness skills and emotion regulation so far, but i feel like i know nothing.

when cutting has become so instinctive for me, and it's become an almost automatic reaction to distressing situations, why would i turn to mindfulness techniques to relieve my stress? it doesn't make sense to me...

i just don't get it, i've spoken to my psych and all he's said is that it comes with time..

i don't know how much longer i can withstand it, a very large part of me is saying this is all a load of BS... does anyone have any positive experiences with DBT? i could use some encouragement! thanks in advance.

Stellata · 13-09-2012, 07:30 PM

I've not done DBT, but I do a lot of 'being with' feelings in my therapy. It does make a difference in that I am able to restrain the impulses to hurt myself by being with the difficult feelings more kindly. It takes time though.

crazykat · 14-09-2012, 08:31 AM

The thing with mindfulness is that it takes practice. It might seem pointless and even stupid at first but with practice it does become easier and more useful. So try and hold on there if you can. All the best xxx

musicmad123 · 14-09-2012, 01:45 PM

it can take years for people to get mindfulness. DBT is really really hard, but I have benefited from it, it takes lots of work for us and lots of understanding from everyone around us. It is like learning a new language and a whole new way of thinking, so it's going to take a while to sink it. Stick with it, and give it the benefit of the doubt for now

Tig · 14-09-2012, 02:07 PM

Hey Sunshine,

I, too, like many others found DBT very difficult at first. I found it hard to imagine that something such as mindfulness could help, or any of the skills taught, when self harm was so natural to me.

It took a lot of time and perseverance but I feel now that I have learnt the skills and been able to use them. It isn't a quick fix and to be honest, I didn't even feel I had benefited from DBT when I had finished the course - it was actually later on but I think that's okay.

Be gentle with yourself. Like anything in life, we have to practice and we can't expect loads from ourselves instantly. If you think about school, we didn't learn how to write English straight away? It took us time and years of learning but we got there in the end.

Keep working on the DBT, even when it feels pointless. In time, it will build up and the more you practice, the more chance there is of that.

Is your individual therapist helpful? xxx

sunshinegardens · 18-09-2012, 02:44 PM

Thanks for all the replies - really appreciated.

crazykat & musicmad - i guess it will require a lot of patience but i just can't get myself to START, you know? i don't know how to get motivated, if you will.

tig - my individual therapist is OK, he seems a little bit insincere at times but I don't know if that's just my perception of him. he's adamant I do DBT because it's the 'best treatment' for me so I'll just have to trust him on that. I hope it really does benefit me in the long run because all of these overwhelming emotions are really taking a toll on my physical and psychological wellbeing.

Does anyone know somewhere online where anonymous groups do DBT online, together? I think something like that would be useful for me.

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