ABC Please: A DBT Skill
On The Blog October 29, 2024 Written by Lauren Horlick
ABC PLEASE:
A DBT SKILL THAT IS HELPFUL FOR EVERYONE
One of the core components of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is emotion regulation, which involves the ability to manage and regulate intense and overwhelming emotions. ABC PLEASE is a DBT skill that can help individuals manage their emotions healthily and effectively. ABC is an acronym for accumulating positive emotions, building mastery, and coping ahead. PLEASE is an acronym for treating physical illness, balancing eating, avoiding substances, balancing sleep, and getting exercise. Let's break down these components and how they can be used to manage overwhelming emotions.
A. B. C.
Accumulate Positive Emotions- Accumulating positive emotions is like opening a positive emotions savings account. You deposit as many positive memories as you can to help you out later when you’re in need. When we feel overwhelmed by negative emotions, forgetting what makes us happy can be easy. You want to build as many positive experiences into your life as you can, be mindful and intentional as they happen, and file them away for later. Not only can you call on those memories to cheer you up, but the process of compiling them improves your mood and makes you more resilient against distress. Examples of activities that can help us accumulate positive emotions include spending time with loved ones, listening to music, practicing a hobby, doing something kind for someone, etc. These activities don’t need to be grand gestures- even small moments of joy or accomplishment can help us accumulate positive emotions.
Build Mastery- Build mastery is about doing something every day that makes you feel competent and confident that you are good at something or are making progress. When we feel overwhelmed by negative emotions, it can be easy to feel like we are not in control of our lives. By setting and achieving goals, we can regain control and feel more confident in our abilities. Examples of goals that can help us build mastery include learning new skills, completing a task we have been putting off, or challenging ourselves to step outside our comfort zone. It’s essential to set goals that are realistic and achievable. Try to do at least one thing that builds mastery every day. The more you do, the better you’ll feel as you build the confidence in your capabilities.
Cope Ahead- When you’re in distress, it can be really hard to remember your skills. That’s what makes it so easy to fall back on familiar, less-healthy methods of coping. Coping ahead is preparing a skillful action plan to use when your emotions escalate. By planning, we can identify potential triggers and develop strategies to manage them healthily and effectively. Make a list of skills to use and put it somewhere you can see it. Create a coping box full of distraction techniques or a notebook of instructions and inspiration. Do whatever works for you, whatever will help you skillfully survive the emotional moment. It's essential to practice these strategies ahead of time so that they become familiar and easier to use when we need them.
P. L. E. A. S. E.
PLEASE- When we feel overwhelmed by negative emotions, it can be easy to neglect our physical health, making it harder to manage our emotions effectively. When our bodies aren’t at our best, our minds aren’t either. PLEASE is an acronym for treating physical illness, personal hygiene, balancing eating, avoiding substances, balancing sleep, and getting exercise. These components are essential for maintaining our physical and emotional well-being.
Physical illness & personal hygiene- It is important that we regularly check in with ourselves. Do you have a physical illness that needs to be tended to? Do you have medication or treatments prescribed for you that you aren’t taking or doing? What things keep you from treating your physical illness? Take some time to think about this and see what it would look like for you to take care of your physical needs. How we keep our bodies and environment impacts our mood. When is the last time that you showered or brushed your teeth? It is important to incorporate personal hygiene into our routines in order to have positive impacts on mood. How are you keeping the space around you? What are the barriers keeping you from maintaining a functional space? Take some time to think about what small changes can be done to improve upon personal and home hygiene.
Balancing eating- How is your eating? Do you eat too little? Too much? What kinds of food do you eat? The amount and types of food you eat can affect how you feel emotionally. Hunger can make you behave unlike yourself, so make sure to feed your body despite what diet culture says. What foods make you feel calm? Energized? What foods make you feel bad? Maybe too many carbohydrates make you sleepy or too much caffeine makes you jumpy. Get in touch with your body and give it what it needs. Try to avoid judgment about what you eat, simply fuel your body.
Avoid mood altering substances- Alcohol and drugs can lower resistance to certain negative emotions. Alcohol is a depressant, and other drugs can make your anxiety spike. Substances can make you behave in ways that are incongruent with your values. If you use drugs or alcohol, notice how they make you feel. If they are a problem in your life, can you get some help?
Balancing sleep- Sleep is crucial for your mental health. Lack of it can leave you grumpy, sad, or unprepared for the day. How much sleep makes you feel good? Many people need 8 or more hours, some people do fine on less. Some people need to nap during the day. Learn to plan your schedule so that you get the sleep you need. If you have difficulty sleeping, address the issue with your doctor.
Getting exercise- Regular exercise, besides being good for your heart, lungs, muscles, and bones. Exercise stimulates chemicals in your brain called endorphins, which are natural antidepressants. Even a short exercise regime can make you feel better about yourself and your life. Do you get regular exercise? If not, is there something you can do for exercise, starting out with just a little? Maybe start by taking a daily walk around the neighborhood if possible. Create your exercise plan based on your ability level. No one’s body is the same. Do your physical therapy exercises. Use a chair for assistance. Flex your muscles in bed. Not everything will get those endorphins pumping hard but it’s good for your mental health all the same.
ABC PLEASE is a DBT skill that can be used to manage overwhelming emotions healthily and effectively. Please know that you don’t have to do all these things at one time. Actually, doing that can be a recipe for disaster. Instead, do it a little bit at a time. Pick a few skills to start with. When you’ve mastered those, move on to others you need to work on. Continue this until you’re taking care of yourself well without prompting. Your therapist can be a great resource for helping to identify goals and creating plans that are customized to address barriers that are being encountered!