Lived Experience Forum

[Mosaic]

Hi all,

Here at SANE, we are currently updating many of our factsheets and guides to provide reliable, up-to-date and easily accessible information to the Australian community about mental illness. One of our most recent updates was to the Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) factsheet and guide. Feel free to have a read when you have a moment spare!

To compliment this update, we are now working on a new factsheet covering Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) – the emerging frontline treatment for people with BPD.

I am wondering if any of our members have had any experience with DBT in the past and might be willing to share their experiences with us? We'd love to hear from you! Did you find it easy to access? Was it helpful or unhelpful - in what way? What were some of the challenges or personal victories you experienced while undertaking the program? Would you recommend it to others?

Whatever you’d like to share, please feel welcome.

Look forward to hearing from you!  🙂

[Chris]

I have done two rounds of dbt, and i have to say it has been life changing for me. I accessed this through a private hospital that has two mental health wards. Along with a clinic on site with psychiatrist, one of whom coordinates the day programs.so you have a one on one whith her, and discuss what your needs are,and talk about what the program is about.Then i was put on the waiting list..I have to just say at this point i have recently finished a second course of ect, and my short term memory is not too good. So my recollection of the skills is very poor at this point. However i can say that it was life changing, and i would highly recommend doing this. Infact i  would like to do this again myself

[Former-Member]

I've never done DBT, sorry, but this post sent me looking at the factsheets and guides. You don't have one on Dissociative Disorders. Is there a reason for that?

[Change123]

Hi

I have done DBT about 5 years ago.

I had no idea it existed, I was actually diagnosed incorrectly with temporal lobe epilepsy.  We went to see the Epilepsy Association to get some information and fortunately the lady I was seeing was also studying pyschology and she thought I was having "suedo seizures" so she got me in touch with a lady to do a mental health evaluation and told me about the DBT course and thats when I was assessed and introduced to DBT.

I have done the 12 months course (1 a week) and found this not only beneficial in learning new coping tools and strategies but it was great to share experiences with people who understand you.  Made you realise you were not alone.

[BlueBay]

Hi @Mosaic

I did DBT last year with a specialised DBT therapist. It was a huge commitment for me as I had to have a day off work just so I could attend.  And i had to drive an hour away to attend.  It was expensive as well.  I would attend a one on one private session weekly and then a 2 hour DBT group session.  I was lucky as there were only ever 2 or 3 people in the group which was good.

I have the Marsha Linehan DBT skills training handbook and worksheets book which i had to purchase for the course.  The course took a year but I was recommended to do the course a second time as it would sink in and i would understand it more.  But i couldn't as my DBT therapist left that clinic and there was no one else to take over.

I think i was better mentally while doing the program, i learnt a lot about myself and where I go wrong with my thinking.  To be honest for me, i think i need a therapist to work with.  i can look at the book but i just don't do what i need to do.

Challenges for me were - self validation/self respect; acceptance.

I did learn what the wise, rational and emotional mind is and I can now see at times which ones I am using or which ones I need to use.  And at times I do use my wise mind but it might not be for a little while after the situation occurred.

For me I still feel that BPD is stigmatised as 'attention seeking people' who always want attention.  This may be the case, but I just want to be felt, heard and listened and supported.  Something i never got when i was a child 😞

I am seeing a new psychologist in 3 weeks time, so i am hoping that she will be able to help me with BPD and use DBT.  Depending on the cost though I may not be able to afford the DBT.

Also, if the fees were cheaper then I am sure a lot more people suffering BPD would be able to do DBT.  It is the cost that is stopping us from getting help.  And that is a real shame.

[Change123]

I think I must have been lucky, I didnt have to pay anything??  Not sure if it was because I was unemployed at the time or whether I was just lucky to get into a public waiting list that didnt have many waiting?  I think I had to wait about 3 months before the new group started but we had about 12 in our group so it was very dynamic.  I think all were women except for one guy, there were more when I started but they dropped out for whatever reason.  I didnt have any one on one counselling during this time as I treated my group as therapy.  

I would love to do it again but its not possible with working at the moment, I'm conscious of not taking too much on.  I notice if I do too much I get very stressed out. I also didnt have to pay for any handouts as they were just copies from the Marsha Linehan book.

@BlueBay

For me I still feel that BPD is stigmatised as 'attention seeking people' who always want attention.  This may be the case, but I just want to be felt, heard and listened and supported.  Something i never got when i was a child

I think this speaks for about all of us!  I too was never allowed to be heard, one of my triggers that my partner does which he hasnt done for a while is saying not sure how to put it "suussh" thats because everytime I asked my father or mother something that was the answer I got,  because they were too busy with everyone else.  If someone says that to me now I just go straight to rage its like "how dare you"!

[BlueBay]

Hi @Change123
Yeah I went to a private clinic and it was really expensive. $80 for Group and $150 for one on one.
I hate crying in front of people because I always got told off by my parents as being a sook. I think we are super sensitive people but beautiful and caring. Xxoo

[suzanne]

That's a good pick-up @Former-Member.  We're aware of this gap and will be addressing it as soon as we can.

[BlueBay]

I was just thinking about DBT and it's hard understanding it all and going through the book but the hardest bit is then putting it all into practice.  I find for me with BPD I tend to struggle and it's hard when I have been 'conditioned' one way and then having to challenge myself.

It's not easy.

[Ali585]

I haven't done DBT but I have done MBT. it might be worth mentioning the other options like MBT and TFP etc.
Because I was told when I was discharged from hospital that DBT wasn't suitable for me as I wouldn't do well in a group. But no one told me there were other options!