Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) is a form of talk therapy that is used to enable the development of healthy coping mechanisms to deal with emotions better and to improve interpersonal relationships. DBT aims to address dysregulation in emotion, poor tolerance to distress, and self-destructive patterns of behaviour, which are most commonly seen in Personality Disorders, Eating Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, and sometimes even in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Techniques of DBT can be incorporated into individual therapy, group therapy and support groups that may take place in in-person, online or telephonic psychotherapy.
DBT, like most psychotherapies, breaks down the process into smaller steps. The therapist might deal with self-destructive behaviour and later address conflict in interpersonal relationships, improve distress tolerance, work on improving self-esteem and overall wellbeing. DBT aims to help clients accept their condition, understand their patterns of behaviour and make meaningful changes, while simultaneously unlearning unhealthy, maladaptive and negative thought and behaviour patterns. It also encourages them to accept support and learn new skills.
DBT shows great evidence to back its efficiency. This form of therapy has been liked to reduction in frequency and intensity of self-harm behaviour, decreased hospitalization, improve social functioning, and are also less likely to drop out of treatment. More than 75% of people who had earlier met the diagnostic criteria for a disorder, no longer do so after practicing the skills they have acquired using DBT. These results hold true for in-person and virtual sessions of DBT. However, it is important to take into account the severity of the symptoms before choosing the mode of therapy.