How Online Counseling Can Help with H.A.L.T.
Defining H.A.L.T. and Its Effects
Those who have ever been through recovery are likely familiar with the acronym H.A.L.T. Short for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, H.A.L.T. represents the fact that when someone’s emotions and basic needs aren’t met, that person is more vulnerable to a relapse. By protecting oneself as much as possible against H.A.L.T., a person in recovery has a better chance of success.
When Relapse Happens
Counselors have found that relapse can come in a variety of forms. An alcoholic may not necessarily turn to alcohol in response to feeling hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. Instead, the relapse may take the form of overeating, sex addiction, or some other form of unmoderated behavior.
Unfortunately, nobody can permanently avoid feeling hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. At least one of these emotions will likely affect everyone on a regular basis. But through counseling, recovering addicts can learn to not only recognize the symptoms of H.A.L.T. for what they are, but also learn to face them in a healthy manner.
Online Counseling for H.A.L.T.
Because these challenges are so common, many patients find that they are unable to rush to therapy every time they experience one of them. In this situation, online counseling can be an invaluable option. Patients can schedule sessions from the comfort of a home or office and talk through what they’re experiencing in order to learn to more effectively cope.
With hunger, it’s important to note that a patient may not simply be hungry for food. While food is certainly an important source of sustenance, many patients in recovery may experience a hunger for love, attention, acceptance, or another emotional need. An online counselor can help patients identify resources they have available to fulfill that hunger in order to avoid it being misdirected toward unhealthy behavior.
Accepting Anger and Rejecting Isolation
Anger can be tricky for many counselors, who find that sometimes the emotion can lead to destructive behavior. For patients experiencing anger, online counselors can help them recognize and moderate those feelings using such techniques as timeouts and physical activity. Simply speaking to an online counselor can help a person work through those feelings and calm down enough to feel grounded once again.
Contrary to popular perception, loneliness doesn’t refer to simply having no one around. With loneliness, counselors often find that someone has difficulty reaching out to others to help counteract the feeling. Instead, recovering patients may turn to unhealthy behaviors to fill that void. Online counselors can help get to the root of a person’s chosen isolation, often tracing it all the way back to childhood. Only through working with a counselor personally can a person often find a way to eradicate loneliness and begin to form healthy relationships.
Since everyone today is overworked and under-rested, tiredness is a real problem recovering addicts often face. An online counselor can help patients find new ways to cope with those feelings of being overwhelmed, as well as teaching how to say “no” to avoid becoming overloaded.
H.A.L.T. can be a challenge for anyone coping with recovery. Online counseling has proven a helpful solution for those hoping to face those obstacles and overcome them. If you’d like more information or a free consult, contact Counseling On Demand.
