Thoughts on HALT
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 106
Thoughts on HALT
I was just doing a bit of introspection and my mind lingered on the ever so helpful acronym HALT.
I just wrote it down on a sticky manoogie and stuck it on my dashboard. I need a reminder of the pitfalls.
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
I drink orange juice. I drink a LOT of orange juice. It really does help when you just need…something. I think sometimes when we just need…something we headed for the drink -- try OJ it might work for you to get over that urge.
I learned to take a lot of baths. Sometimes poaching in the tub is good way to relax and reflect. I got some Lavender essential oil at the grocery store and add some to the water. Its foofy I know, and Im not sure I'd admit I do it to my friends and co workers
but it works.
What are some of the things that you do to help yourself when you recognize you're having a HALT moment?
I just wrote it down on a sticky manoogie and stuck it on my dashboard. I need a reminder of the pitfalls.
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
I drink orange juice. I drink a LOT of orange juice. It really does help when you just need…something. I think sometimes when we just need…something we headed for the drink -- try OJ it might work for you to get over that urge.
I learned to take a lot of baths. Sometimes poaching in the tub is good way to relax and reflect. I got some Lavender essential oil at the grocery store and add some to the water. Its foofy I know, and Im not sure I'd admit I do it to my friends and co workers
but it works.What are some of the things that you do to help yourself when you recognize you're having a HALT moment?
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
I like your turn of phrase.
"manoogie" - I've never heard that.
"Poaching in the tub"
Lavender is foofy.
I slept when I could. Early days I rarely slept through the night, so there were a lot of naps. I always had Dove's dark chocolate with me - always. A cup of hot cocoa and some toast would put me back to sleep at 3AM in those early days.
Now, I stay on a food schedule so hunger doesn't happen.
The loneliness part - I still have that on occasion. I'm pretty much on my own most of the time. I don't see it as a handicap, though.
Angry - well, there's the Serenity Prayer for that. I had it on a loop in my head for a couple months in the beginning and I still say it a few times a day. It cannot be worn out.
"manoogie" - I've never heard that.
"Poaching in the tub"
Lavender is foofy.
I slept when I could. Early days I rarely slept through the night, so there were a lot of naps. I always had Dove's dark chocolate with me - always. A cup of hot cocoa and some toast would put me back to sleep at 3AM in those early days.
Now, I stay on a food schedule so hunger doesn't happen.
The loneliness part - I still have that on occasion. I'm pretty much on my own most of the time. I don't see it as a handicap, though.
Angry - well, there's the Serenity Prayer for that. I had it on a loop in my head for a couple months in the beginning and I still say it a few times a day. It cannot be worn out.
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
Anger is a big one for me. Not so much the justified anger, like when someone is rude or mean to you, but the slow, lingering, sometimes unprovoked anger that I hang onto and will turn into resentment.
I just take some deep breaths, try to identify what I'm REALLY angry at, and either decide to communicate that anger or work to dispell it.
I just take some deep breaths, try to identify what I'm REALLY angry at, and either decide to communicate that anger or work to dispell it.
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
Hungry, lonely and tired I simply address with nourishment, calls/visits to others and rest.
Angry is another thing all together for me. Dealing with this in a sober manner I am still learning. I have come to recognize my highly sensitive nature - so a slight I still perseverate on for too long. It's better, but not perfect!
I have been able it seems to handle "flash" anger - cut off in traffic, jerk at the store, son talking in a belligerent manner etc, easily. Just calmly deal with these.
But the slight! Why did they not wave to me, I know they saw me? Why didn't the guy shake my hand - what did I do to them? These bother me for awhile! Oh my gosh = no one hit Thanks on my SR post !!! (haaaaaaa !) Not as bad as a month back, but still.......
Angry is another thing all together for me. Dealing with this in a sober manner I am still learning. I have come to recognize my highly sensitive nature - so a slight I still perseverate on for too long. It's better, but not perfect!
I have been able it seems to handle "flash" anger - cut off in traffic, jerk at the store, son talking in a belligerent manner etc, easily. Just calmly deal with these.
But the slight! Why did they not wave to me, I know they saw me? Why didn't the guy shake my hand - what did I do to them? These bother me for awhile! Oh my gosh = no one hit Thanks on my SR post !!! (haaaaaaa !) Not as bad as a month back, but still.......
Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 8,076
If I'm tired I take a small nap if possible. Also trying to get nutritious meals in me along with healthy snacks. If I'm angry or lonely long walks seem to help. Listening to music seems to help with lonely too.
Lonely is the hardest for me. Guess I'm just trying to become comfortable with me. Slowly I'm finding that I am a good person.
Lonely is the hardest for me. Guess I'm just trying to become comfortable with me. Slowly I'm finding that I am a good person.
Guest
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: The Deep South
Posts: 14,636
Over the past year and a half, I've come to realize I'm usually going to be experiencing at least one of those four (HALT) at any given point in time It's not like I can fend them all off, and achieve a state of bliss.
Early on, the Hungry and Tired ones were very, very important for me to pay attention to and take care of. Eating when hungry and resting/sleeping when tired were crucial, and pretty much still are. I'd go into crazy mode pretty quickly if I went more than four or five hours without food, and wouldn't be able to function well on less than 6-8 hours of sleep. In fact, there were many days I slept more than 8 hours once my sleep cycle regulated.
The Anger and Loneliness ones were altogether different and approached differently... I'm by nature an introvert, and curious about the world in general so I rarely ever find myself bored or significantly lonely. I'm married and have 2 dogs and 4 cats, so there again... rarely bored or lonely! I'd actually prefer MORE time alone most days. The anger one is a tough one. I've longstanding resentments that I'm still working through pertaining to my family-of-origin issues. It's going to be a lifetime thing, a work in progress, I'm thinking. Letting go of blame, expectations, anger... and embracing acceptance and forgiveness, for myself and for them. It's all kind of tightly wound and enmeshed, layers... As for new anger and resentments, well, I try and deal with those on a daily basis (AA style), and since I'm introspective naturally, find myself working through these things anyway, but letting go of them is definitely becoming much easier as I gain more time in sobriety. It's been quite a refreshing experience to realize just how much I do not control, just how much it's NOT my business what others think, and to realize I only have today (this moment)... it frees me up, reduces the psychic load
Sorry for being long-winded. The HALT is a great tool, and it's going to be something any of us, no matter how much time we have, can use as an anchor and mooring line.
One more thought: I try not to let them pile up... for example, not to get too hungry, too tired, or too angry... so keeping convenient food on hand, like boiled eggs, nuts, bananas... that knocks out the hunger quickly, and allowing me to only deal with one or two remaining.
It's not like I can fend them all off, and achieve a state of bliss. Early on, the Hungry and Tired ones were very, very important for me to pay attention to and take care of. Eating when hungry and resting/sleeping when tired were crucial, and pretty much still are. I'd go into crazy mode pretty quickly if I went more than four or five hours without food, and wouldn't be able to function well on less than 6-8 hours of sleep. In fact, there were many days I slept more than 8 hours once my sleep cycle regulated.
The Anger and Loneliness ones were altogether different and approached differently... I'm by nature an introvert, and curious about the world in general so I rarely ever find myself bored or significantly lonely. I'm married and have 2 dogs and 4 cats, so there again... rarely bored or lonely! I'd actually prefer MORE time alone most days. The anger one is a tough one. I've longstanding resentments that I'm still working through pertaining to my family-of-origin issues. It's going to be a lifetime thing, a work in progress, I'm thinking. Letting go of blame, expectations, anger... and embracing acceptance and forgiveness, for myself and for them. It's all kind of tightly wound and enmeshed, layers... As for new anger and resentments, well, I try and deal with those on a daily basis (AA style), and since I'm introspective naturally, find myself working through these things anyway, but letting go of them is definitely becoming much easier as I gain more time in sobriety. It's been quite a refreshing experience to realize just how much I do not control, just how much it's NOT my business what others think, and to realize I only have today (this moment)... it frees me up, reduces the psychic load
Sorry for being long-winded. The HALT is a great tool, and it's going to be something any of us, no matter how much time we have, can use as an anchor and mooring line.
One more thought: I try not to let them pile up... for example, not to get too hungry, too tired, or too angry... so keeping convenient food on hand, like boiled eggs, nuts, bananas... that knocks out the hunger quickly, and allowing me to only deal with one or two remaining.
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