HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired)

“HALT” stands for “Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired” and is used in many Alcoholics Anonymous programs. If a person is feeling one of these HALT symptoms, that person is likely to relapse.
 
“This mini-program is called H.A.L.T. It means: never get too Hungry, too Angry, too Lonely, or too Tired” was cited in print in January 1976 and referred to a 1974 book written by the Young People’s A.A. Group in Denver, Colorado.
 
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Day by day.
Author: Young People’s Group (Denver, Colo.)
Publisher: Center City, Mn. : Hazelden, 1978, ©1974.
Edition/Format: Book : English
 
12 January 1976, Daily Sitka Sentinel (Sitka, AK), “S.A.C. TIme” by Pat Smith, pg. 4, col. 2:
I was reviewing a copy of the book Day by Day, a daily meditation guide for anyone attempting to stay sober or off drugs. The book was written by the Young People’s A.A. Group in Denver, Colorado.
 
One selection talked about the mini-program within their larger A.A. program. This mini-program is called H.A.L.T. It means: never get too Hungry, too Angry, too Lonely, or too Tired.
 
17 September 1976, Omaha (NE) World-Herald, “Van Dyke’s Cure Favorite Topic” by Peter Citron, pg. 43, col. 8:
The key to cure, he (Dick Van Dyke—ed.) said, is, “Never get hungry, angry, lonely or tired.”
 
24 June 1979, Marietta (GA) Daily Journal, “Alcoholism Recurring Disease, Addictionologist Says” by Betty Thom, pg. 6B, col. 5:
“HALT also leads to relapse,” the lecturer said, adding that the letters stand for “hungry, angry, lonely, tired.”
   
Google Books
Today’s Disease:
Alcohol and Drug Dependence
By G. Douglas Talbott and Margaret Cooney
Springfield, IL : C.C. Thomas
1982
Pg. 73:
And I can tell you also that AA has a valuable relapse preventive — HALT. HALT is an acronym for hungry, angry, lonely, and tired.
 
OCLC WorldCat
H.A.L.T. : a relapse prevention guide
Author: Visions Video Productions.
Publisher: [U.S.] : Visions Video Productions, Richmond, B.C. : [Distributed by] New Vision Media. 1992 ;
Edition/Format: Video : Beta : Videocassette Visual material : English
Summary: Often, successful recovery can be as simple as paying attention to the four “red flags” of recovery: Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired. If any of these four conditions are present, emotions become frazzled, old destructive thought patterns reappear, and relapse may be just around the corner. In this program, the H.A.L.T. concept is presented through information as well as real-life stories from people struggling - and succeeding - in recovery. Viewers are introduced to this relapse prevention tool in four well organized sections, and are encouraged to incorporate self-care techniques into their recovery program.
 
Google Books
Energized!:
Contributions from More Than 165 Health Professionals and Inspirational Writers
Compiled by Jan W Kuzma, Kay Kuzma and DeWitt S. Williams
Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Pub.
1997
Pg. 377:
“Avoid HALT” stands for “avoid becoming hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (HALT).” Irregular or skipped meals result in low blood sugar levels, often leading to irritability and emotional imbalance.
 
Google Books
Codependence and the Power of Detachment:
How to Set Boundaries and Make Your Life Your Own
By Karen Casey
San Francisco, CA: Conari Press
2008
Pg. 139:
That’s when she needs to HALT, as it is known in AA: to check whether she is hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, because at those times she is particularly vulnerable.
 
USA Today
Consumers can find good deals beyond Black Friday
Updated 11/28/2008 12:07 PM
By Jayne O’Donnell, USA TODAY
(...)
“I think it’s a crazy ritual,” Mellan (Olivia Mellan, author of Overcoming Overspending— ed.) says. She cites the keys to avoiding slipping in any 12-step program: Watch out when you’re hungry, angry, lonely or tired (known as HALT). “It’s dangerous getting up at the crack of dawn to go shopping!” she says.