Atlanta DBT Center

In recent years, DBT has become a popular form of treatment for many illnesses outside the spectrum of Axis II disorders such as Bipolar and Borderline Personality. In fact, research is constantly yielding data that supports the notion that patients suffering from bio-physiological illnesses can benefit from Dialectical Behavior Therapy. One of the biggest problems with the medical treatment of some physiological diseases is that patients often don't feel they are being heard when they express their pain. Such feelings often result in frustration, which can cause emotional repercussions of an otherwise strictly physical malady. This is a place where we listen. We understand your immense pain and want to do everything in our power to lessen it. We truly believe that DBT can help in healing body and mind.

Why would I need talk therapy for a physical illness?

Often times, physical illnesses cause complications in the balance of chemicals in the body. This can lead to mental and emotional side effects. At Atlanta DBT Center, we believe that a healthy mind is the first step to creating a healthy body. When mental causes of or effects on a disease are ignored, symptoms can often become worse simply due to the stress having an illness can cause.

How does DBT help?

The primary patients who can benefit from DBT are those who suffering from Cardiovascular or Autoimmune diseases. Talk therapy like DBT can help to relieve some of the stress that accompanies these diagnoses, further aiding in the balance of chemicals in the body and working towards overall health. Just because one's body is sick, does not mean one's mind shouldn't be healthy. One of the main focuses of DBT is the concept of radical acceptance, which maintains that pain + non-acceptance = suffering. The idea is that by coming to full acceptance of the reality in which one exist, one can minimize his or her pain. This can be extremely beneficial in situations where physical illnesses cause pain, which, in turn, can affect a person mentally.

What kinds of illnesses can be treated by DBT?

Fibromyalgia- Although the actual cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, the chronic joint pain characteristic of the disease has been linked to sleep deprivation, anxiety, and depression. Therefore, a decrease in stress levels often reduces the severity of symptoms. DBT can help in recovery from fibromyalgia by providing effective methods for coping with pain (especially by using the concept of radical acceptance, described above). The practices of mindfulness can also help to reduce stress, aid in successful rest, and reduce symptoms of depression. Since some medications used to treat depression are also used to treat fibromyalgia, there is much evidence to suggest that DBT, which is often used in the treatment of personality disorders, could have many positive results in the treatment of fibromyalgia as well.

Lupus-Like all autoimmune diseases, lupus is manifested when parts of the immune system attack healthy tissues in the body instead of dangerous pathogens. The precise cause of lupus is unknown, but it is thought that people inherit predispositions for the disease and it becomes active only when they are in the right environment (sounds a lot like BPD, which is also treated by DBT!). Certain lifestyle changes can help reduce symptoms of lupus, such as getting adequate rest, eating a healthy diet, and exercising. DBT can help you implement lifestyle changes and reduce the presence of stressors that intensify symptoms.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-Patients with CFS are often treated for the depression, pain, anxiety, or viruses that often accompany this problem. CFS involves experiencing fatigue that does not subside with rest or sleep. By teaching the practices of mindfulness and radical acceptance, DBT can help alleviate stress and pain, often providing relief to patients with CFS and allowing them to begin to overcome feelings of unrest.

Chronic Pain Syndrome-CPS is thought to have a strictly neurological basis. The thought is that chronic anxiety, depression, or stress cause patients to feel very real physical pain. By reducing mental maladaptive thinking, physical pain is often alleviated. Again, mindfulness and radical acceptance are key here, as they relax the mind to relax the body.

Other Autoimmune Diseases-All autoimmune diseases involve an attack on one's own body. Changes in the environment are often key in terminating these diseases (or at least reducing the effects of their symptoms). The autoimmune diseases listed above are a few examples of how this works, but the thought that changes in thought processes and psychological behavior can change current physical states carries over to all autoimmune diseases.

Cardiovascular Diseases-For many years, there has been knowledge that co-morbidity exists between cardiovascular illnesses and depression. However, it was not until recently that many experts in the field have begun to suggest that the existence of depression not only makes some people more likely to have a heart attack, but that the opposite may also be true. People who suffer heart attacks often develop depression, and those who do not seek treatment for this depression are more likely to experience another heart attack with an increased risk of fatality. In essence, the treatment of the mental side effects of any physical disorder are actually much more important than many people realize.