Distress tolerance skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) help you survive attachment crisis without making things worse.
TIPP Skills for Acute Attachment
Temperature: Cold water on face activates the dive reflex, rapidly reducing attachment intensity
Intense exercise: 20 minutes of vigorous exercise discharges attachment physiological activation
Paced breathing: Slow the breath (especially exhale) to activate parasympathetic system
Progressive muscle relaxation: Systematic tension-release reduces attachment physical symptoms
ACCEPTS Skills for Riding Out Attachment
Activities that engage attention away from attachment Contributing to others shifts focus from attachment Comparisons that provide perspective on attachment Emotions opposite to attachment — deliberately generated Pushing away attachment temporarily when you can't act on it now Thoughts that replace attachment rumination Sensations that provide strong alternative input
When Distress Tolerance Is the Right Skill for Attachment
Use distress tolerance when attachment is intense but the situation can't change right now. The goal is surviving without making things worse — not solving attachment.