The TIPP Crisis Kit
A DBT Skill for Rapidly Calming a Crisis
What Is the TIPP Skill?
When you’re in the middle of an emotional crisis, it can feel like your mind and body have been hijacked. Your heart pounds, your thoughts race, and it’s impossible to think clearly. In these moments, you need a powerful, fast-acting tool to regain control.
Welcome to the interactive TIPP Skill toolkit.
This guide, based on a core component of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), is your emotional first-aid kit. It uses your body’s own biology to rapidly bring down the intensity of overwhelming emotions, giving you the space you need to cope effectively. TIPP is an acronym for a set of four distress tolerance techniques:
- T – Temperature: Using cold water to rapidly slow your heart rate.
- I – Intense Exercise: Burning off the body’s fight-or-flight energy.
- P – Paced Breathing: Manually slowing your breathing to calm your nervous system.
- P – Paired Muscle Relaxation: Releasing the physical tension held in your body.
The goal of the TIPP skill isn’t to solve the problem that caused the crisis, but to stop the “emotional fire” from spreading. It brings you from a 10/10 intensity level down to a more manageable level, so you can think again.
When Should I Use This Tool?
The TIPP skill is designed for high-distress, crisis moments. It is most effective when you experience:
- The overwhelming physical symptoms of an anxiety or panic attack.
- Intense urges to engage in impulsive or self-destructive behaviors.
- A feeling of being “flooded” by anger, sadness, or fear.
- A sense of derealization or dissociation (feeling disconnected from reality or your body).
The Science Behind It: Why TIPP Works
This technique is powerful because it’s based on physiology, not just psychology.
The Temperature skill, for example, activates a biological phenomenon called the “mammalian dive reflex.” When cold water hits the nerves around your nose and eyes, your body instinctively slows its heart rate to conserve oxygen. This directly counteracts the racing heart of a panic attack.
Similarly, Intense Exercise burns off stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, while Paced Breathing and Paired Muscle Relaxation activate the parasympathetic nervous system—your body’s natural “brake” pedal that promotes rest and calm.
Important Safety Disclaimer & When to Seek Immediate Help
This tool is for educational and skill-building purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or therapy.
Using these skills is a sign of strength in managing your emotions. However, if you are in immediate danger, feeling suicidal, or believe you are having a medical emergency, please do one of the following immediately:
- Call your local emergency number (e.g., 911 in the US, 112 in Europe, or the specific number for your country).
- Go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
- Call a crisis hotline, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 in the US.
Your safety is the most important thing. Please reach out for professional help if you are in a crisis.
Further Reading & References
The TIPP skill is a well-established component of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. For more in-depth information, you can explore these high-quality resources:
- “What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?” – An overview from The Linehan Institute, founded by the creator of DBT, Marsha M. Linehan.
- “Distress Tolerance Skills” – A detailed academic resource on the principles behind these techniques.
- “Anxiety and Panic Attacks” – Information from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) on understanding these conditions.