Understanding Emotions
What top 2 emotions often lead to emotional dysregulation for you?
This is individualized but some examples may be anxiety, depression, fear, isolation, anger
What are examples of internal or external events that could be further understood with the Model of Emotions tool?
internal: inner dialogue of negative self-talk, feeling of numbness, emptiness
external: disorganized room/environment, loud noises, argument with a loved one
What are examples of tending to your physical health?
- staying current on your health through regular medical checkups and engaging in proactive skills and behaviors that keep your body as healthy as possible
- treating illness when it arises and complying with medical advice.
- Take medications as prescribed, consult with your prescriber if medications are not working or side effects are intolerable, and make life changes to minimize use of medications with the advice of your physician.
- Always consider how your physical health may be impacting your mental health.
What is the purpose of building mastery?
To feel competent, confident, in control and boost our self confidence and effective participation
- Create a sleep routine that begins at least I hour before going to bed.
- Establish consistent sleep and wake times and stick to them, even on weekends. Avoid using the "snooze" button on your alarm clock.
- The bed should be for sleeping and intimacy only. Wakeful activities in bed confuse the mind and body, and the bed no longer becomes a cue for sleep and rest.
- Create a relaxing environment.
- Block out sources of light and keep the temperature at a comfortable level, preferably a few degrees cooler than during daytime.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine for 4 hours ( or more) before bedtime.
- Avoid heavy meals and spicy foods before bedtime.
- Tum down your lighting and power off electronics at least 1 hour before bedtime.
- Avoid any stimulation before bedtime, including arguments or conflict, vigorous activity, or anything else that is likely to activate your mind or body.
Name 3 basic emotions and their opposites
happy - sad
relaxed - anxious
connected - isolated
relieved - stressed
How can we begin to shift our interpretations of events from being ineffective to being effective?
skills: observe, describe, non-judgmental stance, wise mind, check the facts, effectiveness, willingness, stick to values, encouragement
What are examples of resources you have to promote your own physical health?
- skills you might already use (such as O2E, Pros and Cons, and Willingness)
- people who support you
- having a growing knowledge base about health and wellness,
- having practical means of increasing self-care (e.g., having a physician, owning exercise equipment, and having access to healthy food).
What are examples of building mastery that you believe would be helpful for your life?
- Hygiene (e.g., brushing teeth, cleaning self, wearing clean clothes)
- Doing the dishes
- Shopping for food and necessities
- Cleaning whatever needs it
- Doing laundry
- Accomplishing important tasks or chores
- Opening mail and/or paying bills
- Completing homework or work tasks
- Tending to our children and/or pets
- Maintaining a certain level of organization
- Answering emails and voice messages.
Describe what it means to "mindfully hold" emotions and what the benefits are
- Holding emotions means that you recognize them as a part of your experience while also recognizing that they are not you.
- When we simply be with our emotions, we open ourselves to their ebbs and flows nonjudgmentally and usually find that the intensity subsides.
- Observe your emotions without getting stuck, and practice Radical Acceptance when they are painful. If you do find your emotions to be overwhelming in the moment, change strategies and use distress tolerance skills.
*Benefits: refusal to accept emotions increases their intensity so being with them can decrease their intensity, willingness to be with your emotions soothes them, practicing self-validation
Name 2 functions of emotions
1. They provide information about ourselves in relation to other people, situations, and the environment, teaching us and influencing and motivating our behaviors.
2. Emotions also provide the foundation for relationships, being essential for attraction, compassion, and being connected to other people
3. Our emotions also communicate quickly to people around us without needing words. Emotions bring us together.
What can you observe and describe about emotional experience?
- What is happening in your body (e.g., muscle relaxation or tension, heart rate)?
- What is happening externally with your body (e.g., facial expressions, posture)?
- What are you communicating both verbally and nonverbally? Use the available information to name your emotion.
- Remember to Observe and Describe the emotion non judgmentally.
- Also, try to see whether another feeling is underneath what you Observe and Describe on the surface. For example, hurt or embarrassment might underlie anger or guilt, and shame might underlie depression. Getting to the emotions underneath the surface emotion increases understanding, and increased understanding creates more options
Share 3 things about eating/nutrition that strengthen your emotional regulation
- Eat three balanced meals plus a couple of healthy snacks mindfully throughout the day.
- Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein are must-haves. Eat "whole" (unprocessed or minimally processed) or single-ingredient foods when possible.
- Drink eight full glasses of water a day.
- Avoid eating too much or too little and minimize sugars, saturated fats, and food or beverages with little or no nutritional value.
- Replace "diets" with lifestyle changes and keep current on reputable nutritional information. Start small and build on success.
- Consult with a physician or nutritionist if needed.
What are 3 examples of building positive experiences in the here and now?
Maybe it is a conversation, hearing or telling a joke, or helping someone. It might be taking a break, taking a quick walk, or taking a few minutes to practice mindfulness. You may find that the positive event is simply soaking in some sunshine, seeing rain wash everything clean, or feeling a warm breeze.
Attending to relationships is a way to Build Positive Experience that tends to create positive emotions over time. When you use this skill, remember to also use the skiils in the Interpersonal Effectiveness module, Nonjudgmental Stance, and Opposite to Emotion. Remember that we get out of relationships what we put into them. Actively invest in friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc., and the dividends will follow
Name a dialectic of anxiety or depression
A low level of anxiety about a test might motive a person to study and be successful, AND a high level of anxiety might paralyze the person and stymie success.
Depression can be informative about what needs to change in your life, such as adopting a healthier lifestyle or making a life change, AND intense depression can immobilize you and make change difficult.
What skills can be used in the space between action urge and [actual] behavior?
Skills: pros and cons, wise mind, push away, STOP, urge surf, effectiveness, observe and describe, opposite to emotion, willingness
To what extent can you engage in drug, alcohol, and caffeine consumption and still maintain emotional regulation?
this is unique the individual but reflecting on how these substances may impact your holistic health in effective ways would be an acceptable answer :)
What are two examples of planning positive experiences to work toward in the long term?
- Make a list of your long-term priorities and goals. It may be going to school, learning a craft, making a career change, taking up an instrument, being in great physical shape, or having a vision for making a difference in the world.
- Pick something from your list and break it down into manageable steps. Plan and schedule time to work on that first step, and follow through on it.
Describe when you would use the mood momentum skill and how you would use it.
• Engage in using Build Positive Experience. • Balance using Build Positive Experience with using Build Mastery. • Use mindfulness to reflect on a positive emotion. • Engage in using PLEASED. • Balance active positive events with relaxing positive events. • Engage in healthy relationships. • Work on a responsibility and stay mindful of your efforts and accomplishments (and distract from judgments). • Practice mindfulness exercises. • Work on a hobby or project or try something on the Activities List in Module 9: Building a Satisfying Life. • Think of other ways you can use Mood Momentum
How can we change our relationship with our emotions?
- Instead of judging or attempting to "get rid" of negative feelings, we want to accept them and try to understand their messages.
- A curious and understanding approach to our emotions can replace fear and suffering, and, as we begin to relate to emotions differently, we can learn to "hold" them mindfully.
- Mindfulness of emotions reduces suffering because it does not involve adding to emotional pain, although we often need to dialectically balance this approach with other skills.
- Work on decreasing our emotional vulnerabilities through more effective self-care skills and through scheduling positive experiences.
- learn how to continue positive feelings through Mood Momentum and get unstuck from negative feelings through Opposite to Emotion.
What is the benefit of walking through a Model of Emotions for a challenging event? When/why would you use this DBT tool in your life?
- when I want to interrupt and break an ineffective cycle
- when I want to learn more about my patterns
- when I want to reflect on how I can infuse skills into my everyday life
Describe a realistic and effective physical movement routine to promote emotional regulation.
examples could include going for a 10 minute walk or bike ride each day, following along to a gentle 10 minute yoga, mobility or stretching videos once a week, engaging in strength training twice a week for 20 minutes, lifestyle choices such as parking further away from the door
Describe what a cope ahead plan is and what the key elements of it are.
- describe anticipated event and associated emotions, thoughts, behavior urges
- identify skills to use in the moment and after the event is over
- recognize potential barriers and opportunities to overcome them
- imaginal rehearsal of effective skill use
- relax and self care post imaginal rehearsal
What are examples of using opposite to emotion for depression?
• Reach out to others with whom we have relationships for help and positive experience • Get moving by doing activities, hobbies, and important tasks; use ROUTINE, the Activities List in Module 9: Building a Satisfying Life, Build Positive Experience, or Build Mastery, or engage in distress tolerance skills • Practice dialectics, take a Nonjudgmental Stance, or use Encouragement • Use PLEASED • Go to therapy appointments and discuss medication issues with your prescriber before making changes • Use other skills to address additional behaviors that perpetuate negative emotional states.