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