This tool uses the DBT biosocial model to help you understand the patterns behind your emotional reactions. It is not a diagnosis — it is a framework for self-understanding.
This is a reflective tool based on Linehan's biosocial theory of emotion dysregulation. It is not a clinical assessment and cannot diagnose any condition. If you are struggling, please speak to a mental health professional.
Emotional sensitivity
I feel emotions more intensely than people around me seem to.
I notice emotional changes in situations before others do.
Small things affect me in ways others find hard to understand.
Once I'm upset, it takes a long time to calm back down.
My emotional reactions feel physical — in my chest, stomach, throat.
Your environment growing up
Growing up, I was told I was too sensitive or overreacting.
My emotions were ignored or dismissed by people close to me.
I learned early on that showing how I felt caused problems.
I often felt like nobody understood why I reacted the way I did.
I taught myself to hide what I was feeling.
Current patterns
This same emotional reaction has happened in similar situations before.
I tend to judge myself harshly for having this feeling.
When this emotion comes up, I feel an urgent need to do something immediately.
I worry that if I don't show this emotion strongly, others won't take me seriously or something important will go wrong.
In these moments I feel like I have no control over my emotions.
This tool is based on Linehan's DBT biosocial model and is for self-reflection only.
It is not a clinical assessment and cannot diagnose any condition. If you are in crisis, please visit our Crisis Survival Skills page or contact a mental health professional.