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