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CBI Session for Wednesday September 29, 2021
CBI Session for Wednesday September 29, 2021
Module 12 Session 1
Module 12 Session 1
Tolerating Distress
Tolerating Distress
Have you ever been in a situation where you had a serious problem but you couldn't fix it right away? How did you feel? What did you do?
Have you ever been in a situation where you had a serious problem but you couldn't fix it right away? How did you feel? What did you do?
This is the definition of a crisis situation: when something bad happens or you have a serious problem, but you can't solve it immediately.
This is the definition of a crisis situation: when something bad happens or you have a serious problem, but you can't solve it immediately.
Perhaps someone that you love is sick, injured, or has died. Maybe you got into a bad car accident and you have to wait for help to come. Or what if you lost your job, and you can't get a new one right away? You feel a sense of urgency to fix the problem, and your emotions are really strong, which can make the problem feel even worse.
Perhaps someone that you love is sick, injured, or has died. Maybe you got into a bad car accident and you have to wait for help to come. Or what if you lost your job, and you can't get a new one right away? You feel a sense of urgency to fix the problem, and your emotions are really strong, which can make the problem feel even worse.
We all go through crises in our lives. When we find ourselves in a painful or problem situation that we CAN'T FIX right away, the most important thing to do is to survive the situation without making it worse.
We all go through crises in our lives. When we find ourselves in a painful or problem situation that we CAN'T FIX right away, the most important thing to do is to survive the situation without making it worse.
This is what we call Distress Tolerance.
This is what we call Distress Tolerance.
What are some ways that we can make a crisis situation worse? Here are a few....
What are some ways that we can make a crisis situation worse? Here are a few....
- Yell at others
- Become violent
- Use drugs or alcohol in a dangerous way
- Spend money that you don't have on "retail therapy"
- Complain so much that others don't want to talk to you
- Eat too much
- Give up on solving the problem entirely
Distress tolerance is an important LIFE SKILL, and can also be used for NON-CRISIS situations that involve some kind of pain or difficulty, like painful emotions or discomfort (such as the kind that make you want to AVOID).
Distress tolerance is an important LIFE SKILL, and can also be used for NON-CRISIS situations that involve some kind of pain or difficulty, like painful emotions or discomfort (such as the kind that make you want to AVOID).
This skill is especially important when you want to make changes in your life or accomplish a goal.
This skill is especially important when you want to make changes in your life or accomplish a goal.
Distress Tolerance in Action
Distress Tolerance in Action
Below are three clips from the movie "42" about Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play professionally in Major League Baseball. You probably know the story of Jackie Robinson - how he broke the color barrier in American baseball, and faced a ton of racism along the way. He knew that he wasn't just playing for himself - he was playing for all the other black men who also wanted to be able to play major league baseball, and for progress in the fight against racism all over the world.
The first clip shows how Jackie felt inside as he began to face the challenges in front of him. The second two clips shows how he learned to tolerate the distress that he experienced so that he could accomplish his goals, and how his teammates had to learn to do this too. As you watch, think about how each character is using distress tolerance, or making the situation worse, and how it relates to your life.
*Trigger Warning: The following clips contain offensive language.*
*Trigger Warning: The following clips contain offensive language.*
Clip #1:
Clip #1:
How Jackie really feels.
How Jackie really feels.
Clip #2:
Clip #2:
How Jackie tolerated the distress to accomplish his goals, while his teammates began to experience some of his distress too.
How Jackie tolerated the distress to accomplish his goals, while his teammates began to experience some of his distress too.
Clip #3:
Clip #3:
How Jackie taught his teammates how to tolerate distress and take the high road.
How Jackie taught his teammates how to tolerate distress and take the high road.
Inspiring, huh?
Inspiring, huh?
Now, you may be asking yourself, "But how exactly do I do Distress Tolerance? What can I do to keep myself from just acting on my feelings and making the situation worse?"
Now, you may be asking yourself, "But how exactly do I do Distress Tolerance? What can I do to keep myself from just acting on my feelings and making the situation worse?"
Here are a few ideas.
Here are a few ideas.
Good news - you already know how to do this one! You learned all about Radical Acceptance last week. Choosing to accept problems that are out of your control can reduce your anxiety, anger, and sadness, and make them easier to get through.
Good news - you already know how to do this one! You learned all about Radical Acceptance last week. Choosing to accept problems that are out of your control can reduce your anxiety, anger, and sadness, and make them easier to get through.
Keep in mind, acceptance is NOT the same as forcing yourself to like a situation. It simply means you stop trying to change the things you can't change, and free up that energy for something else, like not making things worse.
Keep in mind, acceptance is NOT the same as forcing yourself to like a situation. It simply means you stop trying to change the things you can't change, and free up that energy for something else, like not making things worse.
Self Sooth with your senses
Self Sooth with your senses
Find a pleasurable way to engage each of your 5 senses. This will change your body chemistry and calm your emotions.
Find a pleasurable way to engage each of your 5 senses. This will change your body chemistry and calm your emotions.
Try to focus on being in the present moment, instead of worrying about things that happened in the past or might happen in the future.
Try to focus on being in the present moment, instead of worrying about things that happened in the past or might happen in the future.
Distract Yourself with A.C.C.E.P.T.S.
Distract Yourself with A.C.C.E.P.T.S.
Painful feelings usually pass, or at least get less intense, over time. It can be helpful to distract yourself temporarily until they subside, or until you are in a better place to handle them.
Painful feelings usually pass, or at least get less intense, over time. It can be helpful to distract yourself temporarily until they subside, or until you are in a better place to handle them.
You can use the acronym A.C.C.E.P.T.S. to think of ways to distract yourself. This video explains how it works.
You can use the acronym A.C.C.E.P.T.S. to think of ways to distract yourself. This video explains how it works.
Activities - find an activity to focus on other than the distressing situation.
Activities - find an activity to focus on other than the distressing situation.
Contributing - focus on helping someone or something other than yourself.
Contributing - focus on helping someone or something other than yourself.
Comparisons - look at your situation in comparison to something worse.
Comparisons - look at your situation in comparison to something worse.
Emotions - do something to create a different emotion.
Emotions - do something to create a different emotion.
Pushing Away - push negative thoughts out of your mind.
Pushing Away - push negative thoughts out of your mind.
Thoughts - as you do something distracting, focus on your thoughts instead of your feelings.
Thoughts - as you do something distracting, focus on your thoughts instead of your feelings.
Sensation - find safe physical sensations to distract you from the negative emotions.
Sensation - find safe physical sensations to distract you from the negative emotions.
Good news: you made it to the point where you get to reflect on how this applies to YOUR life!
Good news: you made it to the point where you get to reflect on how this applies to YOUR life!
Be sure to read the all the directions carefully before answering the questions!
Be sure to read the all the directions carefully before answering the questions!
Be sure to complete all sections and click submit at the bottom to get credit for this Virtual CBI session!
Be sure to complete all sections and click submit at the bottom to get credit for this Virtual CBI session!
(Technical Tip: If you get a white screen after you click "next" or "submit", SCROLL UP. The next page is further up on the screen.)
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