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