Life Skills
DBT
16 Steps
Substance Use Education
Relapse Prevention
100

This skill involves organizing your time and responsibilities to meet goals. 

What is time management?

100

This DBT skill focuses on staying present in the moment.

What is mindfulness?

100

This step encourages discovering your own truth rather than accepting others’ beliefs blindly.

What is Step 1?

100

This is the body’s adaptation to a substance, requiring more to achieve the same effect.

What is tolerance?

100

This stage of relapse is marked by isolation, poor self-care, and bottling up emotions.

What is emotional relapse?

200

This life skill helps you express your needs, wants, and boundaries clearly.

What is assertive communication?

200

This skill helps individuals tolerate distress without making things worse.

What is distress tolerance?

200

This step focuses on reclaiming your power and self-esteem.

What is Step 2?

200

This occurs when the body experiences symptoms after stopping a substance.

What is withdrawal?

200

This stage involves thinking about using, romanticizing past use, or planning relapse.

What is mental relapse?

300

This skill involves making choices by weighing pros and cons.

What is decision-making?

300

This DBT module focuses on managing intense emotions.

What is emotion regulation?

300

This step involves examining beliefs, behaviors, and patterns honestly.

What is Step 5?

300

This part of the brain is heavily involved in addiction and reward.

What is the reward system (or limbic system)?

300

This stage is the actual act of returning to substance use.

What is physical relapse?

400

This life skill includes budgeting, saving, and managing expenses.

What is financial management?

400

This skill teaches how to ask for what you need and say no effectively.

What is interpersonal effectiveness?

400

This step emphasizes setting healthy boundaries in relationships.

What is Step 8?

400

This term describes compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences.

What is addiction?

400

This coping strategy involves reaching out to supportive people when experiencing urges.

What is seeking support (or using a support system)?

500

This skill helps you handle conflict in a calm and respectful way.

What is conflict resolution?

500

This DBT acronym skill involves Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, and Paired muscle relaxation.

What is TIPP?

500

This step encourages living in a way that supports self-care and spiritual growth.

What is Step 16?

500

Mixing substances like alcohol and opioids increases risk of this life-threatening condition.

What is overdose?

500

This acronym reminds individuals to check if they are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired—common relapse risks.

What is HALT?