STAGES OF CHANGE
In this first official stage of the Transtheoretical Model, a person does not yet recognize their substance use or behavior as a problem and has no intention of changing
What is Precontemplation?
Relapse is often viewed as a process with these three distinct phases: emotional, mental, and this final, physical phase.
What is actual relapse / use?
Taking deep, measured breaths from the belly instead of the chest helps regulate the nervous system during a stressful moment.
What is deep breathing?
Viewing situations in extremes (e.g., if a situation falls short of perfect, it is considered a total failure).
What is all-or-nothing (black-and-white) thinking?
This daily rhythm is critical for recovery, as being consistently deprived of it drastically reduces a person's ability to cope with stress.
What is sleep?
This term refers to the first phase of recovery where the body rids itself of toxic substances under medical supervision.
What is detoxification (detox)?
This stage marks the time when a person actively modifies their behavior, environment, and lifestyle to overcome their challenges.
What is the Action Stage?
This grounding exercise uses the 5-4-3-2-1 technique (listing things you can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste) to manage cravings and stay in the moment.
What is a mindfulness or grounding technique?
Having a sponsor, attending support groups, or calling a therapist are ways to maintain this vital component of a recovery tool kit.
What is a support network?
The unhelpful habit of assuming you know what others are thinking without any factual evidence.
What is mind reading?
Taking a warm bath, practicing a hobby, or taking a short walk to a favorite park are simple forms of these acts of kindness toward oneself.
What is self-soothing / self-love?
This word describes a return to substance use or old behaviors after a period of improvement or sobriety.
What is a relapse?
This final stage focuses on preventing relapse and sustaining the changes made during the Action stage.
What is Maintenance?
This is an ongoing, individualized roadmap for recovery that outlines a person's specific triggers, coping strategies, and support systems.
What is a relapse prevention plan?
A form of writing that helps individuals process difficult emotions, track triggers, and express gratitude safely.
What is journaling?
Taking a single, isolated negative event and turning it into a never-ending pattern of defeat (e.g., using absolute words like "always" or "never").
What is overgeneralization?
Setting these clear, personal limits ensures you don't take on too much stress or enable others' behaviors, which protects your energy in recovery
What are boundaries?
This term refers to a person, often a loved one, who inadvertently perpetuates someone's addiction by protecting them from the consequences of their actions.
What is an enabler?
Ambivalence is most prominent in this stage, where individuals acknowledge they have a problem and begin weighing the pros and cons of quitting.
What is Contemplation?
A sense of personal control and the internal belief in your ability to remain committed to recovery.
What is self-efficacy?
The physical act of redirecting intense urges to use by engaging in a healthy, engaging activity like taking a walk or creating art.
What is healthy distraction / alternative behavior?
Predicting the absolute worst possible outcome for a future event without evidence.
What is catastrophizing (or fortune-telling)?
Engaging in this type of movement not only boosts physical health but also helps naturally reduce anxiety and improve mood.
What is physical activity / exercise?
This noun describes the internal or external resources—such as physical health, mental wellness, and social support—that a person can draw upon to initiate and sustain recovery.
What is recovery capital?
This is the specific stage of change where an individual is actively making small, concrete plans to change within the next 30 days, such as setting a quit date or buying a workbook.
What is the Preparation stage?
This cognitive trap happens when a person experiences a minor slip, feels intense guilt and failure, and decides they might as well fully relapse since their sobriety streak is "ruined."
What is the Abstinence Violation Effect (AVE)?
This evidence-based, four-step mindfulness technique stands for Stop, Take a breath, Observe, and Proceed, used to pause before reacting impulsively.
What is the STOP skill?
This specific distortion occurs when you assume your negative emotions accurately reflect reality (e.g., "I feel guilty, so I must be a terrible person").
What is emotional reasoning?
Coined by psychologist Kristin Neff, this practice involves treating oneself with warmth, care, and understanding during moments of failure rather than harsh self-criticism
What is self-compassion?
This term describes the co-occurrence of both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder, such as depression or PTSD, in the same individual.
What is a dual diagnosis (or co-occurring disorder)?