DBT Skills Series: 5

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Stacked wooden blocks with the phrase “What’s in your toolbox?” — representing building emotional tools with DBT.

Distract to Survive the Moment: DBT’s ACCEPTS Skill for Intense Emotions

Person overwhelmed with emotion, covering their face with both hands, expressing distress or anxietyThere are moments when your emotions feel so big and overwhelming that staying present feels unbearable. Maybe you’re flooded with shame after an argument or drowning in anxiety about something you can’t control. You know acting on your urges won’t help—but doing nothing feels impossible.  That’s when it’s time to distract. The DBT DISTRACT skill gives you something to do with all that emotional energy—something that can pull you back from the edge just enough to think clearly again.

In fact, not to ignore your emotions forever but to get through the crisis without making things worse.

That’s exactly what the DBT DISTRACT skill is for. In DBT, we use the acronym ACCEPTS to help you remember different ways to shift your focus when distress is too high. You use this skill from a Wise Mind — which you can access through mindfulness

✅ The ACCEPTS Acronym

A – Activities

Do something that takes up your mind or your body. Even something small can help. Take the trash out. Fold some laundry. Watch a video that makes you think. Paint your nails. Rearrange the junk drawer. The goal isn’t to fix your life—it’s to focus on anything that isn’t your distress for a little while.

Volunteers loading food boxes for donation, representing the DBT skill of contributing by helping others.C – Contributing

Turn your attention toward someone else. It might be as simple as sending a friend a kind message or holding the door open for someone. You could offer to help a neighbor or donate a few items you don’t need. When you give your time, attention, or energy—it can remind you that you matter, too.

C – Comparisons

For example, compare this moment to something worse you’ve survived—or to how others have gotten through similar pain. It’s not about minimizing your pain but remembering you’ve made it through hard things before.

E – Emotions (Opposite)

Create a different emotion, by watching a funny video. Listening to music that makes you feel calm or strong. Opposite emotions help neutralize what you’re feeling now.

P – Pushing Away

Temporarily put the problem on a mental shelf. Visualize it in a box, stored away, to be handled later. You’re not avoiding it forever—just giving yourself a break.

Person focusing on a word search puzzle, illustrating the DBT DISTRACT skill of using mental tasks to shift attention.

T – Thoughts

Try a mental task that distracts you: count backward from 100 by 7s, recite song lyrics, and do a crossword puzzle. Flood your brain with something else.

S – Sensations (Intense)

Use strong sensory input to override emotional distress: hold ice, splash cold water on your face, chew something spicy or sour, or squeeze a stress ball.

Real-Life Example: When You’re on the Brink of a Meltdown

You’ve had a horrible day. You’re exhausted, snapping at people, and all you want to do is scream or hide. In that moment, the urge to lash out or shut down is rising fast.

Instead of feeding the spiral, you go straight to your DBT toolbox.

You turn on loud, energizing music and do jumping jacks—combining Emotions and Activities. Then you remind yourself, “I’ve had worse days and survived them” (Comparisons). A quick laugh helps, so you send a funny meme to your friend (Contributing). Finally, you mentally box up the situation and say, “I’ll revisit this after dinner” (Pushing Away).

Woman sitting quietly with eyes closed, taking a moment to breathe and reset after emotional overwhelm.After a few minutes, you’re still upset but not spiraling. You’ve bought yourself time to breathe and decide what actually helps next.

That’s why this kind of shift happens when you use distraction from your Wise Mind—not to avoid, but to regulate.

If you’re curious about more research-backed ways to navigate intense moments, this article on self-regulation for adults offers a few helpful tools.

Why the DBT DISTRACT Skill Works

When emotions are sky-high, your logical brain isn’t fully online. That’s because ACCEPTS gives you options to get through the moment safely—without stuffing down your feelings or making decisions you’ll regret.

The DBT DISTRACT Skills doesn’t “solve” the problem, but they give you space to survive it. And that space often makes all the difference.

If anxiety tends to pull you into spirals or urgency, you might also like this post on how DBT helps with anxiety —a helpful companion to DISTRACT and other crisis survival tools.

Your Challenge This Week: Practice the DBT DISTRACT Skill Using “Wise Mind” ACCEPTS

Ready to practice? Try weaving the DBT DISTRACT skill into your week using these small, doable steps:

✔ Pick a few go-to options now—before you’re in crisis. Keep a list on your phone or post it somewhere visible.

✔ Notice which letters you naturally use and which ones you avoid. Try switching it up.

✔ Instead of waiting for a full-blown crisis. Try using ACCEPTS in smaller moments of frustration or anxiety.

Which one helped most? Which one surprised you? Drop a comment or make a note—and keep building your DBT skills toolkit.

📍 Looking for DBT Therapy in Las Vegas, Torrance, or online in California, Nevada, or Oregon? Reach out to learn how we can work together.

🧡 And don’t forget to check out the rest of the DBT Skills Series for more ways to manage emotions and make choices that lead to a life worth living

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