This week, we will be talking about DBT for anxiety and how and how Dialectical Behavioral Therapy can be beneficial when coping with anxiety.
Quick Refresher: What is DBT?
DBT stands for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. The “D”, or dialectical, meaning it is based on the concept that all things are composed of opposites. The concept of dialectics is used to simultaneously foster change and acceptance. This allows sufferers to accept the present while acknowledging that their future must involve change. It works by providing participants with a new set of skills aimed at improving their ability to manage painful emotions while also addressing their maladaptive impulses.
How can we use DBT for anxiety?
DBT is a problem-solving focused therapy, designed to teach and support new ways of responding to the issues of life: ways that are more helpful, ways that may actually solve problems. This means that anyone can use it. Here are some ways to incorporate DBT skills in your life to manage your anxiety:
One Mindfully
One-mindfully is a skill that suggests one to fully engage in the moment. Often people are living their present lives ruminating about the past or future. This can easily provoke anxiety as we get stuck mulling over what we’ve already done wrong, or what we think can go wrong.
Fully engaging in the present allows us to be better capable of dealing with future challenges as they arise and helps keep anxiety at bay.
How can we practice one-mindfully? It can be as simple as going for a walk! As you walk, feel your feet as they touch the ground, your legs bending and straightening, your breath. Notice the sky, the buildings, the plants, and trees. What color are they? What does it smell like? Do the tree leaves flutter in the wind? Put words to what you are observing. “I see white four puffy white clouds in a blue sky,” or “I smell the fresh air.” If your mind wanders, that is okay. Don’t judge it as good or bad. Just notice it has wandered and then bring your attention back to what you are observing.
Self-Soothe.
In DBT, the concept of self-soothing is to self-soothe each of the five senses. When you’re in a distressing situation, list your five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) and work your way down the list to soothe each one.
It can help those with anxiety take a break from the rumination and become grounded in the physical world again.
How can we self-soothe? You can examine the sky, listen to your favorite song, use your favorite perfume or cologne, eat slowly and savor every bite, take a hot or cold shower, or any other idea you have to self-soothe using your senses!
This would allow one with anxiety to think of more effective ways of addressing whatever is provoking their anxiety, or give them a momentary vacation from it.
Practice Radical Acceptance.
Radical Acceptance is a powerful Dialectical Behavior Therapy skill. It is about accepting the things that we cannot change, no matter how much we would like to.
This can help those with anxiety who tend to focus on the why and how of the experience. A lot of anxiety is grounded in the idea that a better understanding of the situation will somehow make the situation different.
We can accept something without having to like it.
You don’t have to like that emotion, but it is there and accepting it rather trying to change it or push it away is better than fighting that emotion.
Effectively Rethink your Stuck Thoughts!
Stuck thoughts, or more commonly known as cognitive distortions are beliefs we hold or things we tell ourselves that make us stuck. They contribute to us feeling as if we can’t move forward; they make us feel more intense and out of control. Stuck thoughts are rooted in the extremes of emotional mind and reason mind.
So how do we combat stuck thoughts?
We use the skill of “effective rethinking;” which is essentially utilizing dialectical thinking to tap into our wise mind and see these thoughts from a different and more open-minded perspective.
For more information on Effective rethinking, CLICK HERE!
A Few Ending Tips Concerning DBT for Anxiety!
Take a non-judgemental stance. Judging things as “good or bad” or “all or nothing” increases our emotional reactivity and heightens our anxiety. Being judgmental towards ourselves can cause unnecessary anxiety. When you catch yourself making a judgment, just stop and notice, and be careful not to judge your judging!
Remember all of us can benefit from becoming more aware of our thoughts and feelings, accepting what is and being less judgmental of ourselves and others.
“Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strengths.” – Corrie Ten Boom
