ACCEPTS
Distract yourself from distress in the short term.
Purpose
Helps you get through a crisis by shifting attention away from painful thoughts, emotions, or urges.
How to use it
1
Activities
Do something that occupies your attention.
2
Contributing
Do something helpful for someone else.
3
Comparisons
Compare this moment to a harder time you have survived, or to how things could be worse.
4
Emotions
Create a different emotion through music, videos, stories, or memories.
5
Pushing Away
Temporarily set the situation aside when you cannot solve it right now.
6
Thoughts
Fill your mind with neutral or absorbing thoughts.
7
Sensations
Use strong physical sensations to redirect attention safely.
Example
You are stuck ruminating after an argument. You go for a walk, listen to a podcast, and decide to revisit the issue later.
Try It Now
- Pick one safe activity you can do for five minutes.
- Put your attention fully into it.
- Reassess your emotion afterwards.
Tips
- ACCEPTS is not avoidance forever.
- It is a short-term survival skill.
- Use it when solving the problem is not possible right now.
Common pitfalls
- Using distraction to avoid important problems indefinitely.
- Choosing activities that create more problems.
- Expecting distraction to feel satisfying immediately.
When to use
Emotional crisis
Rumination
Strong urges
Waiting for emotion to pass
Feeling overwhelmed