People with BPD: does anyone else feel this way about CBT and DBT?

[Set Real Goul]

I have this feeling that psychological approaches like CBT, DBT, and other therapeutic techniques can't really help me in the long term. The reason is that they often seem to rely on the persuasiveness of a therapist, a self-help book, or my own emotional vulnerability at that particular moment. But I don't think I can maintain long-term faith in them, because eventually I'll become disappointed in one of those things.

It feels like the only exception would be if I arrived at something similar entirely on my own, through a very indirect path.

For example, I once wrote about how the philosophy of Wittgenstein and Hume helped me. By following their ideas, I independently arrived at something that resembles CBT and DBT techniques — but through a very roundabout route and in a completely different way.

I can compare myself to a eucalyptus tree. Eucalyptus is a tree native to Australia that spreads highly flammable oils around itself, causing the surrounding forest — and sometimes parts of itself — to burn. But because it has such a thick trunk, it doesn't burn down completely.

To me, CBT and DBT are like grafting a tree. Grafting is sometimes done to rejuvenate a tree, but more often to attach a different variety so it can bear different fruit.
For a while, CBT and DBT seemed to have been successfully grafted onto me. But the flammable resin kept spreading through the tree. Then, when my usual cycles of doubt and emotional upheaval returned, the fire came — and those grafted branches simply burned away.

What do you think? Has anyone else experienced something similar?

 

[dragonofenvy]

I think you might benefit from looking into intellectualization. It's what I do all the time and ever sense I've pointed that out I've noticed just how much I do it. I always try to figure out the point of the processes and whether or not it's as mythical as a religion. I don't have BPD but have been getting CBT and DBT and I can say it is based on what kind of therapist you get. The same concepts that were taught to me had vastly different reactions from me depending on who was talking about them. I still think a lot of is bunk, but I am chipping away slowly at it. I don't think you're going to benefit from all of the concepts of CBT and DBT, but maybe there's some good ones that you can hang onto.

To me, CBT and DBT are like grafting a tree. Grafting is sometimes done to rejuvenate a tree, but more often to attach a different variety so it can bear different fruit.
For a while, CBT and DBT seemed to have been successfully grafted onto me. But the flammable resin kept spreading through the tree. Then, when my usual cycles of doubt and emotional upheaval returned, the fire came — and those grafted branches simply burned away.

I feel very similarly. There's going to be days where the branches get burned. I'm attempting to graft new ones. I'd rather have a few days where the tree bears fruit before burning rather than never getting the fruit in the first place.

 

[NZkiwi]

CBT, DBT, and other therapeutic techniques can't really help me in the long term

I struggle with emotional permencne
A bit like object permenance, but for emotions

I feel releif but it's temporary and does not last

Something I'm working on.... curious if you know how to work on it

 

[Set Real Goul]

I struggle with emotional permencne
A bit like object permenance, but for emotions

I feel releif but it's temporary and does not last

Something I'm working on.... curious if you know how to work on it

Sorry, I don't think I'm the right person to help with this right now. I might be experiencing some emotional numbness because of lack of sleep, so I don't have much emotional capacity myself.
I don't have much experience with this either, so I wouldn't want to pretend I know how to work on it