Stages of Change
Direct steps towards a goal
Action
the feeling we experience when we leave familiar territory.
Discomfort
This medication can reverse opioid overdoses if given quickly.
Narcan/Naloxone
the willingness to be vulnerable and believe someone will act in your best interest.
Trust
mental, emotional, and physical limits we set to protect our well-being
Boundaries
Denying or ignoring the problem
Precontemplation
the belief/mindset that abilities, behaviors, and emotional patterns can change through effort, learning, and persistence rather than being permanently fixed.
Growth Mindset
a complex condition in which there is uncontrolled use despite harmful consequences.
Substance use disorder
anything (internal or external) that brings up thoughts, emotions, or memories connected to substance use or distress
Trigger
the skill of planning, organizing, and using time effectively to achieve goals and meet responsibilities.
Time management
Sustaining the healthy behavior, avoiding temptation
Maintenance
an individual’s ability to make choices, take control of their life, and actively participate in their recovery, guided by personal values and goals.
Self determination
intense, often irresistible urges to use a substance or engage in a compulsive behavior, driven by measurable changes in the brain’s reward, motivation, and memory systems.
Cravings
a peer-supported fellowship designed to help individuals overcome addiction, compulsive behaviors, or related challenges through structured steps, mutual aid, and personal accountability.
12 step group (AA, NA, etc)
communication skill that allows individuals to stand up for their own rights or the rights of others in a calm, direct, and respectful manner without being aggressive or passive
Assertiveness
Experimenting with small changes, collecting information about change
Preparation
recognizing and taking responsibility for one’s actions, choices and wellbeing — including acknowledging how one’s behavior affects themselves and others.
Accountability
Some harm reduction programs offer this service to help people get tested and treated for diseases like HIV or Hep C, often at the same place they get supplies.
Screenings
a mindfulness-based technique that helps individuals observe and manage cravings or impulses without acting on them, allowing urges to rise and fall naturally like waves.
Urge surfing
faulty beliefs and perspectives we have about ourselves and/or the world around us.
Thought distortions
Ambivalence, conflicted emotions, uncertainty
Contemplation
Any statement a person makes that favors positive change. It is the language of growth, motivation, and movement toward healthier choices.
Change talk
the use of substances to self-administer treatment for conditions when the user is not a medically qualified professional. May use to escape, numb or avoid.
Self medicating
to negative attitudes, beliefs or stereotypes about people with mental health conditions or substance use disorders
Stigma
state in which you focus on the present moment intentionally and without judgment; observing your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations as they arise rather than reacting automatically to them
Mindfulness