Distress Tolerance

Distress in life is inevitable. There will be times in our lives during which we will face various types of anxiety and distress, be it in personal relationships or at work. Regardless of whether the stress is big or small, Distress Tolerance teaches us to navigate the hardships of life without being overwhelmed, resorting to impulsive reactions, or making spontaneous decisions that make the situation worse. Through the various subskills of DBT, Distress Tolerance, we learn to accept and manage stress, distract ourselves with positive activity, and improve a situation to build a mental foundation for a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Remember, Distress Tolerance skills help us cope with situations, but they need mastery through practice. These skills should only be applied when you cannot avoid a crisis and must face it. In such a case, Distress Tolerance also teaches you to accept reality and face it empowered with the tools of DT therapy.

The various subskills in Distress Tolerance are:

• “Accepts” Skill
• “Tipp” Skill
• “Self Soothe” Skill
• “Improve” Skill
• “Pros/Cons” Skill
• “Problem-Solving” Skill
• “Radical Acceptance” Skill