Mindful Breathing DBT Skill

Breathing. Seems simple enough right? Sadly, not always the case when you’re up against a stressful situation. Our brains can be a bit dramatic sometimes and it doesn’t take that much to tip your noodle into a tangle. The result? You might find yourself in “fight or flight” mode - that weird feeling that makes you want to either run away or punch something.

You might take faster or more shallow breaths, which can make anxiety feel way worse. Mindful Breathing is a handy tool that can help you reduce those nasty feelings and regulate your breathing.

Your step-by-step guide to Mindful Breathing

Get the most out of Mindful Breathing

WHAT

You probably don’t think much about breathing day to day - it comes naturally after all. But this DBT skill asks you to become more aware of how you’re breathing. Focusing on your in and out breaths helps to ground you in the present moment, pausing an anxious spiral before it can turn into a panic attack.

WHY

When your brain perceives a threat, whether that’s a stressful test coming up or something that you’re feeling anxious about, it can trigger a load of physical changes. One of those things is our breathing can become more frantic. By consciously slowing down each breath, you’re signalling to your brain that it isn’t in immediate danger.

WHERE

It might be easiest to master this tool in a quiet place, but once you’ve got it down, you’ll be able to turn to it whenever you need - that might be on a crowded train, during an awkward conversation, before a big exam, or in bed when you’re struggling to sleep. Basically, any time you feel a bit of a freak out coming on.