"DBT turned my life around"

Today, I've officially completed the quite intensive programme of the 16-week DBT  (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) offered by my local CAMHS facility in Letterkenny Co. Donegal and I am content to say that the therapy programme has significantly improved/ revolutionised my perception and approach to life as well as relationships with others.

Before the programme, I used to struggle with severe anxiety and panic attacks, self-harm, academic burn-out, insomnia,  suicidal ideation, symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and symptoms of disordered eating, specifically ARFID and anorexia nervosa. Around late January 2023, I was at one of my lowest points mentally and was trying to escape my problems by keeping up the mask and lying to my therapist (no offence to her as she is one of the most compassionate people I know) in order to get discharged from CAMHS. I was really forced to agree to undergo DBT by my parents, who due to an unintentional error and dread towards my CAMHS discharge held onto DBT as if our family life depended on it, and even then, deep down I knew it was the truth but was afraid of facing my fears.

I must confess that I was very sceptical towards DBT at first, even to the point of silently but rudely giving everyone a piece of my mind during the first therapy session due to anxiety manifesting itself as frustration. It also didn't help that I was shocked by one of my classmates doing the programme with her mother also. During the first week of therapy, I must've googled phrases similar in context to "DBT is pointless!" or "DBT doesn't work", a million of times.

I've participated in group therapy sessions alongside my mother, who was also at the beginning very reluctant to change her behaviour and ways. Yet as the weeks flew by and as more skills were introduced/ shown to us, we really noticed the great positive impact they had on our individual life and the relationship between us.

Now I am proud to share that I haven't self-harmed since before the DBT, my obsessive-compulsive thoughts have drastically reduced and I no longer give in to compulsions, and I am currently working to improve the relationship I have with food and my body. Additionally, the relationship and understanding I have with my parents is stronger than ever before and I am able to manage my anxiety, dare I say, without any major issues.

I really found the "phone-coaching"/option to make a phone call in a crisis situation very helpful as it has hugely contributed to my discovery of how to healthily cope with and respond to crisis situations, however, I do think that the "phone coaching" option, with the addition of individual therapy, should've been offered to the parents too because my mom was lost and didn't know what to do in a few instances as well.

My therapist was one of the DBT therapists herself and she had steadily helped me to get my well-being back on track again over the course of DBT, and had provided me with really helpful advice and guidance in the times that I did use the "phone-coaching". Overall my mom and I found every therapist to be very polite, sympathetic and friendly and each of them had given us wonderful insight and clear instructions as they explained the DBT skills and theory.

The DBT done by the north team of CAMHS, Co. Donegal has turned my life around for the brighter and better and I sincerely hope that many others will get a chance to benefit from its future runnings.