SHUT UP PAIN!
True or False: Your nervous system cares about vibes more than facts.
Painfully true.
Radical acceptance:
My body reacts strongly to stress.
I don’t have to like it.
Fighting it makes it worse.
Why does joking in therapy actually help?
Humor lowers threat. Info can sneak in.
True or False: Therapy works by making you feel better.
Nope. It works by helping you feel seen and heard. It also works by helping your system stop panicking. It helps you to help yourself.
What does “radical acceptance” actually mean?
It means acknowledging what is, not approving it.
Radical acceptance is the skill of stopping the argument with reality.
Not liking it. Not agreeing with it.
Just acknowledging: ‘This is what’s happening whether I like it or not.’
Once you stop arguing with it, you can decide what to do next.
Why does accepting a parent’s limitations feel like grief?
Because you’re letting go of the parent you needed, not the one you got.
Which animal can survive being frozen solid and thawed back to life?
The Wood Frog
Is the pain ‘in your head’?
No. Your brain controls pain, but the pain is real.
Why do unwanted thoughts repeat?
Brains repeat warnings to make sure you noticed.
What actually helps a system settle?
Choice.
True or False: Radical acceptance means liking the situation.
False. You can accept something and still hate it.
My mom doesn’t respond well when I’m vulnerable.
I hate that.
I’m done trying to get emotional validation from her.”
Why is it okay to stop trying to make sense of someone?
Because understanding doesn’t guarantee safety.
What type of botanical classification are bananas?
Berries!
Why does stress crank pain up?
Stress sensitizes nerves. Everything gets louder.
Are thoughts facts?
No. They’re alerts.
Why does forcing coping backfire?
Because loss of control = threat.
Why is hoping someone will suddenly change painful?
Because hope without evidence keeps reopening the wound.
Radical acceptance = closing the app that keeps crashing
Fighting reality = rage-clicking refresh
Acceptance = okay, patch notes acknowledged
Does acceptance mean doing nothing?
No. It means choosing actions based on reality.
This substance was once more valuable than gold in parts of history.
SALT!
Why can breathing feel bad instead of calming?
Because your body associates chest movement with danger.
Why do escape thoughts show up when things pile up?
Because your brain wants the fastest way out of pain.
What’s the point of delaying action?
It gives the system time to de-escalate.
What happens when you don’t accept something that won’t change?
Suffering DLC unlocks.
Why can acceptance feel cold or numb at first?
Because your system is recalibrating expectations.
This chemical is released when you feel proud of yourself for finishing something hard.
Dopamine!
Why doesn’t relaxing fix it?
Because your system doesn’t feel safe enough to relax.
Why do these thoughts feel so convincing?
Defense mode turns certainty way up.
What does progress look like early on?
Shorter spirals. Faster recovery.
Why is acceptance a power move?
Because it lets you stop wasting energy on impossible fights.
Why do people confuse acceptance with weakness?
Because surrender looks scary when you’re used to fighting.
This activity improves mood, memory, and immune function (and it’s free).
SLEEPING!
Why does pain stick around after danger ends?
Because your system learned pain as protection.
Why do smart people get stuck in loops?
More processing power = more rumination DLC.
What’s the real goal right now?
Stability, not happiness.
Why is hoping someone will suddenly change painful?
Because hope without evidence keeps reopening the wound.
Radical acceptance is basically saying what?
This sucks. And it’s real.
What animal can taste with its feet?
A butterfly!