HALT: Four reasons you might be panicking (and what to do about it)

HALT is an acronym you can use to help remind you of four common reasons why you might be losing your emotional center and spinning out into panic.

HALT stands for…

Hungry
Angry 
Lonely
Tired

It can be very helpful to remember these four areas of your wellbeing if you start feeling overwhelmed. It may seem like an obvious truth, but sometimes you might forget that these four factors have a big impact on your emotional regulation and wellbeing. Recognizing and addressing when you feel hungry, angry, lonely and tired, can help you meet your needs and avoid potentially difficult emotions and panic.

Hungry

It’s no secret that your blood sugar and hunger levels have a big impact on your emotional state. When you are low on fuel, you have less energy to think through difficult situations and your brain can default to overwhelm and sometimes panic. Understanding the connection between what is in your stomach and what is going on in your mind can be a helpful reminder to check your hunger levels often and have a quick snack if you notice yourself starting to feel off.

Being “hangry” is a commonly understood phenomenon, and many people have had the experience of feeling a lot more calm and grounded after a good meal or even a small snack. If you feel yourself starting to get overwhelmed, ask yourself “when was the last time I ate?” Make it a top priority to get something in your stomach before allowing yourself to spin out into emotional dysregulation.

One important note here is that not all food is the same. Foods and drinks that are high in sugar or contain caffeine can actually increase your activation levels rather than having the desired effect of calming you down. Try instead reaching for simple and healthy snacks like a piece of fruit, nuts, or a protein bar.

Angry

Maybe you’ve heard of the term “seeing red” to describe what it’s like when you are angry. What this refers to is how when you are angry, everything in front of you is affected or tinted heavily by that anger. Understanding how anger might be impacting your perception of a situation and your emotional state can help you come up with better ways to navigate your emotions when anger arises.

With anger, it can be helpful to notice and separate the physical sensations of anger from the mental or thought component. You might notice there is something that happens in your physical body when you experience anger; many people describe it as a tension, heat, pressure, or agitation. If you can notice this physical experience and see it as separate from the thoughts you are having about what is making you angry, you can make the space to allow your physical body to calm down before making any decisions or taking action.

Being able to notice and calm your anger before you escalate can help keep you from spinning out into higher levels of activation. Before you start to panic, try to ask yourself if you are feeling anger, and if so try to make the space for your anger to dissipate before moving on with whatever you are doing at that moment.

Lonely

Humans are social creatures by nature. We all need social connection and intimacy in order to feel fulfilled in our lives. Social connection has the unique and powerful ability to make you feel grounded in your emotions and to withstand otherwise overwhelming experiences. Sharing with a friend or connecting with a lover is one of the most powerful ways to release your anxiety and help you feel calm and connected.

When you are alone, many emotions and sensations can be heightened, especially anxiety, overwhelm, and panic. Understanding that other people are important in helping you ground your anxiety can help you utilize this knowledge in strategic and supportive ways when you are feeling bad.

If you are struggling with overwhelm and panic, try calling a friend or reaching out for support from another person you know you can rely on. Being lonely can increase negative feelings and thought spirals, and reaching out to other people for support can help you mitigate these feelings and resource yourself in the face of panic.

Tired

When you are tired, your brain is not working at its full capacity, and feelings like anxiety and panic can be much easier to get trapped in than when you are well rested. A good night’s sleep does wonders for emotional regulation, and how tired you are has a big impact on how well you can manage your emotional experience in your life.

Try not to go too far down the rabbit hole of stress late at night or when you are feeling tired. Remind yourself that things will feel different in the morning and when you are well rested. Use this knowledge to help yourself not spin out into panic before addressing your tiredness. Once you are rested, things will feel easier and you will have a new and more positive outlook on whatever is bothering you.

Final thoughts

The simple HALT acronym can remind you of four common factors that can lead to stress and panic. When you are hungry, angry, lonely or tired, you are at a big disadvantage when trying to navigate your emotions. Give yourself the gift of taking care of these four aspects of your life before you try to figure out difficult or overwhelming problems in your life. When you are rested, full, connected, and calm, all the problems in your life will feel much more manageable. 

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If you are struggling to keep yourself regulated, reach out to get confidential and effective support you deserve. Pacific Psychotherapy offers couples therapy, drug and alcohol counseling and anxiety therapy in Santa Cruz, Los Gatos, and online anywhere in California. Reach out today with any questions or to schedule a free 20 minute consultation.