Thursday, December 29, 2016

Halt, Who Goes There?


In recovery, we often talk about a concept called HALT. It's an acronym for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. The idea being that to stay clear of emotional danger or bad choices, you shouldn't let yourself get too hungry, too angry, too lonely, or too tired. Whenever you're feeling freaked out, or down, check yourself for these issues and then you'll know what to remedy to bring yourself back into balance. This seems like an idea that could help all you non-alcoholic/addict people out there too.

Hungry? You've had lots of practice solving this problem. Have a banana or break into that old, flattened out Lara bar you keep in your bag for emergencies just like this.

Angry? Anger isn't bad as a feeling it's only bad as an action. Do some weird jumping jacks in your cubicle or write out your feelings in long-hand, pen to paper.

Lonely? Call three people and ask how they're doing. Then listen to how they're doing.

Tired? Up your sleep game. If you're having a hard time falling asleep, Bob recommends this: "So you just blink your eyes super fast, as fast as you can while you count to 100. It makes your eyes super tired and they want to close and then you just fall asleep." I haven't tried this myself yet but the kid swears by it. Even a little disco nap would help a little.

If you find yourself wanting to flip off that guy in the Toyota Solara that cut you off in the fast lane or you're about to buy those suede boots you really can't afford because you're anxious - HALT it up.

Yes, I'm being sort of bossy but it's only because I love you guys.











6 comments:

  1. This is something to think about. I usually just react instead of thinking it through. I am so going to try Bob's idea. Smart kid!

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  2. Thanks. And my son just told me the same blink to sleep trick. They must be watching the same youtube channel. Lol.

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  3. This is so helpful and important. Thank you for sharing!! (And Happy New Year - a little early...)

    XO
    A.

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