Five Stages of Change in Substance Abuse

Change is not a single event but rather a process consisting of a series of steps. According to the AddictionInfo website, people who are attempting to end an addiction usually progress through five stages. In the first stage, they are pleased with their habits and can't see why they should change. Eventually, however, they sicken of their addictions to the degree that they develop the willpower to end the behavior and develop more positive lifestyles.

Denial

• In the denial, or precontemplation, stage, as the AddictionInfo website calls it, the addict is not thinking about changing his habits. Not only is he not aware of the potential negative consequences of his behavior, he does not wish to be made aware. Thus, when family and friends try to intervene, he may be offended.

Thinking About Change

• The second stage of change is "contemplation," when one may be thinking about not using anymore, according to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment website. During this stage, the desire to end the addiction is not quite strong enough to actually commit to taking action. The user is still ambivalent about ending the habit, according to the website, even though she's weighing the pros and cons.

Preparation for Change

• When the addict reaches this stage, he has reached a major turning point. The user now sees the consequences of his behavior, the AddictionInfo website says. He sees that he could lose his spouse, livelihood, health, freedom and more. He begins to research how to end the addiction. According to the website, the addict will begin to search online for information, call clinics and read brochures on how to set oneself free from addiction. At this stage, the addict is committed to quitting.

Action

• According to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, in this stage the addict is developing new habits to replace the old ones. He is receiving help, he is re-evaluating old friendships, and he is seeking support when certain triggers present themselves. This support may be in the form of a phone call to someone who has been clean longer than he has.

Relapse Prevention

• Stage five is maintenance. The addict has been successful at avoiding triggers and has developed long-term habits to keep from relapsing, such as finding and keeping a job. In this stage, according to the AddictionInfo website, she is looking back on her progress, and has successfully learned how to plan ahead so that when she encounters a trigger, she has coping skills in place.