HALT — Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
Not metaphorically. Literally. When blood sugar drops, impulse control weakens. Eating regularly is part of recovery — not a minor detail.
HALT stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired — four basic human states that lower every psychological defence and make an addict most vulnerable to returning to substance use.
H — Hungry
Not metaphorically. Literally. When blood sugar drops, impulse control weakens. Eating regularly is part of recovery — not a minor detail.
A — Angry
Unprocessed anger in the body without expression. When it cannot be expressed cleanly, it accumulates — and in recovery, that pressure finding release is one of the highest-risk moments.
L — Lonely
Disconnected from the tribe. Isolated. The antidote is contact: reaching out, showing up, being with people who know you.
T — Tired
Exhaustion strips away the capacity for good decisions. Fatigue is one of the most underestimated relapse risks.
Using HALT
When the urge arrives — pause. Check: Am I hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? Address the state first. The urge very often passes once the basic need is met.
Book a consultation with Philippe Jacquet — psychotherapist and Jungian analyst, London.