ACCEPTS

Question 1

What skill is ACCEPTS used for?

Answer 1

Distress Tolerance

Question 2

What does ACCEPTS stand for?

Answer 2

Activities
Contributing
Comparisons
Emotions
Pushing Away
Thoughts
Sensations

Question 3

What does (A)CCEPTS mean?

Answer 3

Activities

Focus attention on a task you need to get done. Rent movies; watch TV. Clean a room in your house. Find an event to go to. Play computer games. Go walking. Exercise. Surf the Internet. Write e-mails. Play sports.

Question 4

What does A(C)CEPTS mean?

Answer 4

Contributions

Find volunteer work to do. Help a friend or family member. Surprise someone with something nice (a card, a favor, a hug). Give away things you don’t need. Call or send an instant message encuraging someone or just to say hello.

Question 5

What does AC(C)EPTS mean?

Answer 5

Comparisons

Compare how you are feeling now to a time when you felt different. Think about people coping the same as you or less well than you. Compare yourself to those less fortunate.

Question 6

What does ACC(E)PTS mean?

Answer 6

Emotions

Read emotional books or stories, old letters. Watch emotional TV shows; go to emotional movies. Listen to emotional music. (Be sure the event creates different emotions.)

Question 7

What does ACCE(P)TS mean?

Answer 7

Pushing Away

Push the situation away by leaving it for a while. Leave the situation mentally. Build an imaginary wall between yourself and the situation. Block thoughts and images from your mind.

Question 8

What does ACCEP(T)S mean?

Answer 8

Thoughts

Count to 10; count colors in a painting or poster or out the window; count anything. Repeat words to a song in your mind. Work puzzles. Watch TV or read.

Question 9

What does ACCEPT(S) mean?

Answer 9

Sensations

Squeeze a rubber ball very hard. Listen to very loud music. Hold ice in your hand or mouth. Go out in the rain or snow. Take a hot or cold shower.