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