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Riffing On H.A.L.T

Sazerac

By Sazerac
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Sazerac Enthusiast

Sazerac

Posted
Posted (edited)

Someone mentioned HALT and I dragged this up from my blog.

Babs had a great thread about HALT for which I am still looking.

Ahhh !  

HERE is Babs thread on HALT

and I will bump it, too.

 

I have read about the acronym, H A L T,
in recovery paraphernalia
and have used it to a great degree of success
in changing my patterns
from a nicotine addict to a Free person.

Having a Crave ?
H. A. L. T.

Are you
Hungry - Thirsty - need a deep breath of Oxygen ?
Angry - Happy - Emotional ?
Lonesome - Bored ?
Tired ?

In many, many instances, when I would reach for a smoke,
my poor body was actually trying to alert me that it needed attention in some way.
My addiction silenced these natural signals.

I still catch myself these days...no, it is no longer a crave,
it is my body hollering for water or food
or something it really needs !
Now, groovin' in my new freedom,
when these signals come up,
my first thought may still be,
'Oh cigarette, dammit'
However, it is followed immediately by,
'No, not smokes...you're Hungry, baby !'
or, you're thirsty
or, you need to go sit outside and take a big gulp of oxygen and figure out what your body or spirit requires.

The piracy that nicotine practiced is still mind-boggling to me.
Allowing nicotine to take over my basic human needs of sustenance and comfort was a grave error on my part.
I am grateful my body is so forgiving .
I am grateful to be free.
Free and learning how to read my body's signals and remembering how to take good care of it.

So, next time you have what you assume to be a Nic fit,
have a think...what is your body really telling you ?
It won't be hard to figure out.

For me it has been obvious and I have to wonder,
how could I have neglected my body for so long ?
It is a miracle it survived.

 

 

Here is our friend, Joel Spitzers,

"Do You Want A Cigarette....H.A.L.T"

 

 

 

 

Edited by Sazerac
  • Like 9
  • Thanks 2
  • 4 months later...
  • 1 year later...
Sazerac Enthusiast

Sazerac

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hello darling smoke free creatures,

You know, even after over 4 years quit, I  can still catch myself thinking...' oh, time for a smoke'.

It doesn't trouble me anymore because now I am able to identify what I really need. 

It is not, never was and never will be 'a smoke'.

It is most often a glass of water, a break, a deep clean breath.

The concept of H.A.L.T. 

(Hungry, Angry, Lonesome, Tired)

is still tremendously helpful and keeps me current and present with myself. 

I hope it may be helpful to you, too.

S

 

  • Like 7
  • Thanks 1
Reciprocity Grand Master

Reciprocity

Posted
Posted

This happened to me last night! I was hungry because I missed breakfast & lunch. About 7:00 PM I really felt like I should be going for a smoke. That's because I used to suppress my appetite by smoking. Was immediately solved when I ate something :)

  • Thanks 1
Whispers Newbie

Whispers

Posted
Posted

This is very true, the cigg was my friend! Lyric from the white stripes "Back and forth through my mind
Behind a cigarette".. Great thread, thanks for sharing

  • Thanks 1
  • 3 weeks later...
Sazerac Enthusiast

Sazerac

Posted
  • Author
Posted

bump.

Make sure your read Bab's link in the original post too.

Identifying what your body is actually asking for is incredibly enlightening.

 

  • 3 months later...
Sazerac Enthusiast

Sazerac

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
On 6/19/2016 at 6:39 PM, Sazerac said:

Someone mentioned HALT and I dragged this up from my blog.

Babs had a great thread about HALT for which I am still looking.

Ahhh !  

HERE is Babs thread on HALT

and I will bump it, too.

 

I have read about the acronym, H A L T,
in recovery paraphernalia
and have used it to a great degree of success
in changing my patterns
from a nicotine addict to a Free person.

Having a Crave ?
H. A. L. T.

Are you
Hungry - Thirsty - need a deep breath of Oxygen ?
Angry - Happy - Emotional ?
Lonesome - Bored ?
Tired ?

In many, many instances, when I would reach for a smoke,
my poor body was actually trying to alert me that it needed attention in some way.
My addiction silenced these natural signals.

I still catch myself these days...no, it is no longer a crave,
it is my body hollering for water or food
or something it really needs !
Now, groovin' in my new freedom,
when these signals come up,
my first thought may still be,
'Oh cigarette, dammit'
However, it is followed immediately by,
'No, not smokes...you're Hungry, baby !'
or, you're thirsty
or, you need to go sit outside and take a big gulp of oxygen and figure out what your body or spirit requires.

The piracy that nicotine practiced is still mind-boggling to me.
Allowing nicotine to take over my basic human needs of sustenance and comfort was a grave error on my part.
I am grateful my body is so forgiving .
I am grateful to be free.
Free and learning how to read my body's signals and remembering how to take good care of it.

So, next time you have what you assume to be a Nic fit,
have a think...what is your body really telling you ?
It won't be hard to figure out.

For me it has been obvious and I have to wonder,
how could I have neglected my body for so long ?
It is a miracle it survived.

 

Here is our friend, Joel Spitzers,

"Do You Want A Cigarette....H.A.L.T"

 

 

Bump for Tammy

 

 

Edited by Sazerac
  • Like 1
  • 1 year later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 4 months later...
Kate18 Veteran

Kate18

Posted
Posted
On 2/23/2018 at 4:41 PM, Sazerac said:

Hello darling smoke free creatures,

You know, even after over 4 years quit, I  can still catch myself thinking...' oh, time for a smoke'.

It doesn't trouble me anymore because now I am able to identify what I really need. 

It is not, never was and never will be 'a smoke'.

It is most often a glass of water, a break, a deep clean breath.

The concept of H.A.L.T. 

(Hungry, Angry, Lonesome, Tired)

is still tremendously helpful and keeps me current and present with myself. 

I hope it may be helpful to you, too.

S

 

Craved a smoke before embarking on a Costco shop trip this morning. Craved again when I got back and was faced with putting it all away. Heavy cravings the past few days. Don't know why. 

Just put away the Costco groceries and, since I was still craving a cigarette, came to QT, and presto! Paul723 had bumped this HALT post. (Thank you, Paul)

On reflection, I'd say the before-Costco craving was caused by anxiety,. The after-shopping craving was "Tired." 

Think I'll have a glass of water and a small snack and take a nap. 

:)

  • Like 5
  • 2 years later...

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