#dbt therapy

bpd4bpd:

cosmicfractal:

quietborderlineinfo:

bpd4bpd:

Distress Tolerance Skill
ACCEPTS

some of these you probably already do. good. now all you have to do is conscientiously choose them when you feel bad. 

DISCLAIMER: this skill won’t magically cure your bad mood. think of ACCEPTS as a lifeboat of options for when you’re freaking the fuck out. 

A-activities

deliberately distract yourself with an activity.  redirect your thought back to this one action when you feel yourself seething or ruminating.

ex.-jog. 

-play with your cat. 

-do the dishes. 

-de-clutter your room

C-contribute

wtvr it is, focus your attention on something outside of yourself in a positive way. reason: it removes you from the self-destructive behavior you’re used to.

ex.-make a gift for someone

-write a nice letter to a friend

-run an errand with your family

-donate, reblog donation posts on tumblr

C-compare 

Compare yourself with people in similar situations or worse. 

-watch a vlog about someone dealing with a similar issue. 

-watch a bleak documentary about natural disasters

-read a book about someone getting out of a bad situation and compare it to your life. 

-if all else fails, opt for schadenfreude. cringe vids and reality tv work fine. 

E-opposite emotion

act on the exact opposite emotion. 

ex. you’re sad. watch some stand up or listen to bad parody songs.

you’re too manic. listen to calming music and sing to it. 

you’re anxious. play a video game that you’re good at. *confidence boost*

P-pushing away

if you start to feel powerless, visualize yourself growing and that problem shrinking. turn the problem into an object in your head. imagine putting the problem in a box. place it inside a closet. you’ll get back to it later. 

T-thoughts

stimulate your mind. watch a documentary on something fascinating, but not emotionally charged. read. learn something new. exercise your ability to think logically/reasonably again.

S-sensations

allow yourself to experience something nice this time.

lie down on clean sheets, pet a dog, cuddle. take a bath. exfoliate, smell your fav. scent. [obvi do not include what could lead to relapse].

—

now make your own list of things you like to do that fall under each category. 

pro-tip: practice ACCEPTS when you aren’t feeling bad and it’ll be easier to do when you’re distressed/suffering.

tips for changing behavioral patterns :)

-K

Thank you so much for this!

Youre welcome!

If you have borderline personality disorder or are struggling to control your emotions, try DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) it’s serriously a life saver if you stick with it!

My therapist trying to teach me mindfulness:

Me:

If you’ve ever felt invalidated when someone immediately starts to fix something you just wanted to vent about or poured your heart out to someone only for them to say they can’t talk right now, these skills are for you.

Here are two questions you can ask to avoid these situations- one for when you want to share something and one for when you were just shared with. Each one helps establish #boundaries and expectations that will avoid misunderstandings and distress, contributing to your relationship effectiveness!

Diary Cards: An Introduction

written by Lex, edited by me

We all have interpersonal rights. Yup, even you! Swipe through to see our Interpersonal Bill of Rights. Would you add any of your own? How do you feel reading these?

Here’s a #DBT skill that can calm you down FAST. It’s a good skill to use when you’re experiencing an extreme emotion like anger, despair, panic, etc. It can even help prevent the use of a target behavior. Swipe through to learn more about #TIPP and get some examples of how to use it.

Ever wonder what your friends in #DBT are saying? Here’s your special guide to DBT emoji lingo~~~

I had SO much fun creating this :)

I get overwhelmed easily when I’m not taking care of myself. I won’t feel my best and then before I know it, everything is terrible and I feel doomed.

Despite how I’m feeling, there ARE things that can help. Here’s what I do when I’m feeling overwhelmed:

1. I check my PLEASE skill. Am I hungry? Am I tired? Am I feeling sick? Did I miss my meds? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, I make sure to meet those physical needs asap.

2. I clock out for the rest of the day. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, the thought of doing even one more thing can totally break me. So if I’m able, I take a ‘mental health day’ for the rest of the day. I push all important tasks to the next day.

3. I engage in comfort activities. I watch a favorite movie, pet my cat, have a nice snack.

4. I sleep. If the overwhelm gets too strong, I hit that reset button and spend some time unconscious. Whether it’s a nap or an early bed time, I usually wake up feeling much better.

Remember: if you’re feeling like it’s the end of the world, it’s usually your body/mind being dramatic as a way to ask for something it needs like food or rest.

Try out these suggestions the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed and let me know what works for you!

Stay skillful,
Kat

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you heard me.

DBT saved my life but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. It’s especially important to critique the system bc this life-saving treatment isn’t available to everyone.