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