BPD+anxiety+depression treatment plan and dbt/cbt

hi @tyme absolutely agree and it might be worth noting that Spectrum does often change the way they operate - for example recently they have changed to longer be accepting anyone who is not case managed.

I would also just advise people to ask Spectrum directly about how they operate - because they seem to change and develop, as a research based orginsiation I guess this is normal. Unfortunately, in 2023, my assessment was not lengthy - and was a once off.

It is also ineresting to note that I am still currently offered a place at Spectrum - I have no fixed address, so regarding them needing stability, I have been told that I am welcome to come back despite the fact that I have nowhere to live. Please can I advise all people to ask questions of all mental health services, and in my experience advice online can often be not verified.

hey @BPDSurvivor [edited by moderator], it doesn't matter, but I do know so so many people in myboat who didn't benenfit from Spectrum.

My groups were also online - which isn't helpful for many

My clinician was also often absent, for 3 or 4 weeks at a time, so I was left to fend for myself a lot.
I started going to the ED (now having no psychiatrist as the asked me to leave m private one).

I had my first attempt at my life in a decade, and Spectrum didn't help me process it - I don't think I even mentioned it in group.

I was told a few of the things mentioned in this thread, eg about how you need to be stable to go to Spectrum - and I felt so special they thought I would be a goood candidate, it made me feel amazing.
They didn't put much thought into it - I met with them once, adn they decided to put me in - I didn't speak to them again until I got in,, and then they didn't know anything about my past history.

They told to just trust them and give it a go. SOmetimes I feel like Spectrum is a cult, as I'm not allowed to say antyhing negaive about them, because no one will believe me, and they might blame me, but that means silencing my own lived experience. I quit Spectrum about 6 months ago. I was there for about a year.

Hi @BPDSurvivor could you explain what u mean by didn't finish it?

I was moved to a new clinician and we started all over again. In 9 months I met with a clinician about 8 times due to frequent leave. When she was away I was told to call reception and ask for an mbt member.

Is there a reason why my view can't also exist ?

one thing i truly believe from MBT (and re my cult comment) is that it should be totally safe to share an experience that doesn't work for you - and to reflect on why, but in this case, there's a kind of victimblaming hat perhaps I didn't try hard enough?

I dont know - that seems to assume that the program would've worked if I tried harder, and gave it a go.
I might have a different history, and different care needs, but my experience would still be mine. I didn't criticise your experience or say it didn't happen. But I was there, and my experience was different. Such is public treatment, and my experience was very recent. Perhaps Spectrum has gone downhill.

Hi @Zoe7 @Appleblossom @Jynx @RiverSeal thanks for supporto g me

To the other posters earlier

I don't have bpd, and have a long history of public andprivate care. It's great people share experiences and I appreciate that people try include all voices.

My treatment with Spectrum total spanned over nearly 1.5 years including assessment and being seen by their clinical director for 3 sessions when I considered leaving.

I feel it would be helpful if all views were accepted and believed because it can be really triggering to me to not be believed. It is not really so helpful to me to be told that what I lived with didn't happen, but I totally am glad for those who lived with good experiences from treatment.

I have had wonderful treatments at safe havens, trauma centres, peer work groups at vmiac, and am always open to hwar what works for others. Please be open minded in considering my views as just as valid as others as my feelings are quite hurt and I feel dismissed

Hey @BPDSurvivor ur right re not being ready. For me i had a ton of pressure to go to spectrum as well as a lot of ppl saying it was amazing and the staff were really great. It wasnt helpful to me because i needed to have my own voice. I think the ability to define and personalise recovery matters. While i didnt experience spectrum the same way as u i fully believe u. Im sorry i couldnt reply earlier as i was unable to access the forums. Hope u are doing well. I also just wanted to gently point out a symptom of some ppl with BPD can be idealisation and devaluing, and while Spectrum helped you, it might be helpful to consider it as a helpful organsiation rather than one that is life saving for everyone. Of course, i respect your choice whatever you feel .

@BPDSurvivor Thanks for your time to think of me, and let me know. BPD can invovle vevry all or nothing thinking as you know, so saving life vs my take that it didn't can be extreme, maybe a more nuanced take cold be helpful through recovery. I am a little confsued about your response as from what I undersand we have spoken before? Thank you again for writing to me, and I appreciate you sharing your lived experience, it is so valuable to hear stories, as you mentioend so few ppl get in to spectrum, so having a second experience, after hearing tymes, si amazing.