{"id":4136,"date":"2022-04-27T19:04:51","date_gmt":"2022-04-27T19:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.talkspace.com\/mental-health\/conditions\/?page_id=4136"},"modified":"2022-06-03T16:28:21","modified_gmt":"2022-06-03T16:28:21","slug":"dbt-for-ptsd","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.talkspace.com\/mental-health\/conditions\/dbt-for-ptsd\/","title":{"rendered":"DBT for PTSD & Trauma"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)<\/a> is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that helps you manage your emotions in a healthy, productive way. One of the famous tenets is radical acceptance<\/a> and it was originally developed for people with mental health conditions that cause intense emotional and behavioral challenges \u2014 like those living with borderline personality disorder (BPD). We now know that BPD and post–<\/s>traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often overlap. Studies<\/a> show that comorbidity of BPD and PTSD is not uncommon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PTSD can occur after experiencing or witnessing extreme trauma. It can cause nightmares, flashbacks, depression, and anxiety, among other debilitating long-term effects. Learning to process and deal with your past traumatic event can be life-changing. DBT is regarded as an effective, promising type of treatment for those living with the challenging symptoms of PTSD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more here as we discuss how DBT for PTSD works, what the research says about efficacy, and how it can help with complex trauma. We\u2019ll also explore what techniques are used, how to find a therapist who\u2019s trained in DBT skills for PTSD treatment and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does DBT Treatment Work for PTSD?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

DBT for PTSD has been found to be a very effective form of treatment. Research<\/a> suggests it can also be effective as a precursor to other PTSD treatment techniques. In fact, it\u2019s been so successful and offered so much hope that the therapy technique has even been adapted to specifically treat PTSD. This adaptation is known as dialectical behavior therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (DBT-PTSD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What research says about DBT effectiveness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An abundance of research has been done on the efficacy of DBT for PTSD. Research supports its effectiveness, and some studies<\/a> find it to be superior to CBT in reducing symptoms of complex PTSD. Randomized clinical trial results show that DBT-PTSD results in a reduction of PTSD symptoms in 58% of women survivors of childhood abuse, versus just 41% in those who were treated solely with CBT. The findings are significant and should encourage more studies and research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another study<\/a> looked at how effective DBT-PTSD is in treating adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). The results from that study again seem to confirm that DBT-PTSD can be effective at reducing or eliminating symptoms of CSA-related PTSD. <\/p>\n\n\n\r\n\r\n

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\u201cThere are multiple studies on the efficacy of DBT for PTSD. It\u2019s been found to reduce avoidance behaviors in patients entering treatment. Overall, it\u2019s been found that DBT is one of the most effective treatments for PTSD. You can find a therapist on Talkspace who specializes in DBT.\u201d <\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\n\t\t\tTalkspace therapist Bisma Anwar, MA, MSc, LMHC
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While exposure therapy<\/a> and cognitive processing therapy (CPT)<\/a> \u2014 both forms of CBT \u2014 are other common therapy techniques used to treat PTSD, there are many reasons why these shouldn\u2019t be considered as sole options. Suicidality, high rates of attrition, a tendency for impulsiveness, and dissociation can all make PTSD treatment difficult. Some research<\/a> suggests that DBT can be integrated with other types of treatment (specifically with exposure therapy) as an improved, more effective way to treat PTSD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To summarize research findings that support the efficacy of DBT in treating PTSD, the following studies can be reviewed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n