How the Halt Acronym Can Help You Manage Your Mental Health

Have you ever had one of those days where you knew you weren't feeling your best? A day you felt worked up, frustrated, or running onLike this content on Facebook empty and you had no idea why. Everybody has those days and sometimes it leads people to do things they later regret. 

This is why therapists often recommend the HALT method to those who often deal with these bad days. By taking just a minute to HALT, you can drastically improve your mood and your day. 

In this post, we'll discuss what HALT means as well as how it can help you manage your mental health.

What Does ‘HALT’ Mean?

HALT is an acronym that traditionally stands for stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. However, the "A" can really refer to anxiety as much as anger. Therefore, HALT stands for Hungry, Angry/Anxious, Lonely, and Tired.

If we are not balanced in any of these areas, we become more prone to struggling with our mental health and overall well-being. For this reason, it's important for everyone to take a moment and think about how they are feeling in each of the 4 areas.

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‘H’ Is for ‘Hunger’

Many people say that they get 'hangry' but most people don't know that being 'hangry' is a real thing. Hunger actually does create an imbalance in the body that could lead to mood swings, poor decision-making abilities, and lower impulse control due to your blood sugar level dropping. .

When you're hungry, having a headache, poor concentration levels, and becoming irritable are all normal. This is because when you're hungry, your brain releases certain chemicals that interfere with the production of a feel-good chemical called serotonin. 

‘A’ Is for ‘Anger’ or "Anxious"

When we're anxious or angry it is not easy to think rationally. We often make decisions we regret and end up feeling ashamed when anger gets the best of us.

Anger can be good for you, but it can also go terribly wrong when not managed well. For this reason, it's important to figure out if anger or anxiety is the thing that has you all worked up today.

‘L’ Is for ‘Loneliness’

There are times in everyone's lives when they feel lonely. Even with tons of friends and family around you, it is entirely possible to feel lonely in the midst of it.

Moreover, modern technology has made it possible for people to connect digitally without ever connecting emotionally. This makes the feeling of loneliness even greater and can lead to isolation and depression.

‘T’ Is for ‘Tiredness’

Just as "hangry" is used to describe someone who is moody because they are hungry; "slangry" can be used to describe a person who is grumpy after a bad night's sleep. Feeling tired can lead to many mental health problems. When we are mentally and emotionally tired, it can truly affect our day-to-day lives.

What's more, is that tiredness can also lead to negative thinking patterns and interactions. Prioritizing rest and trying to decrease how tired you feel can work wonders for your health, both mentally and physically.

How to Use HALT to Overcome Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Illness

By knowing what's important for you and taking the steps needed to manage it, you can overcome anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. 

If we start to combat the basic stuff that gets the better of us, like HALT. Overcoming major things like depression becomes a whole lot easier. Here are a few ways to combat Hunger, Angry/Anxious, Loneliness, and Tiredness:

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Combat Hunger with Meal Planning

The best way to combat your hunger and keep it at bay is to have an organized meal plan and the tools to help you stay on track. Meal planning is probably one of the most simple ways of not falling prey to your hunger on any given day.

It helps you to plan your meals, grocery list, and your grocery shopping, so you will never run out of food. It also helps you to plan your workout routine, which will help you stay fit and healthy. Meal planning requires discipline and commitment and can be accomplished in several ways. 

Whether you plan for 3 days, 7 days, or 14 days a meal plan will always prove helpful. 

Combat Hunger with Healthy Snacks

When you're on the go, snacks are your best friend because healthy snacks can keep your blood sugar from getting too low. You can eat them in your car, on your break, on the train, or wherever you are. 

The problem is that most packaged snacks are filled with hidden sugars and unhealthy fats that are almost as bad for you as being hungry.

Here's a list of healthy snacks you can have on the go:

• Almonds

• Trail mix

• Hard-boiled eggs

• Apples

• Fruit

• Pretzels

• Carrot sticks

• Granola

• Cottage cheese

• Unsweetened yogurt

• Grapes

• Baby carrots

There are many other healthy snacks as well. Find what you like and always have them at hand so that you will be well-prepared when hunger strikes.

Combat Anger and Anxiety by Digging deeper

Anger and anxiety are natural emotions. They protects you, it gives you strength and it makes you feel in control.  But when you get too angry, you can easily lose control. You end up responding too quickly and then before you know it, you've said or done something you regret. 

You can control your anger by getting curious, not furious. Instead of instantly reacting, try digging deeper.  Ask yourself these questions: "What is this situation really about?" "What is my goal in this situation?" And most importantly, "How might I solve this problem differently?"

Combat Loneliness by Connecting with God

When we are feeling lonely, we often feel that no one cares for us or even notices us. We actually feel invisible. Friends, family, and even God seem distant, but He is not. 

God is never distant, He is always there and always ready to be with you. All you have to do is make the decision to connect with Him. Talk to Him every day,  study His word, worship Him, and watch your loneliness vanish as His presence fills your heart.

Combat Loneliness by Connecting with Others

As Christians, we are wired to do this. We strive to be a part of a group, a part of a family, and a part of a church. Yet, for some of us, loneliness still finds a way in.  We’re taught to be independent, or self-reliant, and we’ve become very good at it. But that doesn’t mean we don’t need each other.  

We don’t do well when we are disconnected.  We need each other.  We need to see each other.  We need to be around each other.  We need to be connected.

The good news is that being social is a learned skill. With some thought and effort, we can all learn to be more tolerant, attentive listeners. We can strengthen our friendships and family relationships plus learn to form more. Social media also has a real place in our lives. We can use it to connect with others and to get support. Just make sure that you’re not spending more time on social media than with people in person.

Combat Tiredness with Sleep Hygiene

We live in a busy, multi-tasking world where sleep often takes the back seat.  People prioritize work, play, and even social media over their body's need for sleep.

We may not always be able to control the circumstances in our lives that contribute to stress, but we can control the amount of sleep we get and the quality of the sleep we get.  Our bodies need a regular amount of sleep that is consistent from night to night.

According to the Sleep Foundation, adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night to feel refreshed and perform at their best each day.

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Combat Tiredness with Mediation

Meditation is the most effective way to combat tiredness. After a long day, there’s nothing better than sitting still for a few minutes to relax and let the world melt away. However, this is often hard to do because most people nowadays are too busy to meditate.

This is exactly why people are tired and why they need to meditate. Finding just a little time to meditate each day can help you feel much more energized and stress-free.

Combat Tiredness with Exercise

Exercise is one of the best ways to combat fatigue and give you a boost of energy. Try to get some exercise done at least 3 times a week. Even 3 short 10-minute sessions add up and will leave you feeling more energized in the long run.

What To Do You When Are Struggling With HALT

If you've been trying to manage your mental health using the HALT method and it doesn't seem to be working, consider seeking therapy or coaching.

A mental health professional will be able to dig deeper and help you understand why you feel the way you feel. Check out our database to find a Christian therapist in your area.

HALT Acronym PDF

If you need a HALT acronym PDF, you can download a print quality on the above HALT graphic in color here and black and white here.  

Final Thoughts on HALT

Remember, you can help protect yourself against many illnesses and mental health symptoms by proactively making sure you never get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.

So when you start to feel upset or 'off', take a moment to check in with yourself. Are you feeling hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? 

If so, take the steps you need to address those needs. HALTing for a minute will help you feel better and get back on track quickly and easily.  

Before you leave, we would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word by sharing, tweeting, pinning, etc. this post.

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About the Author: 

Corine Williams, Ph.D. is Clinical Psychologist that is currently seeing clients in the States of Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. You can find out more about her practice by visiting www.therapyforchristians.com/corinewilliams. In addition to providing individual therapy, Dr. Williams is also passionate about writing books and designing merchandise that educate, uplift, and normalize mental health subject in the Christian community. You can find out more about her at  www.booksbycorine.com or by visiting her amazon profile here:  https://www.amazon.com/Corine-Hyman/e/B00AWZ5FL2

Help us increase mental health awareness in the Christian community by donating through our paypal link here:  www.paypal.com/therapyforchristians, joining our mailing list by clicking below, or join our provider list here:  Provider listing

Disclaimer: the information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this article are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are looking for a Christian counselor near you, please check out our directory located here:  Christians Therapist Near Me