When Emotions Take Over

There are moments when emotions feel like a storm—anger boiling, panic rising, or sadness pulling you down. In such moments, logic rarely helps. DBT teaches Distress Tolerance Skills—short, sharp techniques to survive the storm without making it worse.

Two of the most powerful mnemonics here are STOP and TIPP.

🛑 STOP Skill

S – Stop: Freeze. Don’t react on impulse.
T – Take a step back: Breathe. Give yourself space.
O – Observe: What am I feeling? What’s happening around me?
P – Proceed mindfully: Choose a response that works, not one that harms.

👉 STOP is about pausing between trigger and action. It interrupts destructive patterns like yelling, quitting, or shutting down.

Case Example: Miss. P and Family Conflicts

Miss. P, a 26-year-old student, often clashed with her parents. Her usual pattern was shouting back, then feeling guilty later. Using STOP, she began freezing in the moment—literally pressing her feet to the ground, taking a step back, and observing her urge to shout. This pause helped her reply more calmly, improving her relationship at home.

🌡️ TIPP Skill

Sometimes, emotions are so intense that pausing isn’t enough. That’s where TIPP comes in—it uses biology to calm your body fast.

T – Temperature: Splash cold water on your face, hold an ice cube, or wash your hands in cold water.
I – Intense exercise: Jumping jacks, a brisk walk, push-ups—burn off the surge of adrenaline.
P – Paced breathing: Slow inhale, longer exhale. For example, 4 seconds in, 6 seconds out.
P – Paired muscle relaxation: Tense and relax different muscle groups to release stress.

👉 TIPP works because it resets your body’s nervous system, calming the fight-or-flight response.

Case Example: Mr. R and Panic at Work

Mr. R, a 32-year-old manager, would freeze during presentations, his heart racing. He started carrying a small water bottle and practiced cold splashes before meetings. He also used paced breathing during slides. These simple TIPP tricks lowered his anxiety enough for him to present confidently.

🗝️ Key Takeaway

• STOP = a mental brake before reacting.

• TIPP = a physical reset to cool down strong emotions.

Together, they are like an emergency toolkit for handling overwhelming moments—without saying or doing things you’ll regret later.

✨ About the Author

I’m Dr. Srinivas Rajkumar T., MD (AIIMS, New Delhi), DNB, MBA (BITS, Pilani), Consultant Psychiatrist.

📍 Apollo Clinic, Velachery, Chennai
📍 Kumar’s Healthcare, Chromepet

My areas of interest include:

• DBT and CBT for emotional regulation

• Addiction and de-addiction care

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ADHD, Autism, Behavioural Issues)

• Geriatric Psychiatry (Dementia, Depression, Memory Clinics)

📞 8595155808 for appointments

Through this series, my goal is to make therapy skills practical tools you can use in everyday life.