Understanding Distress Tolerance: Meaning, Purpose and Coping Techniques
In an instant, life can take an unexpected turn, shattering the illusion of stability. Adversity strikes and our ability to navigate through the storm is put to the ultimate test.
Life is full of challenges and setbacks that inevitably cause distress, discomfort, and emotional pain in one form or another. While most people tend to avoid or suppress negative emotions, distress tolerance is a skill that can help us cope with difficult emotions in a healthy way. In this post, we will explore the meaning and purpose of distress tolerance, as well as some techniques for building this skill.
What is Distress Tolerance?
Distress tolerance refers to the ability to tolerate and withstand emotional distress without resorting to impulsive or destructive coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, overeating, or self-harm. This skill is particularly important for individuals who struggle with chronic emotional pain such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, or borderline personality disorder. In essence, it helps people stay in control of their emotions and behavior, and avoid making decisions that may worsen their situation in the long run.
Why is Distress Tolerance Important?
Distress tolerance is important for several reasons. For one, people who lack this skill are more likely to experience substance abuse, addiction, self-harm, and other maladaptive behaviours as a way of coping with their distress. This can lead to further negative consequences such as physical illness, legal trouble, financial problems, and strain on personal relationships.
Furthermore, distress tolerance is also important because it can help us avoid situations that trigger our distress in the first place. For instance, if someone is afraid of spiders, they may avoid going into certain rooms or outdoor areas where spiders are more likely to be found.
By learning distress tolerance skills, you can learn how to tolerate distressing situations and emotions, which in turn can lead to greater freedom, self-assurance and flexibility in your daily live.
So how can you build distress tolerance? The following are some techniques that may be helpful:
MINDFULNESS: Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment, without judgment or distraction. By focusing on the present moment, you can learn to accept your emotions and thoughts without getting carried away by them. This, in turn, can help defuse negative emotions and reduce the urge to engage in impulsive behaviour.
RADICAL ACCEPTANCE: Radical acceptance involves fully accepting the reality of a situation, even if it is unpleasant or difficult. This does not mean that you need to like the situation or approve of it, but simply recognize that it exists and cannot be changed. By accepting the reality of a situation, you can reduce your sense of frustration, anger and helplessness, freeing up cognitive and emotional resources for more constructive coping mechanisms.
PHYSICAL SELF-SOOTHING: This technique involves engaging in pleasurable activities that can help reduce emotional distress. For example, someone who is feeling anxious or depressed may take a warm bath, listen to soothing music, take a walk in nature, or engage in gentle exercise such as yoga or stretching. These activities can help promote relaxation and a sense of well-being, reducing the overall level of distress.
EMOTION REGULATION: Emotion regulation is the ability to manage and modulate emotions in healthy ways. This skill involves noticing and identifying emotions, assessing their intensity and impact, and choosing appropriate coping mechanisms to regulate them. For example, someone who is feeling angry may benefit from techniques such as deep breathing, counting to 10, or journaling to express their feelings.
Conclusion
In summary, distress tolerance is a crucial skill that can help us to cope with negative emotions in a healthy way. By learning techniques such as mindfulness, radical acceptance, physical self-soothing, and emotion regulation, we can build our capacity to tolerate emotional distress and avoid impulsive, maladaptive behaviours. With practice, distress tolerance can be strengthened and become a powerful tool for personal growth and emotional resilience
