HALT

HALT was an acronym created by a great mind in the counseling field….or maybe a mediocre mind. Honestly, I don’t know who came up with it. But I do know it can help people struggling with various issues. I was first introduced to it several years ago during a time I was personally struggling and thought it was a helpful tool. Recently, a client mentioned it and it’s helpfulness to her. Now, I have decided to share it with you all.

HALT stands for:

Hungry

Angry

Lonely

Tired

The HALT acronym can be used to evaluate what is triggering you wanting to engage in a certain behavior or triggering you to experience a particular emotional state. In particular, I have heard of it being applied to evaluating self injurious behaviors, eating disorder related behaviors, anxiety, and other overwhelming feelings. Basically, whenever you feel an unpleasant emotional state or feel tempted to engage in an unhealthy coping strategy, you ask yourself, “Am I feeling hungry, angry, lonely, or tired?”. By doing this, you are taking back control and seeing what you really need to feel safe and secure. 

What do you think about HALT? Are there any other acronyms you know that could be helpful for others to know about?