Most people have vague ideas regarding its therapeutic use in managing and treating mental health conditions, such as substance use disorders. But, unless they’re actually going to therapy sessions, they may not know the difference between types of behavioral therapy or even how these therapeutic forms of care can benefit people. If you’re searching for dialectical behavior therapy options in Baltimore, MD, contact Baltimore Detox Center today by calling [Direct] or reaching out to our team online.
What Is Behavioral Therapy?
Behavioral therapy is an umbrella term for types of therapeutic care. These treatments address various mental health disorders, such as anxiety and panic disorders, depressive disorders, disorders involving excessive anger, and substance use disorders. This form of therapy identifies and then helps change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviors. It’s based on two concepts: All behaviors are learned, and learned behaviors can be changed.
The focus of treatment in behavioral therapy is often on current problems and how to change them. There are many types of behavioral therapy, including the following:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
- Dialectical behavioral therapy
What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) started as a modified type of CBT. This form of behavioral therapy’s main goal is to teach clients how to develop healthy coping mechanisms to deal with stress, improve relationships with others, live in the moment, and regulate emotions.
DBT was originally intended to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, it’s currently been adapted to treat other mental health conditions. DBT can help clients exhibit self-destructive behaviors, making it an ideal component for addiction treatment programs or having difficulty with emotional regulation. DBT is also sometimes used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Some of the strategies and techniques taught by DBT practitioners include the following:
- Core mindfulness: DBT often helps clients develop mindfulness skills. Mindfulness helps clients focus on the present. This helps them pay attention to what’s happening inside them. They’ll learn to tune into their physical senses to learn more about what’s happening around them in nonjudgmental ways. This practice also allows clients to slow down and focus on using healthy coping skills when in emotional pain.
- Distress tolerance: Developing this skill helps clients accept themselves and their current situation. Some techniques taught to develop this skill include using distractions, improving the distressing moments, focusing on self-soothing, and considering the pros and cons of not tolerating distress. Distress tolerance techniques help prepare clients for intense emotions and provide them with a more positive long-term outlook.
- Emotion regulation: This strategy allows clients to navigate powerful feelings more effectively. The emotion regulation techniques clients learn will help them identify, name, and change their problematic emotions.
- Interpersonal effectiveness: This strategy helps clients become more assertive in their relationships while still keeping those relationships healthy and positive.
What Are the Benefits of DBT?
As you might have figured out by now, the benefits of DBT can be easily connected to the therapeutic form of care’s typical strategies outlined above. However, it’s also helpful to think of the benefits of DBT in terms that will permanently affect your life.
1. It Improves Your Relationships
A great support network is essential when dealing with mental health challenges. Many types of therapy fail to consider this, but DBT advocates understand the importance of family and social relationships, especially during the recovery process. Creating healthy relationships with trust and respectful boundaries can improve your health and well-being in many ways.
2. Skills Taught in DBT Go Beyond Treating Mental Health Issues
Although DBT aims to improve the symptoms of clients struggling with mental health issues, its effectiveness doesn’t end there. The skills taught by DBT therapists can be applied to other areas of life at work, at home, and even in recreational settings. For example, mindfulness can improve overall health in multiple ways. For instance, it can do the following:
- Relieve stress
- Manage heart disease
- Lower blood pressure
- Reduce chronic pain
- Improve sleep
- Alleviate gastrointestinal (GI) difficulties
- Treat mental health issues
3. It Improves Your Quality of Life
One of the main benefits of DBT is that it improves the quality of life of clients. DBT aims to do this by gently helping clients make changes to move them in the right direction while simultaneously letting them know that it’s okay to find making changes difficult. For clients experiencing intense and disruptive emotions, their quality of life can be very much increased by DBT.
Find out More About Baltimore Detox Center
If you’re looking for dialectical behavior therapy options in Baltimore, MD, contact Baltimore Detox Center today. Call [Direct] or reach out to our team online.
