The transtheoretical model of change, also known as the stages of change model, is a well-established and useful way of considering the level of motivation of different people to change their behavior.

The stages of change model was developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente of the University of Rhode Island in 1977.

Understanding your change situation by being familiar with the stages of change can help you choose the tools that are right for you. The stages of change model shows that a change does not usually happen all at once, it is a process that begins with an awareness of wrong behavior and continues by eliminating the old behavior and being replaced by new behavior.

There are six parts to the stages of change:

Pre-contemplation stage:
At this stage people do not know that substance use is a problem. They are in denial and ignorance.

Contemplation stage:
During the contemplation stage, people realize that substance use is the cause of their problems, but they are ambivalent about change, seeing change as giving up a behavior they enjoy. At this stage individuals like change, but are afraid of it.

Preparation of practices:
At this stage, people know that their wrong behavior is not only the cause of many of their problems, but also conflicts with their values, so they begin to experiment with small changes and begin to collect information about the change and the recuperation.

Internship action:
People in this stage take direct action to achieve a goal. Individuals modify their behavior, experiences, or environment to change wrong behavior and overcome their problems.

Maintenance of practices:
At this stage, people begin to reaffirm new behaviors, so the possibility of relapse is always present. Relapse is not a failure to change behavior, but rather an opportunity to learn from failed attempts and thus increase the chances of success in the future. Relapse is like falling off a horse: It’s not about how you fall, it’s about how you get back on track.

Completion of the internship:
The ultimate goal in the change process is completion. At this stage, people no longer consider alcohol or drugs to be a temptation or a threat; they have full confidence that he can cope without fear of relapse.