
Personality Disorders Support Group
Personality disorders form a class of mental disorders that are characterized by long-lasting rigid patterns of thought and behaviour. Personality disorders are seen by the American Psychiatric Association as an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of the culture of the individual who exhibits it.
Thanks for bringing up the topic. Whay don't you tell what your experience is with it? If you don't mind?
Why do you need classes?
I was Dx'ed with BPD and I can tell you that I have it mostly licked... I never did the classes and I am not sure what all of this is about.
I truly find Talk and group unhelpful but self hypnosis and meditation and breathe think then speak to be most helpful... if it is past that point the conversation I don't speak and move forward.
I do the same thing with all actions. is this what this is all about???
anyways, i did DBT about 2 years ago. it was somewhat helpful, but i do have to say that it probably would have helped more if i was older and at a different point in my recovery, for me it was too soon, so you need to make sure you are ready for it. The format is a group setting, most of the time, and it's more of a learning experience than a talk therapy group. i mean, you talk about how you're feeling, but pretty much only pertaining to what you are studying. there are 3 different modules, they are: emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance. you also learn to use mindfulness which is basically just being very aware of your surroundings and drinking them in.
i personally like the distress tolerance module the best because that was something i needed. and i honestly didn't like the mindfulness exercises.
like i said, i think if i was older and ready for this program it would have helped a ton, but i was just recently dxed at the time that i started DBT. i hope this helps.
DBT differs for each person because of their background and any issues that need to be addressed.
Oh....and I did it one on one with my psychologist. that way i got the full benefits rather than having to wait my turn in some group session and beside which....I don't agree with group therapy
I read all the replies here, but yours really intrigued me, because, well, I tend to be a bit of a rebel, often going against the crowd, just to be individual and different.
Could you please share more about your personal experience with DBT and why you don't feel it worked for you? I only recently heard about Linehan and her studies but have not heard from anyone who has gone through this personally.
You said she doesn't really deal with the past. As a pastor/counselor, I feel that looking at the past is EXTREMELY important in almost all cases if not all of them.
Have you found something that works for you better? Are you dealing with past issues currently?
Please share what you can :)
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DBT addresses the symptoms or manifestations of what's happened to create our maladaptive responses. It doesn't attempt to unravel the whys and wherefores of how we got here.
I feel very strongly that it is the externalised behaviours of BPD that cause problems in our daily lives and that need to be mitigated.
I find it refreshing that instead of spending an inordinate amount of time indulging in introspection about our less than perfect upbringing, this approach equips us with the tools and resourcefulness we need to manage our cognitive behaviour effectively.
After all, I'm sure each of us has a highly unique and individual back catalogue of abuse and dysfunction in our lives, but as BPD sufferers, our behaviour tends to show almost "textbook" conformity to a defined series of traits and behaviours.
Mindfullness is the same as my meditation that clarified somethings for me...
I was trying to see if there were things I could do at home and not need a group. I love meditation and breathing and contemplating.
As for me being fixed the issues I have still have more to do with PTSD then BPD and i was trying to see if there was anything that could help with the other issues that was all.
sorry if you were offended.