Marsha Linehan’s Dialectical Behavior Therapy is touted in this article from The Daily about self-destructive behaviors.
Excert from The Daily
Self-destructive behaviors run deeper than they appear
The psychological pain and fear that causes individuals to take part in self-destructive actions
Vidhi Singh, Oct 5, 2017
Often times self-destructive behaviors come off as selfish or malicious; in a lot of cases, however, self-destruction stems from a lack of ability to self-soothe.
Self-destruction can strain relationships, distance people from their goals, and leave a lasting impact on one’s life.
Dysregulated behaviors, a term used in the mental health field, refers to an inability to moderate emotions, which can include eating disorders, alcohol abuse, drug addictions, relationship detachments, sex addictions, self-injury, and/or suicide attempts. These actions can be deliberate, impulsive, or habitual for people dealing with a long, persistent stressor.There are treatments that help people who suffer from self-destructive behaviors to escape their cycle of emotional cascades. Developed by UW professor of psychology Dr. Marsha Linehan , among others, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) treats many mental disorders, including those experiencing emotional dysregulation.
“We are going to teach them a whole variety of skills to use to regulate their emotions and tolerate distress and be more effective in their interpersonal relationships,” Neilson said. “Now they have skills and no longer have to rely on that behavior.”DBT uses dialectical philosophy, an approach through which two people with different points-of-view attempt to establish a sense of truth. DBT attempts to give sufferers validation of their events. Through group and individuals sessions, patients are given the tools to control their emotional dysregulation.
“We are helping people build lives that the experience is worth living,” Neilson said. “Many people show up at DBT and they do not know what their values are.”
DBT consists of three different sessions — individual therapy, skills class, and phone call check — where people are taught to realign their goals and work to promote mental healing.
Beyond the Behavioral Research & Therapy Clinics (BRTC), Harborview Medical Center, also managed by UW Medicine, was one of the first hospitals in the country to use psychiatry as a means to treat self-inflicting harm in all aspects of medicine, specifically addiction.
Read the entire article here .