Distress Tolerance Skills
Distress tolerance skills are intended to help distract us and get us through difficult emotional situations one moment at a time. A way to remember this skill is with the acronym: _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ACCEPTS
What is Pros and Cons?
Thinking about the good and bad outcomes of tolerating and not tolerating distress.
The _ _ _ skill is intended to change your body chemistry quickly in order to reduce the effects of an overwhelmed emotional mind; where your thinking and behaviors are controlled by your overwhelming emotions.
TIP
Refocusing attention from yourself to what you can do for others
Replacing immediate negative events or emotions with more positive ones.
Identifying what you have control over, what you don't have control over, and skillfully letting go of things you cannot control.
_ _ _ _- _ _ _ _ _ skill involves doing things that feel pleasant, comforting, and provide relief from stress or pain. It helps to pass the time without making things worse.
Self-Sooth
Examples: VISION: Walk in a pretty part of town. Look at the nature around you. HEARING:Listen to beautiful or soothing music, or sounds of the ocean. SMELL: Smell breakfast being cooked. Light a candle. TASTE: Have a special treat, and eat it slowly, savoring each bite. TOUCH: Take a bubble bath. Pet your dog
What does Radical mean
All the way- completely
The intent of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ skill is to improve the moment by replacing the immediate event that has caused unpleasant emotions, with a more positive act, thereby making the moment more pleasant and easier to tolerate.
IMPROVE
Acting opposite to our current emotional state/urge.
Example: Take a walk around the block when feeling tired
Imagery, Meaning, Prayer, Relaxation, One Thing at a Time, Vacation, Encouragement
1. Change the situation/Solve the problem
2. Change how you feel/think about the situation
3. Accept it
4. Stay miserable
_____________ is the complete and total acceptance of reality. This means that you accept the reality of a situation in your mind, heart, and body. You stop fighting against the reality and accept it.
Radical Acceptance
Trying to compare your current situation or the current crisis to a situation that's worse than the one you're in now.
Ex: You could compare yourself to people who have less than you have or you could think about times in your life when things have been a lot harder or you didn't have the same resources you have now. You're trying to get yourself to sort of say in your mind, 'Could be worse'.
1. Don't take vacations that will harm you.
2. Don't make your vacation too long.
What should you do when a crisis urge occurs
We all use _______ and _______ to make decisions. This skill can be very helpful when you need to make a decision between two or more options. The objective when using this skill is for you to realize that accepting reality and tolerating distress leads to better outcomes versus rejecting reality and refusing to tolerate distress.
PROS and CONS