Recognizing your risk states to positively cope and move forward.
Living a life in balance, recovery, self-respect, and wellness is attributed to the habits you create for yourself. The way you can move through your life in alignment is tied to how you check in with yourself and respond to your emotional, physical, and mental needs. Yet, many people struggle with where to start recognizing and evaluating how they are really feeling.
The key to maintaining a life of wellness is self-awareness; the ability to recognize needs, signs of distress, and misalignment of values lie at the heart of self-awareness. I like to deem these as “risk states” in which you are most susceptible to mental and physical health struggles, relapse, burnout, and relationship damage.
Many people do not know where to begin with checking in on their state of wellness. For those that do, many do not know how to move forward. Thus, we can incorporate the HALT Risk State acronym to assess oneself and determine how to improve life!
The word “HALT” stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. It is a combination of the four key stress factors that lead to suffering and can be a warning for you to stop what you are doing and think about how you are caring for yourself. True to its name implications, HALT provides a structure for you to stop and assess yourself.
Using the H.A.L.T. Method
H.A.L.T. is a guide for you to check in with yourself. You can do this periodically, hourly, or just when necessary.
Pausing and asking yourself if you are in a HALT zone is the first step. Ask yourself:
- Am I Hungry? When was the last time you ate? Have you been eating nutritious and adequate foods?
- Am I Angry? Is there something that is bothering me lately? Am I acting in response to a situation or taking time to reflect?
- Am I Lonely? When was the last time I felt connected to someone?
- Am I Tired? Have I been getting enough quality sleep?
The importance of the HALT method is that you really stop yourself and reflect on where you are at. Getting to the base of why you are acting, thinking, or feeling the way you are is crucial to responding to triggers properly.
How it Works
HALT uses two physical states (hungry and tired) and two emotional states (angry and lonely). The method creates a balance of checkpoints for you to use, ensuring you care for yourself both emotionally and physically. Overall wellness is a combination of physical and emotional health. When lacking in one, you move out of a thriving state and into a place of stress and imbalance.
By focusing on each area of HALT, you have an eye on your basic needs. When our basic needs are not met, we cannot adequately determine if we are in balance and flow. When hungry, angry, lonely, or tired we are susceptible to hurt, dysregulation, and emotional reactions. Thus, giving way to relapse, poor mental health, or damaged relationships.
When you recognize what your needs are, you can choose proper coping skills to move forward. Using coping strategies is integral to achieving recovery and true mental health.
How to Use H.A.L.T.
Hunger
How it Presents: Irritability, Anger, Nausea, Nutritional Deficiency, Hunger Pangs
How to Respond: Eat meals mindfully, prepare meals and snacks, eat an adequate amount of food (meals and snacks) throughout the day, and eat to satiety.
How it Works: Maintaining proper blood sugar keeps you in a regulated state so your mind can think and process your environment well. Without proper nutrition, your brain and body enter a stress state that makes you reactive to surroundings and triggers.
Anger
Anger is a destructive and uncomfortable emotion that has the power to take over your responses. While it is normal to feel angry, what we do with anger is what hurts ourselves and our relationships.
How it Presents: Reactiveness, bitter emotions, irritability, frustration with others, mental blocks
How to Respond: Stress management, meditation, prayer, pausing before responding, finding a moment to get space from the moment or situation, talking about it with a friend or trusted individual
How it Works: Getting space from your anger gives you the chance to regulate your emotion before acting in a way that does not align with your values. Tapping into self-management gives you more control over your reaction to heightened emotions, preserving your mental peace and your relationship with others.
Lonely
The feeling of loneliness is pervasive in the human mind and can arise whether we are around others or not. When we feel cut off from others, we begin to isolate and slip into a difficult headspace. Thus, leading to behaviors not aligned with values or influenced by negative inputs.
How it Presents: social isolation, empty feeling, loss or grief, a feeling of disconnect
How to Respond: call a friend or family member, go outside and do something you enjoy, create meaningful interactions each day, find a social group
How it Works: recognizing your need to be with other people and creating a meaningful positive interaction is integral to well-being. Humans thrive on a sense of purpose and we were created to be in community with one another. Address that you are feeling lonely, then take the steps necessary to move out of this.
Tired
Fatigue in the body and brain leaves us exposed to dysregulation similar to being hungry. Lack of sleep and proper rest worsens psychological and mental health conditions as your brain is not able to reset.
How it Presents: flares in mental illness (bipolar disorder, OCD, anxiety, depression, and mood disorders), exhaustion through the day, lack of drive or motivation
How to Respond: create a bedtime and waketime routine, set alarms that ensure adequate sleep, set boundaries with time and rest, and speak to a doctor about sleep medications.
How it Works: By setting boundaries around your sleep, you ensure that you are getting the rest you need to maintain regulation. Taking steps to get good sleep cares for your body and mind as both need sleep to reset and thrive.
Taking Time
Assessing your risk state using H.A.L.T. requires patience, self-awareness, and a willingness to introspect. The more you practice self-check-ins, the more natural it becomes! Once you recognize being in a H.A.L.T. state, utilize positive coping mechanisms to carry on.
By taking care of yourself, you can effectively manage your emotions, provide your body with the necessary nutrients, and fully participate in life. Prioritize self-improvement, safeguard your progress, and flourish in all aspects of your life.