We all experience unpleasant or distressing emotions through life. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed more than we would like. Perhaps you get nervous about going to work or a social event. Maybe you need to have an awkward conversation with someone. Or, struggle with addictive behaviours to manage stress. Whether you experience small bouts of stress, or experience anxiety on a larger scale, e.g. panic attacks; a distress tolerance toolbox helps to learn how to manage these feelings.
Distress tolerance involves using healthy strategies to cope with difficult situations and emotional pain. Sometimes all we can do is get through the stressful time and overwhelming emotions. There are times when we need to accept reality and sit with emotional pain until it passes. A useful strategy to get through stressful times is to create your own distress tolerance toolbox.
Create Your Own Distress Tolerance Toolbox Today
You can find a box or basket you have lying around home and fill it with things which prompt your coping strategies. It is important to fill your distress tolerance toolbox with healthy reminders of what you can do to manage those distressing emotions.
Some emotions are difficult to sit with or process. Keeping your distress tolerance toolbox handy means you are more likely to try one of your healthy strategies. Think about what symptoms you struggle with and what are the healthy coping strategies that have been useful to you in the past.
Putting together a distress tolerance toolbox is a great exercise you can do with your children to help them to learn to self-regulate from a young age. You can fill your own and also help them work out what they want to use. A child might keep a fidget toy or sensory items in the tool box. Perhaps a book mark to prompt them to try reading. Maybe a picture of their family, to remind them to communicate their feelings with a trusted person in their life.
Reach out now for more on managing mood, thinking and behaviour.
If you struggle with intense anxiety then, it may be useful to have a list of numbers on hand for times of crisis.