DBT is an acronym for Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, which has been proven in clinical settings to be effective at helping people with bipolar disorder manage their symptoms. While there are many similarities between DBT and other therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, it can be helpful to see how DBT differs from some of the alternatives. We’ll go over some of the differences here and help you decide if DBT might be right for you or someone you love who suffers from bipolar disorder.
Why should you consider DBT?
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioural therapy that was originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder. Since its inception, DBT has been shown to be an effective treatment for a variety of mental health disorders, including bipolar disorder. If you are struggling with bipolar disorder, you may want to consider DBT as a treatment option. Here’s why:
- DBT can help people with bipolar disorder to develop better coping skills
- It helps them maintain healthy relationships
- It decreases the risk of suicide attempts
- It reduces impulsivity
- It improves self-worth
What is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)?
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a type of cognitive-behavioural therapy that was originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder. However, research has shown that it can also be effective in treating other conditions, such as bipolar disorder. DBT teaches mindfulness skills (paying attention to the present moment without judgment), emotional regulation skills (controlling intense emotions), distress tolerance skills (how to cope with negative feelings without acting on them), and interpersonal effectiveness skills (getting along better with others).
What will happen in a typical therapy session?
In a typical therapy session, the therapist will help the client identify and label their emotions. The therapist will then help the client understand how their emotions are affecting their thoughts, behaviours, and overall mood. Once the client has a better understanding of their emotions, the therapist will teach them coping skills to manage their emotions in a healthy way. The therapist may also give the client homework assignments to practice outside of therapy.
Tips on finding a therapist who specialises in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
If you or someone you know is struggling with bipolar disorder, dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) may be a good treatment option. DBT is a type of cognitive-behavioural therapy that can help people learn to manage their emotions and cope with difficult situations. There are four components of DBT – interpersonal effectiveness skills, mindfulness skills, emotion regulation skills, and distress tolerance skills. These four components work together to help the person regulate intense emotions in difficult situations. People who struggle with depression or anxiety often also struggle with self-harmful behaviours such as cutting themselves or taking drugs. These behaviours are often called self-medicating because they reduce feelings of emotional pain for a short time by numbing out the person’s feelings temporarily. However, these behaviours have long term consequences like addiction and the worsening of symptoms such as insomnia or panic attacks.