The Benefits of DBT for Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of therapy that was specifically developed to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD), which is a mental health condition characterized by intense and unstable emotions, impulsive behavior, and difficulty with relationships.
DBT was created in the late 1980s by Dr. Marsha Linehan, a psychologist who was working at the University of Washington. Frustrated with the available options, Dr. Linehan developed DBT as a treatment for individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Dr. Linehan drew on a range of therapeutic approaches, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness practices, and dialectical philosophy, to develop DBT. The therapy incorporates both individual and group therapy sessions. Over the years, DBT has been adapted for use in treating a variety of other mental health conditions, including eating disorders, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). DBT has become a widely recognized and effective form of therapy for individuals struggling with complex emotional and behavioral problems. It remains, however, the best treatment available for BPD.
What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
BPD stands for Borderline Personality Disorder. BPD is a mental health disorder that affects the way a person thinks and feels about themselves and others, often leading to significant distress and difficulty functioning in daily life. People with BPD experience intense and hard-to-control emotions, as well as impulsive and sometimes even self-destructive behaviors. They may also struggle with interpersonal relationships and have a distorted sense of self-identity.
Symptoms of BPD can include:
Intense and unstable emotions, such as anger, anxiety, and sadness.
Fear of abandonment and difficulty maintaining stable relationships.
Impulsive behavior, such as substance abuse, binge eating, and reckless driving.
Self-harm or suicidal behavior.
Distorted self-image or sense of identity.
Chronic feelings of emptiness.
Paranoia or dissociation.
BPD is a complex disorder, and its exact causes are not well understood. It is believed to be the result of a combination of genetic, environmental, and biological factors. BPD is best treated with psychotherapy, and the best form of therapy for BPD is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). With proper treatment, many people with BPD can learn to manage their symptoms and lead fulfilling lives.
How does DBT help individuals with BPD?
DBT Reduces Suicidal Behavior and Self-Harm
People with BPD are at high risk for suicidal behavior, and DBT has been shown to significantly reduce the frequency of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. DBT teaches individuals with BPD coping skills to manage intense emotions. These skills help individuals better manage their emotions and reduce the urge to engage in self-destructive behaviors, such as self-harm or suicide attempts. DBT also directly addresses suicidal thoughts, and attempts to provide alternative behaviors.
DBT also focuses on helping individuals identify and work toward meaningful life goals. This can give individuals with BPD a sense of purpose and direction, reducing feelings of hopelessness and despair that may contribute to suicidal behavior. In addition, DBT typically involves ongoing individual and group classes, which can provide a consistent source of support and accountability. This can be especially important for individuals with BPD, who may struggle with feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Overall, DBT is highly effective at reducing suicidal behavior and improving the quality of life for individuals with BPD. Research has shown that DBT significantly reduces the frequency of suicide attempts and self-harm behaviors, and it can also lead to improvements in mood, relationships, and overall functioning.
DBT Improves Emotion Regulation
One of the core features of BPD is difficulty regulating emotions, which can lead to intense mood swings and impulsive behavior. DBT teaches skills to manage emotions effectively, such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation. DBT uses a combination of cognitive-behavioral techniques, mindfulness practices, and dialectical philosophy to help individuals learn to recognize, tolerate, and regulate their emotions. DBT emphasizes the practice of mindfulness, which involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. By learning to observe their thoughts and feelings without becoming overwhelmed by them, individuals with emotional dysregulation can develop greater awareness and control over their emotional responses.
DBT includes specific skills, designed to help individuals better regulate their emotions. These skills address areas such as identifying and labeling emotions, increasing positive emotional experiences, decreasing vulnerability to negative emotions, and increasing mindfulness of current emotions. In DBT, the therapist works to validate the individual's emotional experiences and help them learn to validate their own emotions. Validation can help individuals feel heard and understood, which can reduce emotional distress and improve their ability to regulate their emotions.
DBT also includes skills training to help individuals better navigate interpersonal relationships, which can be a significant source of emotional stress. By developing skills in effective communication, assertiveness, and boundary setting, individuals can improve their ability to manage difficult emotions in the context of relationships.
DBT Improves Relationships
DBT can be particularly helpful for individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) in improving their relationships. BPD is often characterized by intense and unstable relationships, fear of abandonment, and difficulty with emotional regulation, all of which can make it challenging to maintain healthy and stable relationships. Here are some ways in which DBT can improve relationships for individuals with BPD.
DBT provides specific training in emotion regulation skills, such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation. By learning to identify and manage their emotions, individuals with BPD can reduce the emotional intensity of their interactions with others and respond more effectively to the emotions of others. DBT can also help individuals with BPD develop a more positive self-image and reduce feelings of shame and self-blame, which can improve their relationships.
DBT includes training in specific interpersonal effectiveness skills, which teaches individuals how to communicate assertively, balance relationship priorities, set boundaries, and resolve conflicts effectively. You’ll also learn how to make new friends, and end harmful relationships. These skills can be particularly helpful for individuals with BPD who struggle with intense and sometimes unsatisfying relationships. Validation is also very important: In DBT, therapists work to validate the experiences and emotions of individuals with BPD. By feeling heard and understood, individuals with BPD may be more likely to engage in healthy and effective communication in their relationships, learning to validate others, request validation, and spot (and recover from) invalidation.
If you find that your relationships are struggling due to a BPD diagnosis, consider DBT-informed couples therapy, Family DBT, Teen DBT, or Child DBT.
DBT Increased Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a key component of DBT and involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. This skill can help individuals with BPD become more aware of their emotions and thoughts, which can help them regulate their emotions and reduce impulsive behavior. Before we can make any changes to our internal life, we must be able to slow down, become present, and observe and analyze our thoughts and behaviors free of judgement. As we become more mindful, we are better able to experience our thoughts and emotions without necessarily acting on them.
DBT includes mindfulness meditation exercises that help individuals learn to observe their thoughts and feelings without becoming overwhelmed by them. Through regular practice, individuals can develop greater awareness and acceptance of their internal experiences, which can lead to greater emotional regulation and improved well-being. DBT also includes skills training in distress tolerance, which involves learning to tolerate and manage intense emotions without engaging in impulsive or harmful behaviors. By learning to accept and sit with difficult emotions, individuals can develop greater resilience and mindfulness.
DBT is grounded in dialectical philosophy, which emphasizes the importance of finding balance and acceptance in life's contradictions. By learning to hold multiple perspectives and accepting that opposing ideas can both be true, individuals can develop a more flexible and open-minded approach to life, better able to accept their thoughts, emotions, and the ups-and-downs of life as they come. Overall, DBT can help individuals with BPD improve mindfulness by providing them with tools and strategies for observing their thoughts and emotions with greater awareness and acceptance. This can lead to improved emotional regulation, reduced stress, and greater well-being.
DBT Reduces Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) can be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in persons with BPD by helping these individuals develop skills to manage mood issues, both in the short and long term.
DBT includes skills training to help individuals better regulate their emotions. By learning to identify and label their emotions, increase positive emotional experiences, and decrease vulnerability to negative emotions, individuals can develop greater emotional stability and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. DBT also includes skills training in distress tolerance, which involves learning to tolerate and manage intense emotions without engaging in impulsive or harmful behaviors. By learning to accept and sit with difficult emotions, individuals can develop greater resilience and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Overall, DBT can be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety by providing individuals with concrete skills and strategies to manage difficult emotions, improve relationships, and cope with stressors.
DBT Reduces Ineffective and Harmful Behaviors
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) can help individuals with BPD reduce ineffective behaviors by teaching them new skills and strategies to manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Often, persons with BPD engage in ineffective behaviors as a way to regulate their emotions. These ineffective behaviors often work really well! For the moment. However, they often makes things worse- sometimes much worse- in the long run. For example, when really upset someone might turn to alcohol, which works well at turning off those feelings, while causing lots of problems down the road.
DBT includes skills training to help individuals better regulate their emotions using effective methods that are not harmful. By learning to identify and label their emotions, increase positive emotional experiences, and decrease vulnerability to negative emotions, individuals can reduce impulsive or maladaptive behaviors that may be driven by intense emotions. DBT skills lhelp persons with BPD learn to tolerate and manage intense emotions without engaging in impulsive or harmful behaviors. By learning to accept and sit with difficult emotions, individuals can reduce impulsive or reactive behaviors that may be driven by attempts to avoid or escape from difficult emotions.
Overall, DBT can help individuals reduce ineffective behaviors by providing them with new skills and strategies to manage difficult thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. By learning to regulate their emotions, communicate effectively, and tolerate distress, individuals can reduce impulsive or maladaptive behaviors and improve their overall functioning.
