How To Use 'HALT' For Better Mental Health From a Seattle Anxiety Therapist

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Would you like a tool that helps you identify your current state and needs? Bring in helpful acronyms! Understanding what is going on for you at any moment is so important! Once you accurately know what’s going on for you in that moment, you can take proper actions to take care of yourself. HALT is a helpful acronym to teach yourself and people of any age to check in using a structured method. In the following blog, I’ll teach you the components of HALT and ways you can increase self-care when acknowledging your needs. 

What’s ‘HALT’?

Are you stressed? Feeling anxious? Super sad? Do you have a stomachache? Low energy?

The acronym HALT can help you check in with your mind and body.

H: Hungry

Eating regularly throughout the day can help manage your mood by keeping your blood sugar steady. Some people over or under eat when they’re stressed. Your relationship with food can indicate to you how you’re feeling. It can be helpful to know your tendencies both related to appetite and mood. Plan ahead, pack a snack, and avoid irritability (h-anger).

A: Angry

Anger is a natural human emotion. I like to think about emotion as a flag to give you information as to what is going on for you. If you notice you’re feeling angry, that’s important information! Where is it coming from? Is a need being unmet? Or did something happen that you find unjust? Is there a boundary that needs to be set? Anger can be a clue that something needs to change and can encourage you to hone in on what action to take next.

L: Lonely

Humans are wired for connection, however when we feel threatened, we tend more towards protection. It is your nervous system’s job to keep you safe but sometimes that tendency can lead you so far into ‘protection’ mode that you isolate and become lonely. Being alone and loneliness are two different experiences. You can be around other people and still feel loneliness and you can be alone and not feel lonely.

T: Tired

Sleep and rest are so important when it comes to regulating your emotions. It’s important to get at least four hours of continuous sleep in order that your body can complete a full sleep cycle. Sleep is the time your mind and body ‘reset’ and if it doesn’t get that time, it’s not fully equipped with the necessary tools to face life stressors. A lack of sleep changes your hormones, levels of impulsivity and alertness. This can lead to a host of other problems including getting in arguments, being accident prone, and physical injury to name a few.

How to Use ‘HALT’ To Improve Your Mental Health

Knowing what’s going on in your mind and body is just the beginning to taking care of yourself. Then you need to act. Using HALT, you can determine the best way to intervene for improved self-care.

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Hunger:

Building intuitive awareness of your appetite can help you eat before you get over hungry. Understanding the role hunger plays in your life can improve your mental health. Many people have challenging and complex relationships to food which are important to address in your overall health and wellbeing. It’s not uncommon for people who have mood and anxiety disorders, people with depression, anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, people who are neuro-diverse, people with sensory challenges or relational concerns to have challenging relationships with eating and food. Medications and other health conditions can also impact hunger and your relationship with food. Consider working with a Health at Every Size Informed Nutritionist, your therapist, and doctor to see how modifying your food intake can support your overall wellbeing.

Anger:

Like I mentioned before, anger is a natural human emotion, it isn’t inherently a bad thing. It can be extremely useful and point out problems that need addressing. Once you recognize a feeling of anger, inquire more about it with gentleness and curiosity within yourself. Sometimes anger can be a secondary emotion because of another underlying emotion, and sometimes it’s just anger. Don’t ignore this emotional ‘flag’ and decide how you want to address the thing/relationship/situation that’s leading to this emotion. The better you get at catching yourself at a ‘one’ on a scale of 1-10 of anger (10 being the highest), the better you’ll be able to calm yourself and be better in your relationships.

Lonely:

Loneliness is pervasive in the world today. You can feel lonely even without being alone. This is another emotion that I encourage you to examine in a gentle and curious way to see what actions is best to take next. Is it the case that you need to reach out to a friend or loved one? Maybe you need to get out in public for a while. Or do bigger issues need to be addressed like social anxiety, agoraphobia, etc? Are there attachment issues that need to be addressed due to past hurts? Does something in your relationship need to change? Consider both short- and long-term solutions if loneliness comes up a lot. Individual or relational therapy might be helpful depending on your current situation.

Tired:

Prioritize sleep for overall physical and mental health! Review your current sleep hygiene (I know, weird term). This refers to your bedtime routine and creating one that allows your body time to wind down and know it’s time for bed. Be mindful of screens, substances, light, noise, temperature, etc. Speak to your doctor if you find yourself being chronically tired as that could be a symptom of a bigger issue. Fatigue can also be a sign of other mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

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 Reach Out to Your Seattle Anxiety Therapist

Do you struggle identifying what’s going on for you? Do you struggle with self care, being present or being judgmental towards yourself? Are you unsure of what next steps to take? Life doesn’t have to be overwhelming and keep you stuck in inaction. Schedule a free consultation below and start building a life that gives you joy.

Chelsea Kramer is a Seattle Therapist who works with individual and families facing grief, anxiety and trauma, with special focus on medical challenges, reproductive health, and life transitions.

Learn more about Chelsea’s specialties: grief, anxiety, infertility, pregnancy loss, chronic illness, menopause, medical trauma

Learn more about Chelsea

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