The change modelโs stages are the pre-contemplation stage, contemplation stage, preparation stage, action stage, and maintenance stage. This model is also known as a transtheoretical model or stages of change addiction model.
It was developed by Prochaska and DiClemente in the late 1970s.
The model is a way of describing the process by which people overcome addiction. The stages of change addiction model can be applied to anyone who wants to change their behaviour but has difficulty doing so.
It is widely used for people with addiction to change their behaviour. It was developed from research that studied โnatural recoveryโ from addiction.
1. Stages of Change Addiction Model
The model is used as an addiction treatment program to overcome addiction with its help and guidance. It consists of 5 stages that have been discussed below.
1.1 Precontemplation Stage
People at this stage are not interested in seeking help and are not serious about changing their behaviour. People tend to defend their current habit(s) and they donโt see it as a problem, they see their bad behaviour as a positive or pleasant experience and donโt see that it eventually affects people engaging in bad habits. But these behaviours lead to negative consequences which a person realises, making them push an individual into the contemplation stage.
For example, a person who drinks alcohol everyday excessively and does daily activities and socialises with others now and then. he might require stages of change addiction model for the recovery process.
1.2 Contemplation Stage
The word โ contemplationโ itself means to reconsider. Addicts at this stage start to think about changing, cutting down consumption, and moderately reducing the habit. People at this stage are more open to receiving information about the possible consequences of their addictive behaviour. They might want to learn about their addiction recovery process without committing to a specific approach or even promising to do so. At this stage, trying to change is just an idea and people are still considering it.
1.3 Preparation Stage
The third step of the stages of the change addition model happens when an abuser or the person who wants to change behaviour has decided and begins to plan steps towards recovery. People gather information about how to change their behaviour including contacting rehabilitation centres to find out which of the different strategies and resources might help them. During the preparation stage, a person might:
- Plan the kind of change to be made
- Determine how to make the change
- Obtain necessary resources
- Get rid of triggers
- Put support in place
There may be many ways too where one can find help to start the recovery process such as finding a clean safe place, to begin with, and getting help from a counsellor or social worker.
Once necessary preparations have been made, a person is typically ready to move on to the action stage.
1.4 Action Stage
The person who wants to change their habit adapts to new behaviour, here the real change of behaviour starts happening.
But these new habits are not stable. For most people, the action stage starts in a detox or treatment centre which is an essential part of the stages of change addiction model.
The action stage can occur in small and gradual steps or it can be a drastic change of behaviour, depending upon the goal set in the contemplation stage, and plans made in the preparation stage. Here, trained professionals provide guidance and support through the early phases of discontinuing addiction. At this stage, the real recovery process starts and the person might feel lonely and even empty without their addiction, itโll take time to get used to it.
The goal of the action stage is to achieve total abstinence and adopt a healthy, recovery-based lifestyle.
1.5 Maintenance Stage
The person establishes new behaviour on a long-term basis. Usually, approximately after six months of consistency in the action stage making modifications in their lifestyle by adopting new methods to maintain well-being and manage triggers for relapse.
This stage continues to perform plans and habits that began within the action stages of the change model.
This period is most challenging after some time has elapsed and the focus on reaching the goal has lost its intensity. People become satisfied with their efforts and may begin to think a small relapse wonโt make any difference.
Many people achieve abstinence from addictive behaviour, controlled drinking and substance use disorder but the release is also common. For this reason, relapse is also sometimes considered one of the stages of the model change.
1.6 Relapse Stage
The relapse stage is sometimes included in the stages of change addiction model because some people have small lapses or even relapses when the addictive behaviour is taken up again. The outcome of the processes of change is highly individual.
A person engaging in the recovery phase doesnโt need to go in an order of these stages of the change model, rather they can succeed by going back and forth within these stages unless theyโre confident enough to maintain the changed habits or behaviour.
For a better understanding of the change model: Transtheoretical Model and Stages of Change (Examples)
2. Addiction Recovery
Sometimes after several relapses, a person can understand what recovery from addiction means to them. These 5 -6 stages of the model help an individual who wishes to change this behaviour. addictive behaviour and habits are chronic conditions and require major life changes to keep under control. These 5 stages help an individual to overcome and those who overcome addiction learn a new lifestyle by living life without addiction.
Check out: 4 Addiction Recovery Treatment Center Options and Their Effectiveness
3. What Did We Learn?
In this article, we discussed the different stages of change of addiction where a person tries to change his addiction to a certain stimulus. We can understand it well by using the stages of the change model proposed by Prochaska and Diclemente.
It consists of 5 stages: pre-contemplation stage, contemplation stage, preparation stage, action stage and maintenance stage, however, there is one more stage that is counted in it which is the relapse stage because most people get over the addiction but some get relapse and some get multiple relapses.
In the precontemplation stage, people deny having an addiction and often try to give excuses to themselves for not having an addiction. In the contemplation stage, people start to contemplate their behaviour and whether they do have an addiction. And then in the preparation stage, they accept having an addiction and ask for help from friends and seek professional help. In the action stage, they go through strict discipline and use their mental determination with the help of professional treatment.
In the maintenance stage, people usually establish long-term consistency of new behaviours and of avoiding all the triggers usually for 6 months.ย A patient may or may not get to the last stage which is the relapse stage where patients get cravings for restarting the same behaviour and hence bringing back the addiction.
Last Updated on by Sathi
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