Microdose on Opposite Action: Learn How to Turn Down Emotions

Raise your hand if you’ve had a shaken up soda bottle explode on you. No fun, right? When under stress our mind is like that bottle of soda, building pressure until we’re on the verge of exploding. With the emotional challenges and academic pressures college can bring, many students choose to ignore or distract from heavy feelings. (Hey, been there, done that.) Pressure builds then bam, you explode. 

In this micro-episode, we discuss the Dialectical Behavior Therapy skill called opposite action. This is the skill for you if:

*your emotions don’t fit the facts of the situation, 

*your emotions are too intense for the situation, or 

*your emotions and their intensity make complete sense, but acting on them isn’t effective for you.

In a nutshell, opposite action is using a behavior opposite to your natural emotional urge to turn down the volume on your emotion so you can feel steadier. This skill requires effort, but it’s also incredibly effective (evident by Liz no longer being afraid of snakes…you’ll have to listen to find out how). 

Resources:

Rutgers University YouTube Channel on DBT Skills

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDWn-cqKKrg

Practical Examples of Opposite Action:

https://www.mindfulnessmuse.com/dialectical-behavior-therapy/10-practical-examples-of-opposite-action-part-one

https://www.mindfulnessmuse.com/dialectical-behavior-therapy/10-practical-examples-of-opposite-action-part-two