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