There’s an acronym in addiction treatment that people use to prevent relapse, but I think it’s an acronym everyone should know. HALT. It stands for Hungry Angry Lonely Tired. And it’s used as a self check-in when one is dealing with an urge or a craving to drink or use. The point is to ask oneself at that moment, “What am I really feeling? And what major need is not being met right now?” If we address and tend to this need, it’s almost certain that the craving will go away, and we will also likely feel happier, more balanced, and more relaxed. A pretty good trade off.
There’s no reason why HALT-ing can’t be done in any type of situation when we feel the urge to do or say something that is likely to result in no good. And, the bonuses are that we’ll both get to know ourselves better by becoming tuned in to our needs, and we’ll probably avoid causing unnecessary damage to either ourselves, our loved ones, or even perfect strangers.
Did I remember to say it’s usually advisable to HALT before the no good happens? Probably good to take note of that part…