DBT SAVES LIVES, CREATES LIVES WORTH LIVING/ skills/crisis strategies/ not afraid of feelings

Went to therapy today and realised just how far I had come, suddenly Im talking about the future and goals, where Im directing myself.

Let me just say that was not where I was at, not long ago.

Im proud to say I am 6 months clear from my last real serious suicide attempt.

Through Dbt I am putting into practice the coping strategies I have learnt. Including Distress Tolerance skills.

I will often now when I am feeling really intense emotions, go and have a hot or cold shower. I find a steamy hot shower, helps get the emotion out, and you can cry it out, shout or scream in the shower. Leaving everything inside the shower box and coming out clean and brand new.

Its like a death to the old you. You come out bright sparkling and new, normally with hair being washed and a clean body.

I also use ice cubes and touch them when I feel an intense need to feel pain, and want to hurt myself. It sounds passive to say so but it does create the same sort of feeling, that discomfort, but without permanent damage to your body.

I use blogging now as a way of getting my feelings and thoughts onto the screen and once they are away and separate from my mind it helps because you feel a feeling of freedom. They are not torturing you over and over in your mind.

When I'm tempted to do something destructive I utilise the skills of pros and cons and wise mind.  and realise that if I did engage in that activity even though its short term relief the results, and consequences of it are not ideal, and well your either going to end up dead as another suicide statistic, and consequently putting your pain onto others your friends and family or you are going to end up in ED, police station, having to cope with mental health services, and it does not seem worth it.

You know too that every time you do something destructive you are going a step backwards and not showing you are capable of dealing with yourself, your emotions, and you stay stuck stuck in a mental health unwell hell that you just do not want to be in.

So a lot of the time I will still entertain the thought of doing something permanent due to a very unhappy self, intense emotional pain but doing it holds different consequences.

When I am in a state I try to put into place DBT skills, and end up taking my medication and heading to bed, or distracting myself with some other positive activity. or ringing the mental health crisis line for help.

Once upon a time before DBT I would of engaged in dangerous destructive  behaviours cos I was desperate but now I have these skills up my sleeve it just doesn't seem worth destroying myself.

I cant believe I just wrote what i did.
Shows I am changing.


Yes I have moments like everyone that I am definitely at risk to myself but they become further and further apart because I know better now.

I know when to ask for help, when to make contact with people, and how to talk to a supportive friend a confidant mentor, who lets me just be myself and share how I feel honest and openly and we can work out solutions together productively. They are also great at distracting me from my issues.

Its my honesty that keeps me alive and makes me a fighter.

Im not one to hide how I feel anymore. Honesty is the key

We should not be afraid to share how we feel!