HALT by Ella Dorsey
Have you ever experienced responding to someone in a snappy way without meaning to? That may be because you didn’t realize that you were hungry, angry, lonely or tired.
Practicing HALT can be very helpful to those who tend to respond aggressively, or anyone for that matter. HALT is an acronym that stands for hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.
The first HALT acronym is hungry. Of course, the most visible bodily symptom of not having enough food is hunger. Everyone is aware of the significance of eating wholesome meals on a regular basis, ideally in modest portions and frequently. I won't go into further detail about this here. However, hunger can also be a sign of emotional demands, such as a need for company, comfort, attention, or understanding.
It is critical that we surround ourselves with caring individuals who can provide us with their affection. These compassionate entities might exist for individuals in their social circles, spiritual communities, or other organizations they participate in.
The next HALT acronym, anger, may be a little more difficult for certain people because it is a little bit more complex. The good news is that getting angry is perfectly OK! The bad news is that most of us have never been taught healthy ways to let our emotions out.
Our angry outbursts frequently take really harmful shapes. We become angry with ourselves or with other people. Anger can take many forms, from physical aggression and name-calling to insulting and condemning. Anger can also resemble an endless looping tape; in this instance, it is referred to as resentment.
Lonely is the next word in the acronym HALT and it means isolating oneself. Hunger and this issue are comparable in that community is the answer. But loneliness highlights how hard it is to reach out. There are other possible reasons for this, including the use of seclusion as a coping mechanism during childhood or the presence of emotional or severe depression.
If loneliness seems to be a persistent or regular companion for you and you are unable to overcome it on your own, you could require expert assistance to examine the underlying causes.
Tired is the final acronym condition for HALT. Everyone occasionally has a tendency to overlook fatigue. I watched a video of an experiment a few years ago where participants were given alcohol or didn't get enough sleep and they found that physical fatigue may be just as common as alcohol use in the causes of road accidents. It's a dangerous illness that puts not just our health but also the health of others at risk. Napping or sleeping is, of course, the solution.
If you start practicing HALT, you might realize that it will help you respond to certain situations better!
Additional tools for when you may be in crisis:
U.S. Crisis Text Line: 741-741
Ohio Mobile Response and Stabilization Services: 1-888-418-MRSS (6777)