HALT and Anxiety.
How are these two words intertwined, you might ask?
Most of us struggle with anxiety at some level, almost every single day.
It could be anxiety at work, with your kids, in relationships, or regarding your health. There are many ways to manage anxiety with newer techniques being introduced daily. The approach I’m about to teach you comes down to remembering a simple word.
HALT.
Halt, you ask?
No, not the literal definition that means “stop.”
The acronym: H-A-L-T.
For as much as I research and discuss anxiety, I came across this acronym entirely by chance.
One day I was sitting on my couch typing up notes for work while haphazardly listening to a podcast in the background. The guest on the podcast began discussing anxiety and various coping mechanisms and self-care skills. At one point, the guest mentioned the acronym HALT, which stands for HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY, TIRED. The guest briefly spoke about chemical addiction and that HALT is used with patients in drug rehab, because they are more prone to relapse if they are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.
I found this fascinating, especially as it related to anxiety.
So I began doing some research and found using the acronym HALT is an excellent way to make sure you are balancing your life.
I dissected a few of the ways HALT can help you live a healthier life below.
THE MEANING OF EACH LETTER
First, let’s start by breaking down what each letter stands for and why it’s essential.
The H stands for hungry. Think about when you are hungry and how awful and agitated you tend to feel. There’s a reason – the effects of hunger hinder the production of serotonin, the feel-good chemical in our brains. This lack of serotonin, in turn, has an impact on our overall mood. The new slang, of course, is that we become “hangry” when we are hungry + angry, which brings us to our next letter.
The A stands for angry. When we are angry, we typically don’t do our best and most productive thinking. Anger can lead to irrational thinking, negative emotions, and doesn’t lend well to our overall mood. And making choices out of anger rarely turns out well, if ever.
The L stands for lonely. Sure, we can stay well connected in today’s era of technology and social media, but generally speaking, many people still feel isolated and alone. Loneliness can lead to catastrophizing, where we take a problem and automatically think of the worst case scenario. Loneliness can also lead to greater anxiety, something I’ve personally experienced many times while alone for long periods.
The T stands for Tired. Sleep is one of the greatest factors of both physical and emotional health. Lack of sleep can cause all sorts of mental and emotional issues, such as negative thinking patterns, and can cause us to be overly anxious and emotional.
HALT AND SNACKING
In this Mayo Clinic article on healthy snacking, the author mentions that when you are thinking about grabbing a snack, ask yourself the four questions:
Am I hungry? Angry? Lonely? Or Tired?
If you are snacking for any other reason than being hungry, you are eating for the wrong reasons.
You should strongly reconsider your options and instead practice activities such as taking a walk, deep breathing, or reading a book.
HALT AND SOCIAL MEDIA
This Psychology Today Article looks at applying HALT to social media use.
We live in a day and age of constant stimulation with phones, computers, and other electronic devices that can easily take our attention away from the here and now. This leaves us feeling robotic, programmed to check our phones and other devices obsessively. I am certainly guilty of this myself and have been alarmed to see how much time I spend on my phone (mostly social media) per day.
How do you break this obsessive trend to scroll social media continuously?
This author wonders if HALT can be one of the answers.
Are we more prone to checking our phones or engaging in mindless social media scrolling if we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired?
It’s certainly something to consider as you are going through your day. I’ve asked myself those questions when I felt the strong need to log on to one of my social media networks. Usually, I’ve found that many times the answer to one of the four was a big, fat YES.
HALT AND ANXIETY
The podcast I was listening to applied HALT to anxiety; something that I have struggled with for most of my life.
I was pleasantly surprised to find how well the HALT acronym has helped me stop an impending tsunami of severe anxiety.
When I feel a strong bout of anxiety and worry coming on, I’ll immediately ask myself if I’m hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? And if the answer is yes to at least one, I’ll make the appropriate adjustments. This could include eating, napping, calming myself down with breathing, getting out around people, etc.
The results are apparent and usually instantaneous – I feel much better.
IN REVIEW
- HALT is an acronym that stands for HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY, TIRED.
- The use of HALT is vital in overcoming addiction and has been incorporated into many recovery programs.
- HALT can be used for a variety of mental health ailments including anxiety.
- Next time you are feeling a wave of anxiety coming on, ask yourself, am I hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? Then make the appropriate adjustments.
Looking for an anxiety coach? Email me at brad@upplifter.com to schedule a free consultation.
Visit Upplifter for more information on personal development and dealing with anxiety.
Looking for an anxiety coach? Contact me at brad@upplifter.com for a free consultation!
Although we strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in the medical and health area for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any medical or health-related decisions. For your health-related questions, please seek the advice of a licensed physician or any other qualified health care provider immediately.
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