DBT Quick Skills for School Stress

Sometimes school can feel overwhelming, bringing on feelings of anxiety, stress, or sadness. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers practical skills you can use right away to help manage these tough emotions.

Here are three powerful skills to add to your emotional toolkit:

1. S.T.O.P. Skill: Take a Pause When You Need It

This skill is great for when you feel an intense emotion building up or an urge to do something impulsive (like lash out, hide, or avoid).

• Stop: Freeze! Don't react immediately. Just stop whatever you are doing or thinking.
• Take a Step Back: Take a deep breath. Move away from the situation physically if you can, or mentally if you can't. Observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance.
• Observe: Notice what is happening around you. What are you seeing, hearing, feeling? What is happening inside you? What are your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations?
• Proceed Mindfully: After you've stopped, stepped back, and observed, think about what you want to do. What is the most effective way to handle this situation? What will make things better in the long run, not just right now?

When to use it at school:

• When you feel a panic attack starting before a presentation.
• When you get an overwhelming urge to yell at a classmate or teacher.
• When you feel completely frozen by a tough assignment.

2. A.C.C.E.P.T.S. Skill: Distract Yourself from Intense Emotions

When emotions are extremely strong and you can't deal with the problem right away, sometimes a healthy distraction is the best option. ACCEPTS gives you different ways to shift your focus until your emotions are less intense.

• Activities: Engage in something you enjoy or that requires your focus. (e.g., read a book, draw, play a game on your phone, go for a quick walk).
• Contributing: Do something helpful for someone else or your environment. (e.g., offer to help a classmate, pick up trash, organize your backpack).
• Comparisons: Think about how things could be worse or how you've handled similar tough situations in the past. Compare yourself to those less fortunate.
• Emotions (opposite): Do something that creates an opposite emotion. If you're sad, watch a funny video. If you're angry, listen to calm music.
• Pushing Away: Gently push away disturbing thoughts or situations from your mind for a little while. Imagine putting them in a box for later.
• Thoughts: Engage your mind in a task that requires concentration. (e.g., do a puzzle, count things around the room, recite song lyrics, read an article).
• Sensations (intense): Do something that creates a strong physical sensation. (e.g., hold an ice cube, splash cold water on your face, take a quick cold shower if at home, squeeze a stress ball very tightly).

When to use it at school:

• During a long, stressful study hall.
• After a difficult conversation with a friend or teacher.
• When you feel an overwhelming sense of sadness that makes it hard to focus in class.

3. Pros & Cons Skill: Make Mindful Decisions

This skill helps you consider the bigger picture when you're faced with an urge or a difficult decision, especially one that could have negative consequences.

To use it, simply list the Pros (positives) and Cons (negatives) of:

1. Acting on an urge (e.g., skipping class, avoiding homework, yelling at someone)
2. Not acting on that urge

By writing it down or thinking it through, you can see the potential short-term and long-term impacts of your choices more clearly.

When to use it at school:

• When you're debating whether to complete a challenging assignment or procrastinate.
• When you're considering skipping a class or avoiding a school event due to anxiety.
• When you feel a strong urge to engage in an argument with a peer or teacher.

Remember, these skills take practice! Start with one, try it out, and see how it helps you navigate the ups and downs of school life.

Warm-Up: My Mood Meter

Instructions: Take a moment to check in with yourself. On the scale below, circle the number that best represents how you are feeling right now. There are no right or wrong answers, just an honest check-in.

Then, briefly write down one word to describe why you chose that number.

How are you feeling today?

1 - Very Down/Anxious (Feeling really sad, worried, or overwhelmed)

2 - A Little Down/Anxious (Feeling some sadness or worry, but manageable)

3 - Okay/Neutral (Feeling pretty balanced, neither particularly up nor down)

4 - A Little Good/Energized (Feeling a bit happy, calm, or energetic)

5 - Very Good/Energized (Feeling really happy, calm, or full of energy)

I chose this number because:

Cool-Down: One Thing I'll Try

Instructions: Take a moment to reflect on the DBT skills we discussed today (S.T.O.P., ACCEPTS, Pros & Cons).

Think about one specific skill you might try to use the next time you feel anxious, stressed, or down at school. Write it down below.

The DBT skill I will try is:

I will try to use this skill when: