Our comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program features skills categorized into four major modules: Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, and Distress Tolerance. Distress Tolerance skills are strategies designed to help us survive emotional crises without engaging in behaviors that make the situation worse. These skills also teach us how to accept reality and the objective facts of the present moment when they are beyond our control and not what we want them to be.
Nestled within the Distress Tolerance module is a subset of skills specifically designed for dealing with addictions and addictive behaviors. This includes substance use, gambling, or any repetitive behaviors that a person finds difficult to resist despite negative consequences and their best efforts to stop.
Keep reading to learn more about the addiction crisis skill called “Alternate Rebellion,” which involves “rebelling” in creative, non-destructive ways rather than engaging in substance use or other unhelpful behaviors.
Rebellion and Effective Coping
What comes to mind when you think of the word “rebellion”? Perhaps you think of groups resisting authority, political uprisings, or someone intentionally violating social norms. If so, you’re on the right track!
The dictionary typically defines “rebellion” as:
1. An uprising or organized resistance against a government.
2. The action or process of resisting authority, control, or convention.
Sometimes, people engage in addictive behaviors as a form of rebellion—whether intentionally or subconsciously. When that behavior becomes destructive or interferes with your life, practicing Alternate Rebellion can satisfy the urge to rebel without destroying your progress or blocking your goals. Ultimately, Alternate Rebellion means finding a rebellious yet non-destructive behavior to use in place of the addiction.
How to Practice Alternate Rebellion
This skill is about rebelling effectively. It honors the desire to rebel in a creative way instead of suppressing it, judging it, or mindlessly giving in to an urge.
Alternate Rebellion isn’t necessarily about picketing or overtly defying authority. It can include small, everyday acts that challenge established norms or expectations. This can range from adopting a unique fashion style to practicing non-conformity in your thoughts and actions.
There are many ways to practice this skill without engaging in dangerous or aggressive behavior. We can rebel in creative, individualized ways that satisfy this natural human desire. Below are just a few ideas to help you express that rebelliousness:
- Give an honest response instead of a polite, expected one.
- Speak out rather than staying quiet.
- Dress in a counter-cultural style (e.g., wear mismatched socks or bold patterns).
- Express unpopular opinions in a respectful but firm way.
- Change your appearance with bright hair dye, a tattoo, or a new piercing.
- Quit things that are not effective, even if others expect you to continue.
- Undermine dress codes: Dress up when casual attire is expected, or dress down when “dressing up” is the norm.
Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, reaching out to a professional is a powerful and effective step toward recovery.
About the Author:
Ashley Weber (she/her), M.A., LPCC-S, LICDC-CS is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor specializing in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Ashley generally works with adults 18 and older in a supportive, accepting, and non-judgmental manner to help individuals explore, identify, and begin to implement the kind of changes each individual person believes they need to live a more fulfilling life while providing new tools and skills along the way. Click here to learn more about Ashley’s experience and therapeutic approach.