ACCEPTS Distraction Skills: Seven Healthy Ways to Ride Out a Painful Urge
Seven healthy ways to distract yourself from an urge or a painful emotion until the wave passes and you can think clearly again.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
About this tool
ACCEPTS is a set of distraction skills from the distress tolerance module of dialectical behavior therapy. Distraction sometimes gets a bad name, but used skillfully it is a healthy way to get through a painful moment you cannot fix right now, without turning to something harmful like self-injury, substances, or lashing out.
The idea is simple: when an emotion or urge is at its peak, it will not stay there. Most urges crest and fall within minutes if you do not act on them. ACCEPTS gives you concrete ways to occupy your attention so the wave can pass on its own, buying you time until you can either solve the problem or use another skill.
ACCEPTS stands for Activities, Contributing, Comparisons, Emotions, Pushing away, Thoughts, and Sensations. It pairs well with the other distress tolerance skills. Use the faster body-based skills like TIPP when emotion is at a crisis level, and ACCEPTS when you have a bit more room and just need to get through the next stretch of time.
ACCEPTS comes from the distress tolerance module that psychologist Marsha Linehan built into dialectical behavior therapy, originally for people with chronic suicidal urges and borderline personality disorder who needed a way to survive intense emotion without acting on self-destructive impulses (Linehan, DBT Skills Training Manual). Clinicians now teach the same skills far more broadly, to anyone who needs to get through a spike in anger, panic, grief, or a craving without making the moment worse.
Because ACCEPTS is a menu rather than a sequence, you do not need to work through all seven categories every time. Notice which ones you already reach for without thinking, and deliberately practice the categories you rarely use, so you have more than one option ready the next time a strong urge or emotion hits. Pairing this list with the Urge Surfing worksheet can help if cravings are part of what you are riding out.
ACCEPTS buys you time, but it does not resolve whatever caused the distress in the first place. Once the peak has passed, come back to the problem, use a problem-solving skill, or practice radical acceptance if nothing can be changed right now. If distraction becomes your only response to every difficult feeling, or urges to self-harm keep returning, that pattern is worth bringing to a licensed therapist. You can search our directory at /therapist/.
References
- Linehan MM. DBT Skills Training Manual. 2nd ed. Guilford Press; 2015.
- Linehan MM. DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets. 2nd ed. Guilford Press; 2015.
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 14). ACCEPTS Distraction Skills. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tools/accepts-skills
ACCEPTS Distraction Skills FAQ
What does ACCEPTS stand for?
Activities, Contributing, Comparisons, Emotions, Pushing away, Thoughts, and Sensations. They are seven DBT distraction skills for getting through a painful moment without making it worse.
Isn't distraction just avoidance?
Not when used skillfully. ACCEPTS is deliberate, time-limited distraction to ride out a peak in distress, after which you return to solving the problem or accepting it. Avoidance is escaping a problem indefinitely.
When should I use ACCEPTS instead of TIPP?
Use TIPP when emotion is at a crisis level and you need fast physical relief. Use ACCEPTS when you have a little more room and simply need to get through the next stretch of time until the urge fades.
Is the ACCEPTS skills worksheet free to download?
Yes. The worksheet and printable PDF are free, with no account or sign-up required. Everything you type into the tool stays in your browser and is not uploaded or stored anywhere.
Does ACCEPTS help with cravings or substance urges?
Yes. ACCEPTS is one of the core DBT distress tolerance skills used to ride out a craving without acting on it, and it pairs well with the Urge Surfing worksheet, which focuses specifically on the rise and fall of a craving over time.