HALT for Self-Care

Sometimes everything feels wrong and there is no obvious reason. It can feel like overwhelm or just a general feeling of gloom. In those moments, when it can be really hard to figure out what to do to get through that "icky" feeling, the HALT method can help identify and address the source of the negative feeling.

HALT is an acronym that stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. It is a self-diagnostic tool that originated within the drug and alcohol recovery communities. By focusing on these four basic areas, the HALT method acknowledges that "a large part of what triggers negative emotions and reactivity has to do with simple aspects of self-care and self-awareness that can be corrected rather quickly, or at least prepared and accounted for." Think about it. What happens when you're hungry, angry, lonely, or tired?

• What is your decision-making like?
  Hunger can lead us to make bad, impulsive decisions. Lower than usual blood glucose (blood sugar) can affect how we think, feel and therefore make decisions.

• Are you able to prioritize based on big-picture long-term goals or are you drawn to quick easy fixes?
  Anger makes us disregard things that aren’t related to whatever is fueling the anger. Loneliness can also lead to feelings of depression and anxiety, which can lead to making decisions that do not serve our best interests.

• Do you find yourself making avoidable mistakes?
  Fatigue can make us prone to costly errors.

These are all very common consequences of feeling hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. We are all more likely to behave negatively or react impulsively in those states.

To avoid negative outcomes, the HALT method invites you to check in with yourself and regulate your emotions by asking yourself things like:

• Have I had enough to eat today?

• Should I talk to someone about how I’m feeling?

• Did I get enough sleep?