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