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