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How do you successfully do self managed DBT? - "borderline personality disorder"

BPD-GirlCasual Contributor07 Apr 2020, 11:55 am AEST

How do you successfully do self managed DBT? - "borderline personality disorder"

I am hoping from a bit of insight from those who do DBT themselves without a psychologist.. The reason I can't see a psychologist is 1) Money and 2) with the COVID-19 pandemic group sessions are not running. I am at the end of my tether and I just want to get better.

I have looked up quite a few podcasts on DBT and I have copies of a few of the DBT workbooks and resources.

Those who do it, how do you structure it? Like allocate a certain time each week for an hour or so to read a book and then do some of the exercises? Or do you do the exercises as a way to calm down when triggered? Etc...
I am thinking of putting the workbook into a binder and separating each subject with dividers.. thinking of 2 days a week for an hour each time but yeah, I am just completely lost and it is overwhelming me not even knowing how to start.

How do you then bring your partner into it? Like tell them what you’ve learnt? Sit with them once a fortnight for a chat? Get them to read some books?

Update: since looking into my own DBT my partner and I have separated and I am not coping well. I want to do DBT but now I have lost him I am not quite sure what the point is now... Like why get better when I have lost the person I was getting better for?

I also just feel with nobody in my life to support me and nobody to see I am getting better theres not much point. I have lost everything that was important to me.
When I don't have a BPD trigger I feel normal and I don't know how to work through 30 weeks of DBT and not be able to put it into practice. Like how do I apply what I learn to situations when there are no situations to apply it to?

"borderline personality disorder"

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In response to: How do you successfully do self managed DBT? - "borderline personality disorder"

Zoe7Senior Contributor07 Apr 2020, 6:18 pm AEST

Re: How do you successfully do self managed DBT? - "borderline personality disorder"

@BPD-Girl Firstly I think it is important to recognise that you want to find ways to cope but that also has to be for you and not anyone else. I am sorry you and your partner have separate but a big part of DBT is self growth and that has to be something you want to work on for You. As with most things in life - if we do them for others then any setback can feel even more insurmountable. The number one person here has to be you and finding ways to help you move forward.

Having done DBT I can say that it certainly helped me to begin moving forward - most of the content was not unfamiliar to me but having a structured approach each week helped - you can then concentrate on just one part at a time. In saying that I also had a really good group/team around me for support and I personally feel that made a big difference. There were times that things came up that I needed help to work through and having those supports around me really helped with that.

Do you have a GP and/or psychiatrist that you see ...or any other supports that you can bounce things off?

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