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