Stages of Change in Recovery

 According to the transtheoretical model of change, there are six stages of behavior change.

1. Precontemplation stage

At this stage, people are not yet aware of the negative behavior they need to change. They don’t see their behavior as a problem and aren’t interested in getting help. They may become defensive if someone pressures them to change. They also avoid speaking, reading, or thinking about it. They may also absorb information about this problem from family, friends, or the media, but won’t act until they see it as problematic.

2. Contemplation stage

At this stage, people are aware of the negative consequences or problems. But they’re not yet ready to change their unhealthy behavior. They do start thinking about it, however. They know it’s necessary to change but aren’t ready. They might weigh the pros and cons and whether the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term effort. This stage can last a few days or an entire lifetime, depending on the individual.

3. Preparation or determination stage

This is the phase when a person is ready to make a change. They become committed to changing and motivated to take the necessary steps. They read, talk, and gather information about the problem. The preparation stage is crucial to the success of behavior change. Skipping this stage can drastically decrease your chances of success.

4. Action stage

At this stage, people use the strategies they learned in the previous phase to start a new, healthy behavior. This takes willpower, and there is a high risk of failure and slipping back into old behavior and habits. It can help to avoid external temptation and set rewards for achieving intermediate goals. The support of others is also essential at this stage.

5. Maintenance stage

In this stage, people have made progress and realized the benefits of changing. 

They understand that maintaining change will require effort, but they are aware of its value. They create strategies to prevent relapse until the new habit becomes familiar and natural.

6. Relapse stage

This stage is when people slip back into their old behaviors and habits. Relapsing is a normal part of the process of change. The key is to identify the trigger that caused the failure and look for new and better strategies for dealing with it.