DBT Explained: Effective Treatment for Emotional Turmoil

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment designed to help individuals manage their emotional pain effectively. It is particularly useful for those who have experienced early life traumas, such as abuse, neglect, or extreme stress, which can make coping with emotions later in life exceedingly difficult.¹

The Emotional Rollercoaster

People who have endured significant trauma often feel emotions so intensely that everyday relationships can become chaotic and unstable. This emotional turmoil can lead to dangerous behaviors, including self-harm and suicide attempts, as individuals seek ways to relieve or escape their overwhelming pain.

Why Dangerous Behaviors Seem Logical

For someone experiencing deep emotional distress, harmful actions like self-injury or suicidal thoughts might seem like the only way to manage their feelings. These behaviors, while unsafe, can temporarily alleviate emotional suffering.² Despite the inherent risks, in the moment, the individual may believe that the behaviors are their best or only option.

How DBT Can Help

Dialectical Behavior Therapy addresses these harmful coping mechanisms by helping individuals reshape their thoughts and behaviors in healthier ways. DBT is structured to make sense of one's emotional world and offers strategies for coping with pain and navigating relationships without resorting to self-destructive actions.¹

Components of DBT

DBT typically involves multiple components:

• Group Therapy: Participants learn and practice skills in a supportive group setting.
• Individual Therapy: One-on-one sessions focus on personal challenges and progress.
• Medication Management: To help manage symptoms that might make therapy more effective.

This combination ensures a robust, team-oriented approach to treatment, often creating a caring and supportive environment for those who may not have felt cared for before.³ Additionally, DBT for youth often includes an additional component of support and education for families, which helps caregivers to better understand and support their child.

The Impact of DBT

DBT empowers individuals to alter how they think and feel about their past, improving their ability to cope with present and future emotional challenges. The therapy helps instill new patterns of behavior that promote safety, better relationships, and a sense of hope.³

Participants often find DBT to be an intense but rewarding process. Some programs even culminate in a graduation ceremony, marking an important achievement for those who have overcome numerous life setbacks.

A Path Toward Hope

For people who have been significantly impacted by trauma, DBT offers a chance to break the cycle of emotional upheaval and physical danger. It provides a structured path to developing new, healthier ways of dealing with emotional pain, thereby fostering improved relationships, new opportunities, and most importantly, hope.2

Sources:

1. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. (2021, March 6). Dialectical Behavior Therapy | Fact Sheet. ABCT - Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. https://www.abct.org/fact-sheets/dialectical-behavior-therapy/
2. The Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery. (2018). Cornell.edu. https://www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu/about-self-injury.html#why
3. Corliss, J. (2024). Dialectical behavior therapy: What is it and who can it help? Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/dialectical-behavior-therapy-what-is-it-and-who-can-it-help-202401223009