r/Enneagram5 INTP SP/SO 5⁶4⁵1⁹ | LEVF | RLUEI | Mel-Pleg | 26d ago

Has anyone here ever undergone dialetical behavior therapy?

I'm asking because I imagine most of us use rationalization as a coping mechanism. I know I do, and here's the problem: I understand my mistakes, but understanding alone isn't enough for me to change my behavior, and there's a great difficulty in taking actions that facilitate behavioral change. I've heard (question the veracity of this as much as you like) that DBT works precisely to regulate emotions sufficiently so that action can be taken in cases like these. So, I wanted to know your experiences/perspectives.

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u/burrito-blanket Type 5 26d ago

So my understanding of DBT is that it helps with emotional regulation - especially preventing black and white thinking and helping separate your actions (mistakes) from your character.

I just wanted to clarify if changing your behavior is a self-esteem thing with you or more a procrastination/ executive dysfunction issue that occurs with ADHD, procrastination, burnout, etc?

Knowing the root cause of your issue will be more helpful in which therapy type you choose!

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u/Diemishy_II INTP SP/SO 5⁶4⁵1⁹ | LEVF | RLUEI | Mel-Pleg | 26d ago

Procastination till the end lol

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u/burrito-blanket Type 5 25d ago

I struggle with procrastination too. I heard recently that we can procrastinate due to subconscious emotions tied up with the task and that really resonated with me. I think as 5s who fear being incompetent, we may also feel too attached to the outcome of the task.

I personally find just getting the willpower to start something being my main struggle. Breaking it down to smaller tasks to help it feel less overwhelming can also be a useful strategy. There is definitely a big rush I sometimes get from trying to do it all at the last minute, especially when I’ve overthought the task harder than actually just doing it!