HALT or Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

There is a lot of preparation leading up to the holidays. The list of things that need to be taken care of can seem endless. Although you might be caught up in the frenzy of the season, remember to take time to care for yourself. The four primary signs to watch out for during the stress of the holidays can be remembered by the acronym HALT. This stands for hungry, angry, lonely and tired. Having any one of these symptoms is a sign of stress. If you notice that several of these symptoms are occurring, you can stop the downward spiral and reverse the course. The best way to avoid HALT’s and the destructive behavior that occurs with it is to continue with self care. Make sure that you are eating well, avoiding resentment and anger, you are not isolating yourself from others or trying to do it all yourself and you are getting enough rest.

Some things we cannot change. The past has already happened and cannot be changed. As much as we might like to change some things about our families, that is not possible. Other people’s actions, what they say or how they feel cannot be controlled by you. Going to the traditional family dinner expecting your family to be different this year, probably is not realistic. This will only set you up for disappointment. Accepting what you cannot control will help you to relax and reduce some of your stress.

Read more by Loren Fogelman at http://www.kolpiacounseling.com/