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