DBT Distress Tolerance Acronyms

ACCEPTS acronym

100

Doing something that requires thought and concentration

Activities

200

Do something to create a new feeling that will compete with your distressing feelings

Emotions

300

Use a mental strategy or activity to shift your _______ to something neutral (not good or bad).

Thoughts

400

Doing something that allows you to focus on another person

Contributing

500

Find a safe physical experience to distract you from your distressing emotions

Sensations

ACCEPTS acronym II

100

Give an example of an activity one can use to distract from distressing emotions

Legos, swimming, bike riding, crafts, art, etc.

200

Give an example of how to use the emotions skill

Sad? Watch a happy or funny movie. Angry? Go for a walk. Anxious? Practice deep breathing. Etc.

300

Give an example of how to use the comparisons skill

Think of a time when you were in a worse situation and were resilient - OR -

Think of someone else in a worse situation or coping less well than you (don’t do so aloud)

400

Put your situation in perspective by _________ it to something more painful or distressing.

Comparisons

500

Give an example of how to use the sensations skill

Holding an ice cube, eating something sour or spicy, taking a cold shower, etc.

IMPROVE acronym

100

Find purpose or _______ in a painful situation.

Meaning or Meaning-making

200

Open your heart to a supreme being, God, the universe, or your own Wise Mind

Prayer

300

Imagine a very relaxing scene, imagine a secret treehouse, imagine hurtful emotions draining out of you like water from a pipe, remember a happy time and imagine yourself in it again, etc.

Imagery

400

Making up a calming fantasy world in your head is an example of using which skill?

Imagery

500

Focusing your entire attention on a single thing is how you use which IMPROVE skill?

One-thing-in-the-moment

IMPROVE acronym II

100

Drink hot milk, massage neck and scalp, practice yoga or other stretching, breathe deeply, etc.

Relaxation

200

Give yourself a brief break from the situation (don’t do so if this will create more problems for you)

Vacation

300

Cheerlead yourself with special phrases or sayings

Encouragement

400

True or false: You must believe in a God to use the prayer skill.

False

500

Give an example of how you can use the One-thing-in-the-moment skill.

Mindful eating, washing your hands (focusing on how it looks, feels, smells, etc.), or any other activity wherein you can focus on only one thing and stay in the present moment

TIPP acronym

100

The T in TIPP stands for ______________

Temperature change

200

The I in TIPP stands for _________ ___________

Intense exercise (exercising until you get tired)

300

The first P in TIPP stands for ________ breathing.

Paced

400

The second P in TIPP stands for ________ muscle relaxation.

Progressive

500

TIPP is used to quickly change your body ______ when upset to help you calm down.

Chemistry