DBT

[Snookiebookie]

Hi

I'm currently reading the DBT workbook. I decided to read it to see if it could help with emotion regulation.

Had anyone else tried DBT, either online, from a self help book or as therapy? Was it any use? Were there any drawbacks?

[the mirliton]

  SB,
I participated in group and individual sessions for one year at a DBT Institute. I had never been in a group, however it was super helpful to Be accountable to the weeks "homework" and yes I had homework and if I "chose" not to do it, I was not judged, but was asked to figure out why I chose not to. Sorting through if I am using my "emotion mind" "reasonable mind"  or "wise mind" was/is helpful especially when I get triggered (that is of course if I decide to or not) Using a white/chalk board to see how I got from point A to point B (behavior such as self harm, or other that is detrimental to my well being) was always good (and yet bad?) to see where I could of utilized one of the DBT skills. Nothing like looking at it in black and white.
Unfortunately it is always my decision, which due to the CPTSD plus ADHD I am a runaway train at times.
I am now seeing a therapist who uses DBT, and is a Buddhist, (he was a teacher at the institute)
I found DBT to be helpful with ALL of the stuff that I have been toting around for far too long. It (the group) does not address the specifics of your trauma, however your individual therapist can and all the tools I learned were/are helpful. It's kind of weird that I checked this this site today as I have been on a super bad/negative/everyone would be better off without me/I am weary mental place.
I guess I should get out my notebook and look at where I was and how far I have come.
Good luck. Oh and if you haven't heard of her Brene Brown is a "guru" to the therapists (and patients) who use DBT.

[Sceal]

I just finishished the 12 months group and individual DBT therapy.

In group we would spend a 6 weeks on each subject: Hanging on during difficult emotions, Emotion regulating and Interpersonal relationships and at the session after the end of one topic we'd have one week of mindfulness as the topic. Once we've been through it all, we'd go through it all one more time. We would get homework everyweek, some were more extensive than other weeks. And some felt like it didn't concern me very  much, but I still did them.

It took me a long time to get settled, I was hyperaroused for the first 6 months and dissociated alot, and after the first 6 months I became hypoaroused. So I am not sure if I got the most out of it as I could have. But I have learned alot, I've been challenged (positively), I've gained new perspective, and I think the DBT course could be something that everyone should go through. Patients as well as their support people, and regular -healthy people.  One of the biggest frustration I, and the others in the group had, was that no matter how many skills we learned to use - the people we'd use them on wouldn't know them and it could get difficult.

My recommendation is, if you decide to do this, is first to figure out what you want out of it. It's not a cure, it's a set of tools that helps. It doesn't tackle things like flashbacks and dissociation, because it wasn't primarily created for trauma victims (although I've recently learned that most BPD are trauma victims too). And the second recmmendation is to do the homework.

I've talked a bit about DBT here on the forum, but not in any spesific threads I think. But if you have any further questions, please let me know and I'll try to answer.
Personally, I'm happy I did it. It didn't have any drawbacks for me.

[InExile]

I see that this is an older thread, but I am also considering studying DBT on my own, parallel to my Somatic Experiencing therapy. I'm in Taiwan and don't have the option of attending a group.

I have the Skills Training Manual by marsha Lineham. 

Has anyone done this on their own?

[Blueberry]

Welcome to the forum, InExile 
To answer your question: no, I haven't done this on my own.