November 11, 2018

I have lately come across the Acronym HALT. A quick visit to www.acronymattic.com revealed that there are 25 different acronyms for HALT. Alcoholics Anonymous chat slang refers to HALT as: Hope, Acceptance, Love, Tolerance.

The meaning of HALT which caught my eye was Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired all of which can trigger a relapse. According to various statistics a large percentage of those who have arrested their drinking do suffer relapses. Let me say right here just because you suffer a relapse does not mean you cannot get back on track. So look at HALT.

HUNGRY: Yes, good nutrition is important. Are you eating properly? Come on, be good to yourself. If you are not sure what you need to eat check out the U.S. government food pyramid.
https://www.cnpp.usda.gov/FGP
ANGRY: Are you angry? Many of us are. Take a journal and make a list of what is making you angry. Do you feel you have been mistreated? What can you do to alleviate your anger? Is there a therapy group that you can join? Alcoholic Anonymous meetings lets you talk and express your feelings? If you have health insurance it may cover private therapy. A university near you may let you work with a therapist in training. Bottom line is – do something.
LONELY: Lonely is a bigee. Not all of us are social or good at making friends. Get yourself into a group. Belonging does not mean that you have to be overly social. If you have a hobby join an association – be it a sewing group, a book club, a volunteer group, or take a class at your local college. Is there a sport you favor? Join a group. Get out there.
TIRED: Tired is something we tend to ignore. How many hours of sleep do you get? A good night’s sleep gives you positive energy. What can you do to get proper sleep? Go to sleep with the TV off. Read something you like before you turn off the light. If you have sleepless issues you may want to see your physician.

The heart of the matter is to handle each one of these issues.