Coping with Acute Emotional Distress: Crisis Survival Strategies (Part 3)

Author: Diana Gordon, Psy.D.

In parts one and two of our crisis survival series, we introduced the ACCEPTS, self-soothing, and TIPPs skills. Today we will review one more Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skill, IMPROVE the moment, that can be helpful when you are experiencing powerful emotions.
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When you are in a moment of crisis, it can be really difficult to problem solve or to think rationally. Sometimes when we are experiencing powerful emotions, we need to first calm down and get through the moment before we can move into problem solving. IMPROVE the moment is an acronym you can use to think about ways to make yourself feel better quickly. You might not be able to do much about the thing that is causing you to feel distressed, but you can change your emotional response to it and start to feel better. Once you are feeling calmer and more grounded, you can then apply your other skills.

• Imagery: Imagine peaceful or calming images, such as the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited. You might look at Pinterest or a travel website for ideas and inspiration. You can also imagine yourself surviving your current set of difficult circumstances, because often our negative feelings are amplified by imagining the worst possible outcome.
• Meaning: Think about the WHY behind what is happening to you. What might you learn or gain from the situation you are in? How might you make the best of whatever negative events are happening now?
• Prayer: If you have a set of religious or spiritual beliefs that are compatible with prayer, you might find prayer very soothing. Otherwise, you might choose to journal or meditate as a way of soothing yourself and reflecting deeply.
• Relaxation: Think about how you might relax. It might be helpful to generate a list of relaxing activities that you can do at home, and another one you can do while you are out. While at home, you might try watching some TV, listening to music, or taking a hot bath. While out, you might go to a movie, window shop, or treat yourself to a nice cup of coffee.
• One thing in the moment: Find one thing to focus on in the moment you are in. You might choose to focus on your breath, notice what you see and hear around you, or tune into a particular physical sensation you are feeling.
• Vacation: As nice as an actual vacation sounds, it’s not always possible to take one. You might spend some time fantasizing or planning a vacation, or take a brief mental vacation from the situation you are in by distracting yourself with a podcast, book, or TV show.
• Encouragement: Give yourself positive reinforcement and encouragement for all the hard work you are doing. Check out some inspirational quotes on YouTube or Pinterest, or browse through magazines for articles that inspire and uplift you. Record your favorite bits of positive self talk in your journal. Imagine what you would tell a friend to encourage them if they were in the same situation as you.

This set of skills, which you can remember by using the acronym IMPROVE, can help you calm down during an intense emotional moment. It’s difficult to think clearly or problem solve when you are feeling really upset, and these skills can give you a chance to calm down so that you can think about your next steps. If you would like to learn more skills for managing intense emotions, please reach out to us for a free phone consultation.