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