Topic Tuesday Focus Group // Treatment and support for people experiencing personality disorders // Tuesday 6 March, 7pm AEDT

[OhanaSystem]

@difficulthuman

"I accessed every available treatment to CBT/DBT/Medications as a last solution i applied for ECT therapy after a five year period of trying everything. I don't think DBT can be improved at this time until more is known about BPD while its correct people don't meet the full criteria for BPD after DBT treatment it's misleading to say that life has improved."

I think if anyone was suggesting that DBT is the solution and that all people find DBT to improve their life, then yes, that would be misleading. However if this was in answer to my statement, I simply said treatments like DBT and that after treatment they have found their life has improved -- I was talking about specific people rather than generalising everyone, in which circumstance it's not misleading because it's the fact of those individuals' lives. 🙂 Hope that helps to clarify!

[EliseSunflower]

Hi @Phoenix_Rising

I hope that you continue to have positive experiences with TTT!

Considering the challenges you've experienced with therapists, what therapist characteristics have you found to be most beneficial? (e.g. I know some people enjoy working with a funny therapist or a very warm therapist). 

[Former-Member]

Hi
The support i had from my psychologist was good, and because i have no close personal relationships seeing her was really important for me to be able to kind of debrief things that go on in my world and be able to deal wtih things, and to help me with stressful elements of last few years as I dont have a very good self regulation of emotional stuff. I think she mainly used CBT strategies. I have also tried online courses like MoodGym but havent found much relief through those.
I also found having a support worker was similar and helped keep me on track with many things including housing and financial stuff after I couldnt work for a year because of completely breaking down with everything... Going back to work has been very important to me, for many reasons, including financially but has also meant that to a large extent mh people just assume i'm ok, even when im struggling a lot.

[Catcakes]

The most supportive service for me was a psychotherapist who had a done a lot of training in trauma recovery. We also did a few Skype consultations while I lived os for a few years. Her sessions didn’t qualify for subsidy but she really was very skilled. The psychologist I did DBT with was intensively trained in the UK and the DBT was as Linehan would describe.
I find the SANE forums very helpful even though I struggle at times to stick to the rules.

[Teej]

Recent admissions have been soo much better @EliseSunflower, some have been planned and I have links to my local hospital. The staff know me now and slowly over time I have been treated well mostly now. Last year I had 7 admissions to the short stay mental health unit and that has been much better. That has now been closed 😡. 

[EliseSunflower]

Thanks everyone -  I wish I could reply to all your comments.

My next question is: What strategies or supports are you currently accessing to continue your recovery?

This may include formal treatment/support services, but I'm also interested in things like sleep/eating, hobbies, apps, friends and family - whatever you wish to talk about!

[Phoenix_Rising]

@EliseSunflower 

TTT very much works within an attachment-based framework. We are about ten sessions in and thus far she barely knows anything about my story - the current focus is on creating a safe space in her room and with her. Here's some dot points about my super positive experience with her:

• In the first few minutes of my first session, she asked me if there was anything about the room that made me feel unsafe.
• She has heaps of sensory-based things in her room; fidget toys, a teddy, a weighted toy, a weighted blanket etc. 
• We have established a routine whereby when I first go in, we begin the session with her reading a story to me for 3-4 minutes (we are reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ).
• When I am super dysregulated, she gets me to engage in physical activity (planking gets out the energy of big feelings!).
• If I am super struggling, we draw pictures together.
• My therapy "homework" consists of playing Mr Squiggle - TTT draws a squiggle on a page and I have to turn it into a picture. 

So...you are probably getting the idea that TTT is VERY different to most psychologists / therapists out there. She makes me feel safe, and right now, feeling safe is the thing I need most in the world. A sense of safety is the most important thing a traumatized person can have. 

[EliseSunflower]

@Teej Glad to hear your experiences have improved a time - although sorry to hear the unit is closing.

What other resources or support are you accessing currently?

[BlueBay]

@EliseSunflower

I work 4 days a week only 4 hours a day. I enjoy walking when I can. I have a new baby grand daughter and she gives me a new love of life. She brings me so much joy.

I see a psychologist fortnightly and a psychiatrist every 3 months (earlier if need be).  I do enjoy being on SANE forum, I receive so much support especially when I am in my 'crisis moment'.  The moderators on here are amazing, they are very supportive and caring.

[OhanaSystem]

Strategy 1: Engage with previously mentioned support team as often as needed - whether this is face-to-face or over the phone.

Strategy 2: Medication.I'm on 3 oral medications at the moment as well as a depot needle. In order to assist me in making sure I stay on track with these, I'm currently on a community authority order. One side effect of several of these medications is that my sleep is, shall we say, plentiful. 😉

Strategy 3: Engage in social activities. Luckily, since I don't have many friends that are local and my family aren't ideal, the support service I engage with has at least one activity most week days. My individual support time also assists me to be social as I'm guaranteed someone to talk to.

 **Strategy 4: My little furry world -- my dog! Having her helps me in so many ways from being needed, to just being unconditionally loved, and knowing that someone's day will be better just because I walk in the door. And so much more I just don't have words for.

I used to engage in a lot of hobbies etc as well, but since going on one of my medications, my attention span has been too heavily affected for much of that these days. I am weening gradually off that, though, to improve the attention span.

*edited because I forgot number 1: my doggo!