My weekly vent about DBT group/mindfulness

[DyingToDie123]

So I'm being forced into DBT group. (I mean, I could not go but it's easy enough to given the consequences if my parents find out I don't.) I'm in it right now (it's virtual). I hate it so much. We're doing a module on mindfulness and it just doesn't feel relevant to me at all. We're talking about non-judgmentalness and we had to count all of our judgmental thoughts during the week and I'm like... I... don't have thoughts? (Thanks, meds.) I mean I'm sure I do but I don't hear them the way I used to, if that makes sense? They just run under the radar, undetected.

Last week was "What" skills (Observe, Describe, Participate) which was slightly more interesting but still meh. It doesn't make me feel better, it doesn't make me feel worse. It's just labels on things I do sometimes that are extra work if I really try to pay attention to when I do them.

Idk. If I was bought into it maybe I'd feel like it was working, but it feels like a waste of time rn tbh.
Update: We're now talking about one-mindedness which is basically just non-multitasking. Why? Let me eat during class in peace. (ik I'm just being petty lol)

 

[NumbItAll]

I've heard good things about it, but I decided not to investigate since every other treatment was a waste of time. It sounds like more pointless nonsense.

 

[DyingToDie123]

I've heard good things about it, but I decided not to investigate since every other treatment was a waste of time. It sounds like more pointless nonsense.

Some people swear by it. The people in the group clearly want to be here and say good things about it (but so do I to blend in sooooo). It's just always felt like my least favorite of the three I've worked with (CBT, DBT, ACT). It feels like unhelpful and common sense at the same time? I can't describe it, but being forced to do anything makes it less fun.

 

[ThisUnrest]

DBT felt annoying because it's talking down to you in some way. All the acronyms just irritated me, similar to baby-talk or sthg. In theory the concept sounds good, but on the other hand it can be seen as empty promises that really wont fix feeling totally overwhelmed and hopeless. Esp if you say you are feeling numbed out by meds to begin with.
I did a mindfulness based stress reduction class that was helpful to me in-person at the time, I think mostly because I benefitted from socializing with other people (at a yoga place) and I liked the physical location of the meeting space.

 

[DyingToDie123]

DBT felt annoying because it's talking down to you in some way. All the acronyms just irritated me, similar to baby-talk or sthg.

omg yes! all of this!

In theory the concept sounds good, but on the other hand it can be seen as empty promises that really wont fix feeling totally overwhelmed and hopeless. Esp if you say you are feeling numbed out by meds to begin with.

Exactly. I tell all of my providers that I don't feel like it works for me because I don't have emotions to regulate. They're like "well it's good for people who aren't in touch with their emotions."

I did a mindfulness based stress reduction class that was helpful to me in-person at the time, I think mostly because I benefitted from socializing with other people (at a yoga place) and I liked the physical location of the meeting space.

Glad that worked for you! I did a stress management class in high school that was actually somewhat helpful, but stress is the least of my problems when I don't care about anything.

 

[sadwriter]

DBT felt annoying because it's talking down to you in some way. All the acronyms just irritated me, similar to baby-talk or sthg.

^This. Years ago I made the mistake of working with a therapist who was part of a DBT clinic and I was honestly too insulted by the way the material was packaged to get anything out of it, lol.

It's so frustrating how the mental healthcare world seems to think this treatment method is the greatest thing since sliced bread when it reads like an infantilizing cult imo.

I'm sorry that you're being forced into this. I feel your pain. I hope you survive in one piece.

 

[DyingToDie123]

^This. Years ago I made the mistake of working with a therapist who was part of a DBT clinic and I was honestly too insulted by the way the material was packaged to get anything out of it, lol.

It's so frustrating how the mental healthcare world seems to think this treatment method is the greatest thing since sliced bread when it reads like an infantilizing cult imo.

I'm so glad y'all get this (but sorry you had to go through it too). The emotional regulation bit gets me most. "Just distract yourself!" "Do the thing you don't want to do!" "Hold a frozen orange and the feelings will go away!" Like none of this fixes the fact that I don't find any meaning in life. I find it so ironic that the meaningful life thing is the tagline. [insert rant about ACT is the only decent therapy]

I'm sorry that you're being forced into this. I feel your pain. I hope you survive in one piece.

I hope I don't lol