ACCEPTS
Distract with ACCEPTS
Activities
Engage in activities that require thought, concentration, and will get your blood pumping. This could be anything from doing a hobby you enjoy to intense exercise.
Contribute
Focus on someone or something other than your current situation. Do a random act of kindness, volunteer, or anything else that might contribute to a good cause.
Compare
Compare your situation to something worse. Remember a time when you were in more distress or compare your situation to someone else going through something more difficult.
Emotions
Do something that will create a compelling emotion. Watch a scary movie, have someone tell you a funny story, listen to calming music.
Pushing Away
Do away with the negative thoughts by pushing them out of your mind. Imagine writing your problem on a piece of paper, crumbling it up, and throwing it away.
Thoughts
When your emotions feel overwhelming, change your focus to your thoughts. Count to ten, recite a poem in your head, sing a song.
Sensations
Find physical sensations to distract you from intense negative emotions. Hold an ice cube, eat something sour, rub something soft against your cheek.
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TIPP Skills
The TIPP skills change your body chemistry to reduce feelings of being overwhelmed.
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Radical Acceptance
Radical acceptance means accepting this moment and the circumstances exactly as they are.
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