Topic Tuesday Focus Group // Treatment and support for people experiencing personality disorders // Tuesday 6 March, 7pm AEDT

[EliseSunflower]

@BlueBay@Mum2eight A lot of people I've spoken to have said similar things about mental health plans - wishing they were more than 10 sessions.

Have you been able to access any other financial support? 

[EliseSunflower]

Thanks @OhanaSystem - what aspects of treatment and other services have you found the most useful/had the most benefits?

[BlueBay]

@EliseSunflower

No, i wouldn't know where to go.

[Phoenix_Rising]

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@difficulthumanwrote:
I spent years learning Dialectical behaviour therapy while i did see improvements its misleading to say it was an effective treatment for my bpd. In my opinion its only helpful for certain symptoms suicidal and impulsive behaviours, it does nothing for other symptoms.

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@difficulthuman my psychologist was saying just the other day that DBT is really just the beginning. That is, learning the DBT skills helps us to be able to manage our emotions well enough to be able to cope with processing the trauma etc. I am a big fan of DBT, but it really annoys me that it is kind-of sold as a cure for BPD - especially since DBT is supposed to have 3 components and yet usually only the one component of the skills training is used. 

[Mum2eight]

im on disability pension but apart from that, no other financial supports

[EliseSunflower]

@Catcakes Sorry to hear that you've had some negative experiences. What types or services - or aspects of services - did you find to be the most useful?

I hope you have found some benefits to the SANE forums 

[Teej]

I think the most helpful thing is to not be made to feel like a diagnosis first and foremost. I think that I need lots of positive reinforcement before things sink in. I have found that patience has been critical. Lately I’m getting a better understanding of things through understanding my needs. I have found that what hasn’t worked is when I’ve been told to sort it out myself as it is a dependent behaviour. It’s been way more helpful to work through things step by step. I am very naive and so much of my issues are around learning things I had missed out on learning. 

[difficulthuman]

I accessed every available treatment to CBT/DBT/Medications as a last solution i applied for ECT therapy after a five year period of trying everything. I don't think DBT can be improved at this time until more is known about BPD while its correct people don't meet the full criteria for BPD after DBT treatment it's misleading to say that life has improved.

[EliseSunflower]

@Teej I'm sorry to hear that you've been treated badly in the past. Have you had any positive experiences with hospital admissions? 

[OhanaSystem]

@EliseSunflower

The number one most beneficial aspect of treatment for me has been consistency with a warm and engaged professional who has reasonable boundaries, and my best interests at heart.

DBT has been of some benefit, but I found repeating it to be less helpful than I'd hoped, and mainly what I got out of it was the relationship with my psychologist -- which, thanks to flexibility and lots of fighting for what was best for me (by the psychologist, I might add!), I get to continue building as I begin my trauma work. I think trauma work may just be the "key" to unmuddling me, which is a hope I've never really had before with any other treatment avenue.