H.A.L.T.

[918gma]

You hear about these acronyms all the time. It seems that at certain points in our recovery they begin to take on new meaning.

HALT; Hungry, angry, lonely, tired.
This one always seemed easy enough. But I got to thinking about it after a meeting about just this acronym, and I saw it in a whole new light.

Hungry, simple enough right, grab a sandwich, and a glass of milk. Just make sure you don't pour whiskey in it before you drink. But what if you looked at it another way. What would you do if your soul was hungry, or your mind. Wouldn't that be just as dangerous to our sobriety. Both need to be fed regularly.

Angry. This is my own personal demon. It sneaks up on me without a moments notice. I start lashing out at what ever is out there in front of me. It took a man with many years of dealing with the same issue to point out to me that more often than not, I'm not even mad at the person that I am yelling at. I have had to take many looks into this aspect of me. Where does my anger come from. What triggers it. why, when. What do I do about heading it off before it hurts some one else. Meditation seems to be my answer. Conscious contact with myself and my higher power to sort out the things I don't understand about me. There is no one around that knows me better that HP and me.

Lonely, Another tricky emotion. I could never understand. How can a woman that has wonderful people in her life be lonely. What is it I am missing. Why is there an empty hole that nothing seems to fit into. Again it's that conscious contact. This program teaches me that I can have a Hp of my own choosing, but I have to choose. I can't just accept the concept and move forward. We have to ask ourselves what is my Hp. What do I need from him, and what does he need from me. I have to take action to get to know the entity that is saving my bacon. I also have to consciously reach out and give myself to others in the spirit of service. It's by letting others into my life and me into theirs that the hole becomes full.

Tired, I have done it again. I have taken on too much for myself with out asking for the strength to do it. With out using the suport system this program has given me. I'm running my own show, instead of reading the script and following instructions. Fighting each day instead of using positive energy and walking through it.

I don't know if this will help any one else but me, but it sure has cleared some things up, Thank you

[Sam]

Thanks for this 918 - always good to reminded of the HALTs... I have always found Anger the most difficult to avoid, recover from etc etc.

In early days particularly I found H, L and T easy to address - simplistically that is
- Hungry = Eat
- Lonely = Go to meetings (easy in the city in which I live as there are hundreds per week) or pick up the phone
- Tired = no real solution but certainly be consoled that "No one ever died from lack of sleep" (may not be true but was helpful)

As far as Angry - when I feel angry I am powerless over stopping it (pretty much) but I was taught ways to not react to it. The most obvious being the Serenity Prayer (and for the non-believers just think of it as counting from 1 to 10 and do it anyway!), Third step prayer, walk (or run) away - not avoid completely - just put it on hold.

Of course, as you say, with time and days these all take on new meanings.

Where does my anger come from. What triggers it. why, when.

I was told, and I have discussed this with people inside and outside the fellowship, that anger is the manisfestation of FEAR. I still find this the most simple and, for me, the most applicable explanation for my Anger. I think I first heard this doing my fourth and fifth steps.

And I guess it's by no coincidence that there is some emphasis placed on the word fear in the fourth step guide in the big book

Notice that the word "fear" is bracketed alongside the difficulties with Mr. Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer, and the wife. This short word somehow touches about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve.

Easily said - so what do I do about it.... formal or informal, short or quick fourth steps....

Every time I'm angry I can usually find a "I am resentful at ..." somewhere in there.

So in theory, I should do a mini 4th step whenever I feel angry.

That's the theory - but try telling me that when I'm right in there enjoying every moment of my righteous indignation (a dubious luxury I still cannot afford but constanly flirt with)!!!

[918gma]

It's good to hear others have some of the same problems I strugle with. Thank you for sharing