Coping Skills
This coping skill involves identifying things you can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste to ground yourself in the present.
What is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique.
Focusing on the present moment without judgment is the core principle of this practice.
What is mindfulness.
A DBT skill that involves doing the opposite of an emotional urge when the urge is unhelpful or harmful.
What is opposite action.
This hormone is often released during stressful situations, leading to the "fight or flight" response.
What is cortisol.
Stressful situations at home, work, or in relationships that feel out of control can sometimes make you tempted to use substances.
What are external triggers?
This coping strategy focuses on changing negative thoughts into positive or realistic ones.
What is cognitive reframing.
This mindfulness practice involves focusing on the feeling of your feet on the ground or your body in a chair to stay present.
What is grounding.
The three components of an emotional response are these: body changes, thoughts, and this.
What are behaviors or actions.
The term for physical or emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress, especially from work or life pressures.
What is burnout.
This type of trigger occurs when someone feels the need to fit in or conform, especially in social situations where substance use is normalized or encouraged.
What are peer pressure triggers?
Writing about your feelings in this can help you process emotions and reduce stress.
What is journaling
The DBT skill that encourages accepting reality as it is, rather than fighting against it.
What is radical acceptance.
These are the basic emotions that everyone experiences, such as happiness, sadness, fear, anger, and surprise.
What are primary emotions.
This feeling, when under stress, can make someone feel like they have no control and lead to using substances to cope.
What is helplessness?
This specific cognitive distortion, in which a person believes that they can’t cope without substances, can be triggered by stress, making relapse more likely.
What is catastrophizing?
A physical activity that helps release endorphins, improve mood, and reduce stress.
What is exercise.
This practice can help regulate emotions by observing your feelings without acting on them.
What is the "Observe and Describe" skill.
Feeling embarrassed because you are sad is an example of this type of emotion.
What are secondary emotions.
This technique involves reminding yourself that you can tolerate discomfort without turning to substances.
What is distress tolerance?
A common coping mechanism for managing negative thoughts and feelings, where a person deliberately avoids situations, thoughts, or emotions that cause distress, which can become a trigger for substance use when it's the default reaction to discomfort.
What is avoidance behavior?
The DBT skill that uses distractions like counting, listening to music, or engaging in an activity to avoid acting impulsively.
What is distraction.
A mindfulness practice where you scan each part of your body, starting from your toes and moving upward.
What is a body scan.
This type of emotion arises as a reaction to a primary emotion, often influenced by thoughts, interpretations, or past experiences.
What is a secondary emotion.
This technique involves focusing on a peaceful image or scene to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
What is guided imagery?
This type of trigger happens when a person is in a state of overconfidence after a period of sobriety, leading them to underestimate the power of their addiction.
What is complacency or “relapse thinking”?