Developing Distress Tolerance

Distress tolerance skills are practical strategies to help you manage and navigate through emotional pain or stress. Some examples of distress tolerance are:

1. Mindfulness: Focusing on the present moment can help you stay grounded and

   reduce the impact of distressing thoughts or emotions. Techniques include deep

   breathing, observing your surroundings, or practicing meditation.

2. Self-Soothing: Engaging your senses to calm yourself can be effective. This might

   include listening to soothing music, taking a warm bath, using scented lotions, or

   holding a comforting object.

3. Distraction: Shifting your focus away from distressing thoughts can provide relief.

   This could involve engaging in a hobby, reading a book, watching a movie, or doing a

   puzzle.

4. Crisis Survival Strategies: These are immediate techniques to help manage intense

   distress. Examples include the "STOP" skill (Stop, Take a step back, Observe, Proceed mindfully) or using grounding techniques like focusing on physical sensations.

5. Radical Acceptance: Acknowledging and accepting the reality of a situation without

   judgment can reduce resistance and suffering. For instance, accepting that you’re

   stuck in traffic instead of getting frustrated.

6. Problem-Solving: Identifying specific problems and brainstorming practical solutions

   can help reduce feelings of helplessness. This involves breaking down a problem into

   manageable parts and addressing them systematically.

7. Emotional Validation: Recognizing and accepting your feelings as valid, even if

   they’re uncomfortable, can help reduce their intensity. This might involve self-talk

   like, “It’s okay to feel this way; my feelings are valid.”

8. Engaging in Positive Activities: Doing something enjoyable or fulfilling, such as

   exercising, spending time with friends, or pursuing a creative activity, can help

   improve your mood and provide a break from distress.

9. Using Positive Affirmations: Repeating affirmations or positive statements can help

   counteract negative thoughts and reinforce a more balanced perspective.

10. Radical Acceptance: Fully accepting the reality of a situation as it is, without trying to

    change it, can reduce suffering. For instance, accepting that you can’t control certain

    external factors and focusing on what you can control.

These skills can be tailored to fit individual needs and preferences and practicing them

regularly can make it easier to manage distress when it arises.

Distress tolerance is a crucial skill for managing and navigating difficult emotions and

situations.

Overall, distress tolerance is about building the capacity to handle life’s

difficulties in a healthy and constructive way, leading to greater well-being and more

effective functioning in daily life.