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