One of the emotion focused DBT skills I am going to talk about is PLEASE.
This acronym is meant to help you remember to take care of your needs so that you are less vulnerable to things that can cause emotional crisis.
PL: treat PhysicaL illness. If you are not feeling well physically, research has shown this can affect you emotionally and mentally as well. Maybe taking care of your physical illness means setting reminders to take your medications, and schedule doctors appointments or anything else you need like that.
E: balance your Eating. Getting proper nutrition can be really critical to your mental health. This skill doesn't mean to go on a diet or anything super strict like that, but to make sure that you are getting proper nutrition. Even just making little changes can make a huge difference. Lacking certain vitamins can make a lot of mental health issues worse. Maybe for you this even means you start by getting a multivitamin!
A: avoid mind Altering substances. If mind altering substances, like alcohol, non prescribed drugs and even things like caffeine are making it harder to use your coping skills, then consider cutting back on them or not using them if possible.
S: get enough Sleep. We all know this is easier said than done! But an unhealthy sleep cycle can throw off so much. A lack of sleep can heighten emotions. Some tips include avoiding screentime for a half hour before bed, try to go to bed at the same time, try and make your bedroom a comforting place and ideal conditions for sleep whatever that means to you.
E: get regular Exercise. This is different for everyone! This doesn't mean you need to start weight lifting (though if you want to, by all means!) or running marathons. For some people, even adding a 30 minute walk to their day can make a huge difference. Maybe it's dancing around to music. There is a lot of research backing up the benefits of exercise on emotions, physical health and other things. Of course if you have certain physical limitations, then please check with your doctor before trying anything.
Yes, we all hate it when people say "have you tried exercise?" or "have you tried changing what you eat?" as a solution to our mental illnesses. It feels invalidating and dismissive. And no, doing these things isn't going to cure you but it can improve your symptoms and help you to use your coping mechanisms better.
Don't underestimate the benefits of taking care of your body. Even if doing these things can't cure you, not doing these things can certainly makes things harder for you. And you deserve things to be as easy as possible.
Read about other DBT skills here.
