S:\Handouts\Clinical\Stress; Ways to Manage Distress.pdf 6/16
University of California, Berkeley!
2222 Bancroft Way
Berkeley, CA 94720
!
Ways to Manage Distress RIGHT NOW!
Adapted from Yale-New Haven Hospital, Intensive Outpatient Program
! Self-Soothe. Get yourself some hot cocoa, coffee, soda, juice or water. Drink your
beverage slowly focusing on the sensations of taste, smell and temperature.
! Intense Sensations. Go to the kitchen and take a piece of ice, and some napkins.
Hold the ice in your hand, and use the napkins to absorb the melting water. Focus
on the intense cold sensation of ice in your hand.
! Distract yourself. Pick up a magazine and focus your attention on the pictures
or an interesting article. Bring your mind to whatever you are reading or looking
at, redirecting it from upsetting thoughts and feelings.
! Practice deep breathing. Place one hand on your belly, inhale slowly counting to 5,
feeling your belly expand. Pause. Exhale slowly, counting to 5, feeling your belly
deflate. Practice this deep breathing 10 times.
! Use Relaxation. Give yourself a little neck and shoulder massage- you can rapidly
tap your fingers on your neck and shoulders or rub your neck and shoulders. Focus
on different muscles in your body from your head to your feet telling yourself to let
go of tightness and tension.
! Self-encouragement. Think of what you might say to someone in a similar situation
as you. Give yourself the same encouragement and support. Tell yourself things like
“I can get through this” or “This won’t last forever.”
! Use imagery. Imagine a wall between yourself and the situation. Or imagine a
peaceful, happy, secure place. It can be someplace you have been or someplace
that you create in your mind. Imagine in detail what your place looks like, any
soothing smells, if there are any comforting people or animals with you, what it feels
like where you are sitting or laying, what sounds you can hear…
! Make comparisons. Distract yourself by thinking about problems that you don’t
have or that you no longer have. Focus on something that someone else is
struggling with, or find a magazine article about a problem that doesn’t apply to
you. Consider ways that you are better off now than you were at other points in
your life.
! Focus on thoughts. Count backwards from 100. If you lose track, start over again.
Make a shopping list. Describe the furniture in the room or other objects in front of
you.
