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