DBT skills?

What are some strategies and skills you guys have learned in DBT? I want to do it my T says it'd be very helpful for me but for some reason I keep putting it off. I think I'm scared but I'm not sure why. Specifically for tonight I was wondering what to do when you get a sudden wave of emotions and maybe you don't have or don't want to medicate but you really want to numb out or escape. I feel like I want to crawl out of my own skin. I want to cry but I don't. I'm sad but I don't want to be. I miss my ex but I know how much he hurt me and I don't want him back. I'm glad he doesn't want me back because I'd probably take him back in an instant. Even though I'm seeing someone right now and he's amazing to me. But I only want to be friends with benefits because I'm now afraid of commitment relationships and feeling. Ugh. I came on here because I was really craving klonopin to numb out but I don't have any and when I do refill I don't want to abuse it anymore. I know that's not a healthy coping skill. Help please!

There is this website DBT Self Help

Personally I don't really know where to start with it but maybe you can find something of use.

I have been in DBT therapy for three sessions and I doubt that I will "graduate" after this rotation..... so, it will probably take a forth rotation through DBT before I get my skills down.

My POINT is - that I can not simply type some words on a computer and expect you to "get" DBT. It is a skill that must be learned.

I am glad you are interested in DBT and I am a fan of it. I hope you sign up for classes and learn from a professional - so you can get the full value of DBT.

I've only done a few self DBT exercsizes. The thing that helped me the most was learning Distress Tolerance and Mindful Breathing. The thing is when I lose control, I often forget what I learned before because I know they would work. For instance, when I get really upset and emotional "crazy", due to desparation, I should go and hold ice cubes in my mind. The pain from the cold can help me calm down and it's much better than hitting my head with my fists.

The big skill for me is distress tolerance. My son had ADHD and has meltdowns when he is frustrated, learning distress tolerance has helped me be calm instead of going into a rage. Not easy but with practice it is working.

Yes this is for me also. When i am in a distressing moment its hard to remember what to do to help myself.

Can you explain distress tolerance a little bit? I'm going to get a workbook and go through it with my friend and maybe her roommate so we'll have our own little group. I'm just so afraid to join a new group and meet and trust new people. I'm kinda crazy but kinda not and I feel like people get scared of me easily but I'm not going to hurt anyone or myself. I just have really intense feelings.. *sigh* I feel doomed like I'm never gonna get better. This is just the way I learned to cope and I will never be able to do anything different. I know that's cognitive thinking "I feel therefore it must be true" and I know I can get help I just feel like I'm so close but so far away.

DISTRESS TOLERANCE
Using Crisis Survival: Distraction with Wise Mind Accepts

A Activities
C Contributing
C Comparisons
E Emotions - use opposite
P Pushing Away
T Thoughts
S Sensations

Using Self Soothe with five senses:

Taste
Smell
See
Hear
Touch

Using Improve the moment:

I Imagery
M Meaning
P Prayer
R Relaxation
O One thing at a time
V Vacation
E Encouragement

Using Pros and Cons

Using Accepting Reality:

Willingness

Turning your mind

Radical Acceptance

The above post is the "textbook" answer. How distress tolerance works for me is realizing the distress is not going to go away so what can I do to help my tolerance level rise.

I use the following methods: leaving the area, going for a walk, music, reading, accepting the situation for what it is (hard to do but I am working on it), hot baths.

The method that I used today and that I found useful in the past was this...

I put a lot of lotion on my hand, something that smells good to you. I then close my eyes and rub it on my hands. I focus on how soft it feels, if the lotion is warm or cool, the smells and then finally I start to study my hands with my eyes open of course. I look at the lines in my hands. Try to find similarities between them. This usually takes 5 - 8 minutes of my time and after I am much calmer and I feel like I can think clearly. Like someone said though, the real trick is to remember to do these things when you are in the throws of bpd symptoms.

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