Distress Tolerance skills help individuals survive and endure crises without making the situation worse. These skills are divided into two main categories:
Crisis Survival Skills
These skills provide immediate relief during intense emotional distress.
TIP Skills:
Temperature (change body temperature), Intense exercise, Paced breathing, and Paired muscle relaxation.
Distract with ACCEPTS:
Activities, Contributing, Comparisons, Emotions (opposite), Pushing away, Thoughts (other), Sensations (intense).
Self-Soothing:
Using the five senses to comfort yourself in distress.
IMPROVE the Moment:
Imagery, Meaning, Prayer, Relaxation, One thing in the moment, Vacation, Encouragement.
Reality Acceptance Skills
These skills foster acceptance of life as it is, rather than fighting reality.
Radical Acceptance:
Letting go of the illusion of control and accepting things as they are without judgement.
“Radical acceptance rests on letting go of the illusion of control and a willingness to notice and accept things as they are right now, without judging.” – Marsha Linehan (2003)
The Dandelion Story:
A metaphor for Radical Acceptance.