Distress Tolerance Skills - VIDEO 20 - QUIZ

Using STOP as a Distress Tolerance Skill

• STOP is an acronym for a distress tolerance skill from dialectical behavior therapy.
• STOP stands for Stop, Take a step back, Observe, and Proceed.
• When we feel overwhelmed or in distress, we can use STOP to manage our emotions.
• Stopping means to stop whatever we're doing right away, even if it's hard to put on the brakes.
• Taking a step back is like taking a time-out to remove ourselves from the situation and get some perspective.
• Observing what's going on outside ourselves, inside ourselves, and what other people are doing makes us more aware and helps us see things more clearly.
• Proceeding mindfully means re-engaging with whatever prompted us to stop in the first place, taking into account our thoughts, feelings, and goals for the situation, and those of others involved.
• STOP can be used in various situations, including conflicts with others, impulsive or self-destructive behaviors, frustration with a task, or experiencing negative thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations.
• Before proceeding, we can reflect on what we've observed and come up with a plan to achieve our goals effectively.
• Using our breath to help reconnect ourselves with the present can help calm ourselves down.
• There are other DBT skills that can help with interpersonal skills, emotional mind, wise mind, emotion regulation, and managing thoughts, feelings, and body sensations.
• There are videos available that explain and demonstrate these skills, which can be found in the description and pin comment.