Dialectical behavioural therapy, or DBT, has been used to treat mental health disorders like borderline personality disorder and addiction since the 1980s. It’s based on the idea that emotions are like a continuum, and we’re all capable of moving along that continuum from totally calm to totally emotional. If you’re at the emotional end of the spectrum, you might be prone to substance abuse or suicidal behaviour; if you’re at the calm end, you might be prone to anxiety or depression.
They help you control your emotions
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a comprehensive, evidence-based treatment for borderline personality disorder. The dialectic refers to the continual synthesis of opposites—opposites such as thinking and feeling, doing and being, freedom and restraint. With DBT, people with BPD learn skills in four main areas: mindfulness, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance. These skills are designed to help people better understand their experiences without judging themselves or others; find constructive meaning in those experiences; and take effective action despite those difficulties.
Improve Relationships
Whether with friends, family, or significant others, these skills teach you how to manage emotions and improve relationships. Here are six benefits of learning DBT:
- You will be better able to communicate.
- People will feel that they are heard.
- It allows for more flexibility in conversations.
- It improves listening skills.
- You’ll be able to identify emotional triggers before acting on them and have a plan of action ready.
- They allow you to explore thoughts without judgment.
Improve Productivity
Studies have shown that mindfulness training, like DBT skills training, offers a number of tangible benefits to those who are struggling with mental health and addiction issues. These include improved productivity and coping skills. In one study, participants’ levels of ‘mindfulness’ increased measurably after just 8 hours of intensive mindfulness-based treatment. This allows people the time they need to focus on their work or simply do household chores while being present and aware of themselves in the moment.
Boost Your Self-Confidence
Learning DBT techniques is not always easy, but the payoff is well worth it. Those who have experienced or tried DBT have seen a number of benefits. Some include relief from depression and anxiety, as well as more effective coping strategies when dealing with stressful situations. These are just some of the many benefits that can come with learning how to use these skills and they are why so many people say that they are life-changing.
Accept Responsibility
According to DBT skills, it is important to take responsibility for one’s own experience and not blame others. If someone is feeling intense emotions and doesn’t know how to manage them, this is a sign that they need help in understanding what they’re experiencing. Once the client understands their own feelings and thoughts, he or she can move toward self-acceptance.
Lower Stress
There are a few steps that you can take to lower your stress levels. When you feel yourself getting stressed, try the following strategies:
- Block out all of the noise around you.
- Remove distractions and simply focus on breathing.
- Bring awareness to any thoughts or emotions that are coming up, but don’t engage with them; just allow them to pass.
- Notice when you’re feeling frustrated, take some time for yourself by doing something fun or spending time with someone who makes you laugh.
Overcome Impulses
You may feel the urge to engage in an action that will harm you. It is okay to have this impulse, but try to remember that doing something harmful to yourself will not solve the problem and will make it worse. You need to find a way of dealing with this urge. There are several things you can do: distract yourself, breathe deeply and relax, set limits for yourself and consider what might be causing these strong urges to act violently towards yourself.
