Monthly Archives: June 2024

A young woman in a black sweatshirt looks calm after using DBT skills for her emotional regulation.

Seven Essential DBT Skills

Before we get into the skills you will use in DBT therapy at Lido Wellness Center, we need to overview what DBT is briefly. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a cognitive-behavioral therapy that was first used to treat Borderline Personality Disorder.

When we say it is cognitive-behavioral therapy, that basically means you change your thoughts (cognitive), which will change your actions (behaviors). It seems simple, and maybe that’s why it’s so effective.

DBT Skills for Mental Illness

But with this in mind, that is why skills are a part of the equation. When you do things, take actions, or change thoughts, you can create a skill that helps you accomplish this again.

Of course, since its inception, DBT skills have proven helpful in a wide range of mental health issues. These include but are not limited to, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.

DBT Basics

One of the unique factors of DBT skills is the use of Eastern mindfulness practices. It goes beyond thinking patterns (like you might see in CBT) and moves into thinking and practicing. You can see it as more of a holistic approach to the mind. It helps you balance acceptance and change, hence the term “dialectical.”

7 DBT Skills

If you decide to take the DBT path, there will be a great deal to learn and acquire. But here are some skills if you are already on it or would like to sample some of what might be included in the active part of DBT. Ultimately, some guidance with these will truly make a great deal of difference. But feel free to give these a try.

These skills are divided into four modules: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Each skill is a tool you can use to navigate life’s ups and downs.

1.      Mindfulness: Observing

  • What it is: Observing is about noticing your environment and internal states without judgment. Think of it as tuning into your radio station.
  • Beneficial for: Anxiety, Depression
  • Why it helps: Observing your thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them can reduce stress and improve your overall mental clarity.

2.      Mindfulness: Describing

  • What it is: Describing involves putting words to your experiences. It’s like being a play-by-play commentator for your own life.
  • Beneficial for: PTSD, OCD
  • Why it helps: This skill helps recognize and name emotions and thoughts, which can be a first step in managing them effectively.

3.      Distress Tolerance: TIP (Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing)

  • What it is: This skill involves using physical techniques to reduce distress quickly. Imagine plunging your face into a bowl of cold water (temperature) or doing a quick exercise.
  • Beneficial for: Panic Attacks, Impulse Control Disorders
  • Why it helps: These activities can quickly trigger physiological changes that calm your mind and body.

4.      Distress Tolerance: Radical Acceptance

  • What it is: This is all about accepting things as they are, not as you wish. It’s the Zen of DBT.
  • Beneficial for: Chronic Pain, Persistent Mental Health Issues
  • Why it helps: By accepting reality, you can reduce suffering and begin to move forward rather than getting stuck in a cycle of denial and resistance.

5.      Emotion Regulation: Opposite Action

  • What it is: This involves doing the opposite of what your emotions tell you—feeling like isolating yourself? Go out and socialize instead.
  • Beneficial for: Depression, Social Anxiety
  • Why it helps: This skill helps break negative behavioral patterns and reinforce positive actions, even when you don’t feel like them.

6.      Emotion Regulation: Checking the Facts

  • What it is: This skill verifies whether your emotional reactions match the situation. It’s like being your fact-checker.
  • Beneficial for: Borderline Personality Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Why it helps: By aligning your emotions with reality, you can avoid overreacting and reduce unnecessary emotional suffering.

7.      Interpersonal Effectiveness: DEAR MAN (Describe, Express, Assert, Reinforce, Mindful, Appear confident, Negotiate)

  • What it is: This skill is a blueprint for effective communication and getting what you want respectfully.
  • Beneficial for: Relationship Issues, Assertiveness Problems
  • Why it helps: DEAR MAN can help you navigate interpersonal relationships more effectively, ensuring your needs are met while respecting others.

Find DBT Skills Help in Southern California

DBT is helpful for a range of mental health issues. From observing your thoughts like a curious bystander to using DEAR MAN to assert your needs, these skills are designed to help you live a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Of course, while this is some solid information (so a little beyond the tip of the iceberg), it is best used in conjunction with a mental health plan and program in place.

If you want to hear more about what DBT skills can do for you, call Lido Wellness. Our highly qualified team is ready to chat with you about the various options you have in the Lido program. Call today: 949-541-8466.

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Oil painting representation of Dysthymia with its muted colors and drab drips creating a sense of what persistent depressive disorder may feel like.

The Gray Days of Dysthymia

Imagine a gray world. Things might have been in color once. But time has passed, and life has happened. It might be significant things that have happened to you. But it might just be the grind. The living of your circumstances. Whatever it is, the color is gone. This is Dysthymia. Also known as persistent depressive disorder. It might be a milder form of depression than major depressive disorder. But the symptoms can still be devastating.

What Is Dysthymia Like?

There’s a constant background hum of sadness and fatigue throughout the day. You might be able to get out of bed, but engaging in the world around you has no appeal. Talking to friends and coworkers is an extra effort you don’t have. Meeting new people is far from a priority.

Things you once liked to do become distant memories or just lack appeal. Part of this is the struggle of focus. Concentrating is work, and thoughts feel like water slipping through your fingers. It is the underlying (or overlaying) hopelessness. Your quiet voice is not insidious nor comforting — it simply says, “This is your life, and things will never get better.”

You may be able to walk through life, but you live in a relentless gloom. The important part is that it is chronic. It’s not just a case of the blues. It is a gnawing emptiness that has settled in for the long haul. It has been around for at least a year and doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.

Here are a few symptoms of Dysthymia:

Symptoms:

  • Depressed mood: Most of the day, for more days than not, for at least two years (one year for children and adolescents).
  • Appetite changes: Poor appetite or overeating.
  • Sleep disturbances: Insomnia or hypersomnia.
  • Low energy or fatigue.
  • Low self-esteem.
  • Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions.
  • Feelings of hopelessness.

What Causes Persistent Depressive Disorder?

Just like most mental health issues, PDD can occur for a variety of reasons. But it is important you don’t blame yourself for this. Life creates us. We are participants, but our control over the contributing factors of Dysthymia is minimal.

Genetic Factors

  • Family History: Individuals with a family history of depression or other mood disorders are more likely to develop PDD.

Biological Factors

  • Brain Chemistry, Hormonal Imbalances, Brain Structure

Environmental Factors

  • Chronic Stress, Trauma, Neglect or Abuse

Psychological Factors

  • Personality Traits, Chronic Illness

Social Factors

  • Isolation, Socioeconomic Status

Other Contributing Factors

  • Substance Abuse, Medication Side Effects

How Do you Treat Dysthymia?

This is not just a bad day or even a bad week—it’s a low-grade, chronic cloud that hangs around for at least two years in adults (one year for kids and teens).

Dysthymia involves a persistent imbalance in brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. These are the pleasure and motivation chemicals in the brain. Also, they regulate our general well-being.

There is some good news in all of this. Some light in the persistent depressive disorder tunnel. Antidepressants can help rebalance things so that you are on the path to feeling better on a daily basis.

Healing With Therapy

But real healing can come in the form of therapy. CBT makes a difference in helping people regain their lives. In this kind of treatment, you are given tools to reframe your life and create coping strategies for when things start to feel off.

You will likely also hear about the benefits of exercise, nutrition, and holistic healing in your therapy. Many people are surprised to learn how much impact these three things have on Dysthymia and how a few lifestyle tweaks can make a tremendous difference.

The gray of life can find color again. Remember, there is hope, and there is help.

Get Help with PDD in Newport Beach

If you recognize these symptoms in yourself or a loved one, it’s time to take action. At Lido Wellness Center, we specialize in providing compassionate, comprehensive care for those struggling with Persistent Depressive Disorder.

Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) in Newport Beach offers tailored treatment plans designed to help you regain control and find hope.

Don’t let Dysthymia keep you in the shadows any longer. Call us today at 949-541-8466 and start your journey towards a brighter tomorrow.

 

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