Benefits of DBT During Addiction Recovery Treatment

When beginning addiction recovery treatment, there are many options out there for you to explore. One of these options includes dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). This type of talk therapy focuses on helping you regulate your emotions and be in the moment. DBT differs from classic talk therapies as it can help those who struggle with more intense emotions.

If you find that classic talk therapy is not helping you, then DBT may be an option to explore. At Healing Pines Recovery, we offer DBT alongside holistic treatment options to build a treatment plan suited for you. DBT can be a great option, teaching you the tools you need to work through difficult feelings and recover from addiction.

What Is DBT?

DBT is a type of psychotherapy geared toward those struggling with regulating their emotions. This type of therapy is helpful with mental health disorders and substance use disorder (SUD).

This type of therapy uses varying techniques to help you focus on controlling your emotions and how to regulate them. DBT also draws from Zen Buddhist beliefs, teaching you to be in the present – the “here and now” – versus reliving past traumas.

At Healing Pines Recovery, we offer DBT as well as other holistic approaches to treatment that are paired with therapy. This helps to build a personalized treatment plan specific to you and your needs. According to the journal Psychiatry,  the critical and unique elements of DBT include five functions. These functions are:

1. Enhancing capabilities
2. Generalizing capabilities
3. Improving motivation and reducing dysfunctional behaviors
4. Enhancing and maintaining therapist capabilities and motivation
5. Structuring the environment

With these functions in place, DBT can help you develop the tools needed to navigate your emotions and improve your responses to them. So, how exactly does DBT differ from classic types of talk therapy?

How DBT Can Help Those Who Don’t Respond to Classic Talk Therapy

Certain types of classic talk therapy may not be properly geared toward helping with intense emotional responses or be able to teach emotional regulation. Therapy modalities such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are more geared toward helping those who struggle with anxiety and depression disorders. This form of therapy can be beneficial but relies more on teaching relaxation techniques.

If you are struggling with how to regulate your emotions, CBT might not help you cover all the areas you need help with. On the other hand, DBT, which is a type of CBT, can equip you with new emotion regulation skills. Something to keep in mind is that you can also pair DBT with other types of treatment options or therapies. Treating all your needs may mean you have to explore multiple therapy areas and pair them together for a beneficial outcome.

At Healing Pines Recovery, we will help you discover what works best for you and your individual needs, creating a treatment plan that can help you with all the areas you are struggling with. Having a personalized plan means that you can get treatment for all your needs and not feel confined to just one type of treatment. We also offer holistic approaches to recovery that complement different forms of therapy.

DBT also relies on a strong relationship between you and your therapist. As stated in the aforementioned Psychiatry journal article, “[T]herapists help [clients] apply new skills in their daily lives and often have [clients] practice or apply skillful behaviors in session.”

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), DBT can greatly benefit those struggling with mental health disorders. Treating mental health is just as important as treating addiction. Without having a healthy mind, how can you have a healthy body?

What Mental Health Disorders Can DBT Help With?

Treating mental health can be an important part of addiction recovery treatment. While other types of therapy can treat similar mental health disorders, DBT can specifically help with the following:

• Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• Self-harm
• Suicidal ideations
• Eating disorders
• SUD
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

These are just some of the mental health disorders that DBT can help with. With a strong relationship between you and your therapist, you can learn to change your behaviors and reach your recovery goals. When you have a healthy mind, you can then focus on addiction recovery more clearly. Being able to control and regulate your emotions can help you process feelings that are tied to your addiction or trauma.

Learning how to regulate your emotions and develop tools to cope with intense emotions can be difficult. However, with the proper treatment, it can make tackling these things feel much more manageable. If you feel like classic forms of talk therapy are not helping you, do not feel discouraged. Many other options are available, including DBT.

Classic talk therapy may not be the most beneficial therapeutic modality for some people in recovery. This is where DBT comes into play. DBT is a type of psychotherapy that is more geared toward regulating emotions. It can help those who may feel emotions more intensely and equip them with new tools and skills to respond to them. The goal of DBT is to help individuals learn how to regulate their emotional responses and cope with intense feelings. At Healing Pines Recovery, we offer this therapy paired with various other holistic treatments. If you identify as male and struggle with regulating your emotions, DBT may be right for you. Call us today at (720) 575-2621 to learn more.