Most of us can probably remember an instance where we wish someone had intervened to stop us from doing something we later came to regret–those of us who are battling drug addiction certainly can. But what if you had that ability to be that mitigating force for yourself? It’s possible — no time travel or superpowers otherwise required. All it takes is remembering four simple letters known as the HALT acronym. It’s an easy trick that can save recovering addicts a lot of future headache, heartache, and strife, without needing to rely on others.
What does the H.A.L.T acronym stand for?
H.A.L.T. stands for hunger, anger, loneliness, and tiredness. These represent four states of being we find ourselves in when our basic needs are unmet. When they take hold, we may unwittingly engage in self-destructive behavior, which for someone in recovery, could mean the dangerous path to relapse.
Hunger
Hunger is an essential aspect of survival. Yet having a rumbly tummy isn’t just unpleasant, it’s a serious mood killer. Being “hangry” is a very real thing as hunger is linked to crankiness, irritability, and mood swings. Several changes go on in the body that affect the mood centers of the brain that turn our mood for the worse, increasing negativity and causing symptoms of depression and anxiety, while also impairing impulse control.
One potential cause is ghrelin, a hormone released when the stomach is empty (or perceives itself as empty) that signals the brain to rev up your appetite. Increased ghrelin levels have been shown to directly affect reward-seeking behavior and increase the need for immediate gratification–a pathway that also plays a role in the development of drug addiction.
Another reason why hunger can cause us to act in destructive ways is due to the release of cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone, which can be triggered by ghrelin. Once the stress response has been initiated, primal instinct takes over causing major shifts in focus, concentration, and emotional response regulation.
Anger
Anger is a normal human emotion, but it’s a powerful one that can override our brains and interfere with rational thought, a response known as an amygdala hijack. When this happens, the prefrontal cortex–the part of the brain that controls higher-level thinking, decision-making, and impulse control–takes a backseat, leaving us with a reduced ability to solve problems and make good decisions.
It’s easy to see why this is a particularly bad place for a person in recovery to find themselves. The feeling itself can be triggering and lead to relapse, but it can also overtake their desire to remain sober. Acts such as deep breathing or physically removing yourself from the cause of anger can help you regain control in the face of an extreme emotional response.
Loneliness
Humans are naturally social creatures and loneliness can be devastating to both our physical and mental health. For someone in recovery, loneliness can be especially detrimental because it’s often our relationships with others that serve as the main source of motivation and accountability.
Tiredness
It’s well documented that being tired is going to significantly affect your cognition and decision-making. Research has shown that being sleepy causes similar impairments to that of being drunk. Rational decisions aside, the threat that being sleepy can have on relapse is even more fundamental.
Fatigue affects the brain and can worsen mental health issues and more serious psychological disorders. Anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders can increase the likelihood of a person engaging in unhealthy behavior that increases the risk of relapse.
What is the H.A.L.T. method?
The H.A.L.T. method is an ongoing practice in self-awareness. Individuals are encouraged to scan themselves for an unmet need and recognize if it’s coloring how they are thinking or feeling. These informal check-ins can range in frequency from once a day to every hour.
It’s an easy tool for evaluating one’s physical and mental state and identifying the warning signs that something could be impairing their ability to make good decisions or react in productive ways. As important as it is to be able to recognize whether you’re hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, it’s perhaps more important to 1) understand why you feel that way (have you been skipping meals or perhaps ignoring phone calls from loved ones?) and 2) knowing how to deal with those stressors (like taking a short nap).
One of the most challenging states to deal with is loneliness. Not everyone has a supportive family or friend group they can turn to. If you find yourself struggling to connect with others, consider attending a 12-step group near you.
