DBT For Mental Health: Understanding Dialectical Behavior Therapy For Depression
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Developed in the 1970s by the American psychologist Marsha Linehan, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) builds on several concepts associated with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). However, DBT was designed for individuals who experience emotions intensely, often used to treat those living with borderline personality disorder (BPD).
In some cases, this treatment may help address symptoms of depression. DBT’s emphasis on skills training and managing painful emotions can contribute to mitigating and treating the prolonged low moods of depressive disorders. If you are looking at therapeutic modalities for depression, it may be beneficial to look into DBT.
What is depression, and how does it affect mental health?
Depression is a term to refer to all depressive disorders in the DSM-5 but is often used to refer to major depressive disorder (MDD), the most common. This mental illness is characterized by a sense of persistent sadness or hopelessness lasting over two weeks.
Depression is more complex than “feeling down.” It is marked by various physical and emotional symptoms that can significantly impact a person’s functioning. Below are some of the physical and behavioral symptoms of this condition:
- Exhaustion and general lethargy, including slower speech and movements
- Isolation from others and increased time spent alone
- Substance use
- Dramatic changes in one’s sleep schedule, including insomnia or hypersomnia
- Significant shifts in eating habits
- Agitation and restlessness
- Worsened personal hygiene
- Pain or achiness with no clear physical or medical cause
- Withdrawal from work, school, or other responsibilities
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering events, or making decisions
- Self-harm or self-destructive behaviors
The following are emotional symptoms of depression that individuals may experience:
- Persistent feelings of sadness
- Hopelessness
- Apathy or a feeling of being “empty”
- Irritability, including outbursts of disproportionate anger
- A decreased self-esteem, including a heightened sense of self-blame
- Sensitivity to criticism
- A loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
- Deteriorating relationships with friends, family members, or partners
- Feeling guilty or worthless
- A bleak outlook toward the future
- Frequent thoughts of death or suicide
What is dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)?
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) shares some of the goals and treatment methods included in cognitive-behavioral therapy but focuses more on developing new coping skills for intense emotions. DBT can involve training in four key modules that can significantly impact overall well-being. These modules are as follows:
- Mindfulness
- Emotional regulation
- Interpersonal effectiveness
- Distress tolerance
Mindfulness
The mindfulness module of DBT discusses mindfulness, the practice of grounding yourself in the present moment, not thinking about the future or the past, and recognizing what is currently occurring within your body and in your environment. Mindfulness skills can be developed through techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, or journaling. Mindfulness is not about changing one’s reality but understanding it for what it is without judgment.
Emotional regulation
Developing a mindfulness mindset can enhance one’s ability to learn the second DBT skill, emotion regulation. Emotion regulation involves recognizing and understanding your emotions, including sources of intense or distressing emotions. Some emotions are primary emotions, which result from your initial reaction to a thought or situation, and some are secondary emotions, which are a reaction to your initial reaction.
A common example of this relationship between primary and secondary emotions is feeling angry, followed by a sense of guilt for feeling angry. Practicing emotion regulation can mean acknowledging that your emotions exist and are valid while understanding they don’t necessarily control your thoughts or impact your behaviors.
You can have agency over yourself, regardless of your emotional experiences. The act of understanding two opposing realities at once (dialectics) is what makes dialectical behavior therapy unique among other modalities.
Interpersonal effectiveness
Interpersonal effectiveness continues to build on the DBT skills of mindfulness and emotion regulation. Interpersonal effectiveness focuses less on knowledge and awareness and more on behavior in interactions and relationships. Interpersonal effectiveness involves healthy communication skills, including understanding your own needs and the needs of other people and knowing when you need to say no. This kind of assertive communication and boundary-setting can help an individual develop self-respect.
Distress tolerance
The final component of DBT, distress tolerance, involves developing skills for coping with distress. When faced with an intense or stressful situation, a natural reaction is a fear response, often resulting in avoidance or minimization. Such techniques may not address the source of distress. Hence, distress tolerance teaches a person how to exist in a stressful situation and recognize aspects of the situation they can change, as well as those that may be beyond their control. Skills in this category may include changing your environment and learning to accept situations outside of your control.
What are the benefits of DBT or dialectical behavior therapy for depression?
Depression can involve distressing symptoms, and people with the condition may sometimes be tempted to avoid acknowledging or addressing their emotional state. The four key skills of DBT can help people with depression better understand what is occurring with their feelings and behaviors, cultivate a mindset of acceptance and grace, and learn to shift maladaptive behavior patterns that may be worsening symptoms.
Interpersonal effectiveness may address relationship concerns that could contribute to one’s depression or relationships that may have been impacted by depression. Distress tolerance may also be valuable, helping people learn healthy coping skills and behaviors to address unhappiness and other intense emotions. A licensed therapist can be a key support system in developing these DBT skills.
How to find mental health support for depression
Depression can feel overwhelming, and those experiencing the condition may find it difficult to seek treatment. If you are experiencing low energy levels, physical pain, or other depression symptoms that make it hard to leave the house, online therapy may offer an accessible way to receive support. Through an online therapy service like BetterHelp, you can match and meet with a licensed therapist from home, lessening the fees of therapy and reducing accessibility barriers.
Online dialectical behavior therapy for depression
Dialectical behavior therapy can be an effective treatment method when provided in person or through an online platform. One scoping review of 11 studies examined the effectiveness of online DBT for a range of concerns, including depression. It found that outcomes for patients enrolled in online DBT were comparable to those receiving traditional face-to-face DBT. If depression symptoms make it complicated to access in-person therapy, or if you have a busy schedule and prefer to access therapy on your ideal timeline, online therapy may be helpful.
Takeaway
Can DBT be used for depression?
Dialectical behavior therapy is typically used to treat people experiencing symptoms of borderline personality disorder, including suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviors. However, dialectical behavior therapy can also be effective for depression and other mental illnesses. A 2020 study on the effectiveness of DBT therapy for adolescents in an inpatient setting suggests that DBT interventions may significantly reduce depressive symptoms.
DBT treatment can also be effective for older adults with depression. In a 2002 study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, older adults with depression who underwent dialectical behavior therapy skills training alongside antidepressant treatment reported a significant reduction in self-rated and interviewer-rated depression scores. The study also showed a significant difference in remission rates between older adults who underwent DBT and those who received medication only. In the DBT group, 75% of patients were in remission six months post-treatment, compared to only 31% of the control group.
What DBT skills are good for depression?
Dialectical behavior therapy skills that may be helpful for individuals with depression include mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These DBT interventions can help reduce depressive symptoms, challenge maladaptive thoughts, and improve mental well-being.
Mindfulness skills: Mindfulness skills are a core component of DBT. DBT techniques like deep breathing, body scanning, and paying attention to the present moment can help people focus on the current situation and reduce emotional reactivity.
Distress tolerance skills: Distress tolerance skills can help people with depression learn how to cope with negative emotions, emotional distress, and other depressive symptoms through self-soothing, radical acceptance, and problem-solving.
Emotion regulation skills: Developing emotion regulation skills can help individuals identify and manage intense emotions. DBT techniques for emotional regulation include opposite action and reality checking.
Interpersonal effectiveness skills: Interpersonal effectiveness refers to the ability to set clear boundaries and manage relationship issues. Improving interpersonal effectiveness can help individuals with depression build healthier relationships with the people around them, including their friends, family members, and colleagues.
Is CBT or DBT better for depression?
DBT and CBT can both be effective in treating depression. CBT can help individuals with depression by challenging and identifying negative thought patterns and behaviors that may contribute to depressive symptoms. On the other hand, DBT focuses on practicing radical acceptance and learning new skills to make positive changes and build a life worth living.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is considered the gold standard for treating depression and anxiety, but mental health professionals may recommend DBT in certain cases. For instance, DBT may be beneficial for individuals whose depressive symptoms include suicidal ideation or self-harming behaviors.
What are the six main points of dialectical behavior therapy?
The six main points of DBT for effective treatment are radical acceptance and change, behavioral, cognitive, collaboration, skill sets, and support. DBT typically involves components of group therapy and individual therapy. The different types of DBT sessions may include group skills training, individual DBT therapy sessions, and phone coaching.
Who is DBT not recommended for?
Dialectical behavior therapy can be an effective treatment for borderline personality disorder, depression, and other mental health conditions. However, DBT sessions may not be suited for everyone. For example, it may not be the best option for individuals with uncontrolled schizophrenia or cognitive impairments. A mental health professional well-trained in DBT can help you determine if dialectical behavior therapy is the appropriate treatment for you.
What is DBT not effective for?
Whether to use DBT or not in a specific mental health condition will depend on the preferences and the severity of the symptoms. It can be helpful to consult a DBT specialist to assess the suitability of DBT as a treatment approach for your condition.
Can you do DBT on your own?
Certain DBT principles can be learned at home and practiced in daily life to improve emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills. For example, mindfulness skills, such as deep breathing and paying attention to the present moment, can help individuals manage emotional distress and overcome negative emotions. However, dialectical behavior therapy is a structured mental health treatment that requires the guidance and support of a trained therapist, counselor, or licensed social worker.
Which type of cognitive therapy is most effective at treating depression?
Depression is a common mental health condition that can significantly affect an individual’s daily life. According to mental health statistics, more than 8% of adults in the United States experience depression each year. However, depression is highly treatable through psychotherapy, antidepressant medication, or a combination of the two. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most popular forms of psychotherapy for treating depression. CBT involves efforts to change an individual's thinking and behavior patterns, which helps minimize symptoms of depression.
When would you use DBT over CBT?
CBT has been proven effective for various mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. However, DBT may be the preferred treatment method for individuals in extreme emotional distress and those at high risk for suicide or self-harm. A randomized clinical trial on the effectiveness of DBT in treating highly distressed college students suggests that DBT results in significant reductions in depression and suicidality.
What are the four core areas of DBT?
DBT focuses on four core areas: mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance skills.
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