
2 minute read
for easing distress QUICK T I P P s
Have you ever been in a situation where you need to maintain your professionalism and composure but you’re struggling to keep your emotions under control?
Perhaps you’re trying to manage an emergency with a patient, feeling swamped by another demand on your time, or dealing with a confrontational manager? We’ve all been there!
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While nothing can replace properly addressing the root cause of your distress, there are some techniques that can help you focus and regain control of the immediate situation.
Introducing TIPP.
What is T I P P ?
TIPP is a set of techniques that can help us manage overwhelming emotions. It’s commonly taught as part of distress tolerance.
These techniques can be used during a state of heightened arousal, such as panic, frustration, or intense sadness, to get our emotions under control.
In a professional practice, it is not always easy to keep a level, calm mind to make rational decisions, especially when things start to go wrong.
TIPP techniques can help you regain composure at work or at home. If you find them helpful, you can also teach them to a patient, a colleague, or friends and family.
T I P P stands for: Temperature
When we are emotionally overwhelmed, our heart rate increases and our body can start to feel uncomfortably hot. This can be countered by cooling down your body, for example:
■ splashing your face with cold water
■ taking a cold shower
■ holding an ice pack to your cheeks or the back of your neck for 20 seconds.
Intense exercise
It can be helpful to release some builtup energy by doing a short 15-minute cardio work-out, for example:
■ going for a brisk walk or jog around the block
■ doing star jumps or jumping rope
■ lifting weights.
Paced breathing
Slowing down your breathing can not only help to regain a sense of control, but also make you feel less stressed and your body more relaxed. An example of paced breathing you can follow is:
■ breathe in through the nose over four (4) seconds, then
■ breathe out through the mouth over six (6) seconds
■ repeat for 1-2 minutes.
C P D
Progressive muscle relaxation
The muscles in our body often tense up when we’re in a state of distress. Encouraging our body to relax can help with calming all the overwhelming emotions too. This is a simple relaxation exercise you can do even when you are sitting down:
■ starting at the top of your head, become aware of the muscles in your body
■ tighten them for five seconds, then relax
■ then gradually move down the body –to the face, the neck, and the shoulders
■ if you like, breathe in when you tense up the muscles and then relax them when you breathe out
■ don’t forget all parts of your body –the chest, stomach, back, arms and fingers, all the way down to your toes.
Using TIPP techniques can help you manage periods of emotional distress, but if you need support or advice on underlying workplace matters you believe are contributing to your distress you can contact QNMU Member Connect on 3099 3210 or 1800 177 273 (tollfree outside Brisbane) or email memberconnect@qnmu.org.au
1. Take a moment today to practice the Paced Breathing exercise. How do you feel?
2. You might also like to test the Progressive Muscle Relaxation technique so you know how to do it before you need to deploy it in a stressful situation.
Don’t forget to make note of your reflections for your record of CPD at www.qnmu.org.au/CPD
LATEST RESEARCH FROM THE NHMRC CENTRE FOR NURSING EXCELLENCE