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