DISTRESS TOLERANCE IS...

• The ability to endure pain or hardship without resorting to actions that are damaging to yourself or others.
• Distress tolerance is a necessary life skill that most of us practice on a daily basis.
  • Examples:
    • Effectively controlling your anger when you feel a friend or family member has wronged you.
    • Managing anxiety when you are receiving a performance review from your supervisor at work.
    • What are other examples?

WHY TOLERATE UNPLEASANT EMOTIONS?

• Allows us to act in a crisis
• Frees up the energy we use for avoidance. Avoiding stress saps energy.
• Enables us to make positive change. If you do not allow yourself to be in touch with this distress, there will be no motivation to make important changes. Distress can tell you that something is wrong, as well as tell you which areas in your life you need to pay attention to and change.
• Allows us to also experience positive emotions. Avoiding feelings means that most or many feelings are cut off, not just negative ones. Tolerating more negative, difficult feelings has the benefit of allowing a person to be more open to experiencing positive feelings as well.
• Allows us to achieve goals. It allows us to do difficult but worthwhile things (for example, interviewing for a job). Preparing to make any major change in life will involve some anxiety and discomfort. By tolerating distress, you allow yourself to achieve the goals that are important to you.