Distract with Wise Mind ACCEPTS

The DBT Skills Challenge

Skillset

Distress Tolerance Skills: Crisis Survival Skills

Overview

Distract with Wise Mind ACCEPTS is a skill in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) designed to help individuals temporarily divert their attention away from distressing emotions or situations until they can address them in a more balanced and effective manner.

Description

Distracting is a DBT distress tolerance skill used to manage and cope with overwhelming emotions by shifting focus from the stressor to something less upsetting. This technique is particularly useful in preventing individuals from engaging in harmful behaviors or becoming engulfed by negative emotions that cannot immediately be resolved. The purpose of distracting is not to avoid dealing with problems permanently but to create a psychological space where more adaptive coping strategies can be developed.

The skill is typically categorized into several areas, known as the "ACCEPTS" acronym:

Activities: Engage in enjoyable or absorbing activities.
Contributing: Help others or do something thoughtful for someone else.
Comparisons: Compare yourself to people coping the same or worse, to put your situation in perspective.
Emotions: Induce positive emotions by watching a funny movie or listening to uplifting music.
Pushing away: Deliberately push the distressing thoughts out of your mind temporarily.
Thoughts: Force yourself to think about something else.
Sensations: Use intense physical sensations like holding ice or a hot shower to distract.

When to Use

Distracting is useful when dealing with situations that produce intense emotions that are not immediately resolvable:

During High Emotional Distress: When emotions become overwhelming and could lead to destructive behavior.
In Crisis Situations: When immediate action might make the situation worse and pausing is necessary.
When Needing a Break: During prolonged periods of stress when a mental break can provide relief and prevent burnout.

Benefits

Implementing distracting techniques can offer significant benefits:

Reduces Risk of Harm: Prevents impulsive decisions and behaviors by providing a pause.
Increases Emotional Regulation: Helps manage emotions until one is ready to confront or address the underlying issues.
Facilitates Better Decision Making: Clearer thinking emerges once immediate distress has been managed.

Common Challenges

While effective, the practice of distracting can also present challenges:

Overuse: Risk of using distraction as a form of avoidance rather than a temporary coping mechanism.
Finding Appropriate Distractions: It can be challenging to find healthy and immediately effective distractions, especially under stress.
Timing: Knowing when to stop distracting and address the issue directly requires practice and mindfulness.

By understanding and applying the Distracting skill effectively, individuals can gain crucial time to stabilize their emotions and approach their problems with greater clarity and effectiveness.