An Overview of Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Does someone you know have a tendency to inflict harm on himself? This is a serious problem that must be corrected immediately. One of the treatments used for such behavior is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

DBT is a modification of cognitive behavior therapy, and was originally directed towards patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This approach puts emphasis on the treatment’s psychosocial aspects. The supporting theory is that there are people who have the tendency to react more intensely to particular emotional situations.

Aside from BPD, the use of DBT is extended to other disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, eating disorders, and substance dependence. These conditions may stem from BPD itself.

DBT focuses on four behavioral skills: emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. In particular, mindfulness can aid people towards learning to stay in the moment as unexpected consequences may arise from leaving one’s present, thereby affecting wise decision-making ability and efficient functioning.

There are many goals in DBT, but the most important one is to create a “life worth living” for the individual. This may have different definitions from one person to another, but the common task is to control behaviors that may cause severe problems, especially those that may result in death.