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