Description
Opposite action is a technique used in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to manage difficult emotions. It is to act or think in a way that is opposite to the emotion you are feeling.
Possible Benefits
- May improve mood
- May improve stress tolerance
- Can help strengthen self-control
- Can help avoid impulsive actions
- Can help reduce anxiety
Required Equipment
None
How to Do It
- Identify the emotion you're feeling.
- Avoid acting impulsively.
- Do the opposite of what the emotion "tells" you.
- For example, if you are sad, instead of being passive and isolated, stay active and with other people.
- If you are angry, instead of "attacking" other people, try to listen to them and come to an agreement.
Why it works
- Every emotion makes us act in certain ways, and have certain thoughts. Sometimes this becomes problematic and causes us to act impulsively. This has a negative impact on our mood.
- Opposite action promotes self-control. It makes us act against our instinctive reactions. This develops our discipline and willpower.
- By not acting impulsively, we learn to recognize that sometimes we must be patient and wait for emotions to fade away.
Time Commitment
10-30 minutes
Suggested Frequency
2-3 times per week
As needed.
Time of Day
Any
Possible Side Effects
At first, it can cause frustration, because it is difficult to resist the impulses.
If you have a mental disorder, it's best to consult a professional.
Tips
- To get the best results, it can be combined with value reflection. Reflecting on your values will help you know when it is best for you to use the opposite action.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) has proven to be one of the most effective solutions to emotional problems [4].
- Practice identifying your emotions first to get better results.
Supporting Studies and Articles
Expand Collapse- Opposite Action Skill. https://dbt.tools/emotional_regulation/opposite-action.php
- Combining emotion regulation and mindfulness skills for preventing depression relapse: a randomized-controlled study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5497384/
- Emotion Regulation Therapy: A Mechanism-Targeted Treatment for Disorders of Distress. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5292405/
- The Longitudinal Effect of Emotion Regulation Strategies on Anxiety Levels in Children and Adolescents. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6237658/
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy. https://depts.washington.edu/uwbrtc/about-us/dialectical-behavior-therapy/
- How Do Negative Emotions Impair Self-Control? A Neural Model of Negative Urgency. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4851933/
- Cognitive Neuroscience of Self-Regulation Failure. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3062191/
