When Emotions Are BIG

Have you ever been in a situation where you were so upset that nothing you tried seemed to work, you can’t think straight, and you can’t remember any skills you have learned? When this happens, we are typically in a fight-or-flight response- the red zone of emotional distress. When we are in fight-or-flight it means that our sympathetic nervous system is activated and the body is preparing for action (heart racing, blood pressure increasing, saliva increase, pupils dilate, digestions slow). TIPP is a DBT skill that activates our parasympathetic nervous system to help us rest and slow down by regulating our emotions.

TIPP is a distress tolerance skill to reduce extreme emotion quickly. TIPP is as effective as dysfunctional behaviors at reducing painful emotions but without the negative short and long-term consequences. It works like a fast-acting medicine, is easy to use, and doesn’t require a lot of thinking. TIPP can be used in public without others knowing and can help us get a clear mind rather than respond to something impulsively

T is for Temperature

The purpose of this skill is to slow the heart rate, bring our physiology back to baseline, and calm down quickly. This exercise is helpful when our emotions feel out of control.

There are several ways you can practice this skill. The most effective way is to practice an ice dive. An ice die is when you take a bowl, bigger than the size of your face, fill it up with cold water 3/4 of the way, and then add a layer of ice to cover the top. Once you have filled your bowl with ice water, you will want to take a deep breath before submerging your head into the ice water. The goal is to keep your head submerged for 30 seconds, however, you can do what is comfortable for you. Dunking your face in the ice water activates what is called the mammalian dive reflex, which causes a reduction in heart rate by up to 10-25%. This reflex causes a reduction in heart rate and activates our parasympathetic nervous system, which leaves us feeling calmer than before. Let’s say you are out in public without access to a bowl of ice water, you could try holding a cold water bottle or ice on your neck or forehead and focus on the coldness on your skin to help you regulate.

I is for intense exercise

The purpose of skills is to calm our bodies when they are revved up by emotions.

For intense exercise, the point is to engage in one exercise for a short period of time and put as much energy as possible into the exercise. This can look like running in place, push-ups, jumping rope, jumping jacks, dancing, or anything that will raise your heart rate. Engage as intensely as you can with exercise, without overworking yourself, for 10-15 minutes. By engaging in intense cardio/aerobic exercise, we engage our physical body in a way that de-escalates intense emotions.

P is for Paced breathing

The purpose of paced breathing is to slow your pace of breathing way down.

Here we are going to be slowing down our breaths intentionally. It is especially important that when we practice paced breathing we are breathing into our bellies and not our chests. One way you can make sure you are breathing into your belly is by laying flat on your back and resting a book or magazine on your belly. When you inhale, your stomach should be rising and expanding, and you will be able to see the prop on your stomach. When first practicing paced breathing you will want to inhale for 4 counts, hold for 2 counts, and release for 5 counts. As you continue practicing this skill, you can change how long you counts are, the most important thing to remember is that we want the exhale to be longer than the inhale. If you notice that the breaths feel uncomfortable or it increases your anxiety, start by exhaling first.

P is also for progressive muscle relaxation

The purpose of this skill is to slow our body down to help regulate our emotions. With this skill we are going to slowly tense and relax each muscle group, starting with our toes and working our way up to our head. This skill can also be helpful if you ever have problems falling asleep at night. Remember while practicing to notice the difference between how your body feels when it is tensed vs. relaxed.

If you are interested in someone have you walk through these skills in a video or more in depth, be sure to check out Studio Nourished!