If I Knew Then

Since getting diagnosed, I’ve looked for ways to help myself (and others) as I embark on my healing journey. Here is a list of things I’ve found super helpful!

1. Journaling: Writing out your thoughts and feelings during the day is super helpful. If you are newly diagnosed like me, journaling can be a good way of recognizing your triggers and understanding more about any patterns that exist for certain behaviors. You can buy a nice journal at the store, type on your computer or even your phone!
2. DBT Coach: DBT Coach is a good app to practice DBT skills and fill out diary cards. Similar to journaling, diary cards give you the chance to talk about anything that could’ve happened during your day. What I like about this app is that they also give you the opportunity to rate your feelings, list what skills you used and how effective they were.
3. Finch: Finch is a good app if you need reassurance, motivation, or reminders to do things. The objective of the app is that you have a pet you are taking care of, and completing tasks (that you choose) gives you XP and rewards. I like this app because I’m someone who forgets to take their medication so the daily reminders are helpful. It is also a good source of reassurance as you will get messages during the day to make your day brighter.
4. Dialectical Behavior Therapy: DBT has been a game changer in my recovery. In DBT you learn certain skills to help you identify emotions and understand more about them, as well as helping you nourish new or existing relationships. With BPD, it is sometimes hard to identify what you’re feeling, especially if a lot of your emotions are masked by anger. DBT helped me identify what I’m actually feeling and how to address it.
5. Individual Therapy: Aside from DBT, I also took individual therapy with a therapist who knows about DBT. Therapy has been super helpful to address past trauma, current problems, and continue to discuss things I learned in DBT. Finding a good therapist is very important and I recommend doing research and “shopping around” to find the best one for you. A resource I liked to use to find my therapist is Psychology Today.
6. Finding a Support Group: Finding people I could relate to was refreshing, especially being newly diagnosed. I looked around Facebook and basic google searches to find support groups and even meme pages I could relate to. It is amazing having a support group and people you can count on because they’ve lived the same things you have. It is also really validating, especially as someone who just got diagnosed, to hear from someone else that your feelings are valid and normal. Another site I liked was Emotions Matter, for resources and groups.

These are just some of the things I’ve found useful thus far! I will be adding to this list as I continue my journey!