What Is the ACCEPTS Skill in DBT? How to Distract From Distress
ACCEPTS is a DBT distress tolerance skill that uses healthy distraction to help you get through a painful moment without making it worse. ACCEPTS is an acronym for seven ways to take your mind off a crisis until the intensity passes: Activities, Contributing, Comparisons, Emotions, Pushing away, Thoughts, and Sensations. At DBT Path, the original online DBT skills class taught since 2013, the ACCEPTS skill is one of the first crisis survival tools students learn.
Distraction here is not avoidance. It is a deliberate, temporary way to ride out a wave of distress so you do not act on a harmful urge, and so you can use other skills once you are calmer.
The Seven Parts of the ACCEPTS Skill
Each letter is a different way to shift your attention away from the crisis.
A: Activities
Do something that absorbs your attention, like a walk, a chore, a game, or a creative project.
C: Contributing
Do something kind for someone else, which moves your focus outward and off your own pain.
C: Comparisons
Compare yourself to a time you coped well, or to others coping with more, in a way that builds perspective rather than shame.
E: Emotions
Create a different emotion on purpose, for example by watching something funny or listening to uplifting music.
P: Pushing away
Mentally set the problem aside for now, for example by imagining you are putting it in a box on a shelf to return to later.
T: Thoughts
Fill your mind with other thoughts, like counting, reciting song lyrics, or doing a puzzle.
S: Sensations
Use a strong but safe physical sensation to ground yourself, such as holding something cold or textured.
When to Use This Skill
Use the ACCEPTS skill in a crisis moment, when emotions are very high and you feel an urge to do something you might regret. It is meant to get you through the peak of distress safely, not to solve the underlying problem, which you can work on once you are calmer.
How DBT Path Teaches This Skill
At DBT Path, this skill is taught as part of the Distress Tolerance module, one of the four core DBT skill areas. DBT Path is the original online DBT skills class, delivered live online since 2013 in a private, lecture-style format with no pressure to share or turn on your camera. Founder Debbie DeMarco Bennett and Dr. Kathryn Holt, PhD, LCSW, demonstrate each skill and walk through real examples of when to use it. These skills come from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, the evidence-based approach developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. Every week, students receive personalized written feedback on their skills practice from a trained DBT Path team member. You can explore our online DBT classes or learn the related Self-Soothe skill.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ACCEPTS stand for in DBT?
ACCEPTS stands for Activities, Contributing, Comparisons, Emotions, Pushing away, Thoughts, and Sensations. At DBT Path, this skill is taught as a distress tolerance tool that uses healthy distraction to get through painful moments without making them worse.
How does the ACCEPTS skill work?
The ACCEPTS skill works by temporarily shifting your attention away from a crisis using seven types of distraction, until the intensity of the emotion comes down. DBT Path teaches ACCEPTS so you can ride out an urge safely and then use other skills once you are calmer.
Is distraction a healthy coping skill?
Yes, when it is used intentionally and temporarily. DBT Path teaches the ACCEPTS skill as deliberate distraction to survive a crisis moment, not as long-term avoidance, and pairs it with skills for solving the underlying problem later.
When should I use the ACCEPTS skill?
Use the ACCEPTS skill when your emotions are at a crisis level and you feel an urge to act in a way you might regret. At DBT Path, ACCEPTS is taught as a crisis survival skill for getting through the most intense moments safely.
Ready to Learn DBT Skills Like This One?
It is one of many practical DBT skills you can learn in a calm, private, supportive setting at DBT Path. Explore our online DBT classes and start building the tools to work with your emotions instead of being ruled by them.