Coping skill · 1 min
Cold water reset
You're at a 10 and need to get to a 6, fast.
Do this
- Fill a bowl or sink with cold water, or grab an ice pack.
- Hold your breath and put your face in, or press the cold to your cheeks and eyes, for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Come up, breathe out slowly.
- Repeat up to three times.
Why it works
Strong feelings and urges rise, peak and fall, usually within minutes. A skill gives your body something to do while the wave passes, and each time you ride one out, the next one gets a little easier.