DBT was developed to treat borderline personality disorder, and has been shown to be particularly effective in the treatment of people with BPD as well as other complex conditions. In this course will learn about what DBT is and how it works, and we will cover the core skills you will learn in DBT. This course is not a replacement for therapy, and is not run by professional psychologists, but has been developed by Borderline Support UK CIC as a course that will introduce you to the basics of DBT and which will provide you with some basic skills that you can use in everyday life.

It can be difficult to learn DBT skills and techniques by yourself, and can be overwhelming when you start working through these modules, so ensure you have a good support system and allow for breaks whenever you need them.

About DBT 

DBT is a therapy that was originally developed by Dr Marsha Linehan for the treatment of people who were suicidal, and had self-harming or self-destructive behaviours. It soon was adapted to become the best treatment for BPD. It stands on three main principles.

1. That we are all connected – we need others and they need us.

2. Change is inevitable, and constant.

3. Two opposing views can be true – this is at the core of dialectics.

A dialectic is when two seemingly conflicting things are true at the same time. For example, “It’s snowing and it is spring”.

About borderline personality disorder 

Perhaps you are here to learn more about DBT for your own needs, or perhaps you care for someone who lives with BPD. Maybe you have a friend, colleague, neighbour or acquaintance who has BPD and you want to know how best to help them. Many people have never heard of BPD until they, or a loved one, are diagnosed.

You might be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder if you have difficulties with how you think and feel about yourself and other people, and are having problems in your life as a result. BPD is one of ten recognised personality disorders, and is classed as a mood disorder. It affects around 2% of people in the UK.

As people are different, it may be that you have different symptoms to someone else with BPD. You may have only a few symptoms while somebody else has them all.

There are four main ‘groups’ of symptoms you may have:

• emotional instability – the psychological term for this is affective dysregulation
• disturbed patterns of thinking or perception
• cognitive distortions or perceptual distortions
• impulsive behaviour
• intense but unstable relationships with others

Many people with BPD also have abandonment issues, which can affect their relationships, their self esteem, or how they perceive others to feel about them. BPD can cause significant challenges and obstacles in life, and can feel overwhelming, but it’s important to know that recovery is possible, with the right support and treatment.

There is no cure for BPD, but it is possible to live a full and happy life in recovery. 

Active Participation

We all need to take action to take better care of ourselves, and the changes that you make (to your viewpoints, habits, behaviours and attitudes) as you work through this course will make a difference to your everyday life.

You must commit to being an active participant in the course, learning more about your condition, about DBT, and commit to making changes that will be beneficial to your wellbeing, but it’s worth it.

Of course you still need help from your mental health professionals, family or loved ones – even the best footballers in the world can’t win a match without their team behind them.

Practice DBT Skills 

When we practice DBT skills, we are better able to take care of ourselves, more in control of our emotions and behaviours, and are more compassionate and understanding. By regularly practicing your DBT skills, you are reinforcing your learning, re-mapping your thoughts and behaviours and eventually these will become natural behaviours that you do without even realising it. As with any skill, you need to regularly practice to remain adept.

Disclaimer

The course has been developed by volunteers with lived experience of BPD and DBT. We are not trained professionals, but have knowledge of DBT, and have worked through DBT ourselves and we wanted to bring you an introduction to DBT in the hopes it may help you on your own journey.

If you feel, at any time during or after this course, that DBT would be beneficial for you, we advise you to contact your GP or mental health professional to see if this is available in your area.