Luiza is a DBT Success Story in North Dakota
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Name, age, city/town:
Hi. Im Luiza, 27 yrs old from Fargo, ND
What was the most rewarding thing about learning skills?
The most rewarding thing I've received from DBT is the awareness of self.
What are your favorite skills to use?
My favorite set of skills are self soothe combined with T from TIPP. How I do this is by going in a hot bath and staying in the bath till it gets way too cold.
What advice would you give someone who is starting to learn DBT?
DBT saved my life and it will save yours too but you have to be what I was told is an acronym in recovery called HOW which stands for honest, open-minded and willing. If you are not willing these skills will not work. Willfulness in my experience is at the root of my problems today. I'm going to be honest. I'm not always as willing as I would like to be. My sponsor in AA has said something very wise: If you have a higher power, pray for the willingness to be willing.
Also, DBT is hard work. It's like a muscle. The more you exercise it the stronger it grows. But stop exercising this muscle and it becomes weak. DBT in my experience is a daily practice. One that must be practiced daily in order to be able to pull out when you need it most.
You'll get out of DBT what you put into it.
How has your life changed since learning DBT?
On October 19, 2015, I found my neighbor who died by suicide. The pain was so excruciating. So much so that I had wanted to end my life. But Marsha Linehan's program of DBT helped me through. It saved my life. I learned skills like comparison, radical acceptance and various distress tolerance skills. I learned how to love myself. I'm nowhere near perfect but I'm learning more and more each day. One thing I have learned through the skill of comparison is how my suicide would affect those around me.
How are you creating a life worth living today?
Like I've said I'm not perfect with skills and utilizing skills in a crisis is a struggle for me. To create a life worth living I'm working on getting my dream job by having a job at Culver's. It's not my dream job but it is getting me readjusted to the work life. I am working on trying to get a therapy animal note from my doctor and recently I have set up a new goal. Stay out of the hospital for at least 6 months. My team has told me that once I achieve this goal I will be able to get a therapy note for a cute little kitty or puppy. Another thing is I have found purpose of my pain. So I run groups and a Facebook page and use my struggle to help others.
What a great success story! Thank you for letting your light shine, Luiza! —Amanda
