Stages of Change in an Alcohol Problem
As you’re reading this website, then you might be thinking that you need to change your habits around alcohol. This means you’re in a stage called ‘contemplation’.
The Stages of Change model is a well established and useful way of considering different people’s levels of motivation to change their behaviour. This is how it applies to alcoholism:
Stage 1: Pre-contemplation -
Someone who drinks alcohol but doesn’t consider that they have a problem with it, or that they need to do anything about it. Other people around them might disagree however. Occasionally they might regret drinking too much, have an accident perhaps, but they still don’t feel their drinking needs to change.
Stage 2: Contemplation -
Possibly where you are now - you might have realised that your drinking is causing more problems than it’s worth, and that you’re probably drinking too much. You’ve noticed your health is suffering, or your closest relationships have been affected. Maybe your work is not up to scratch because you’re always hungover. But then on occasion you switch back to thinking it’s not such a problem after all, and you get drunk again.
Stage 3: Decision -
You realise that you do need to do something about this, so you decide to seek help, or talk to someone professionally, join a support group, maybe check out AA, or start looking online for some possible tips to cut down your drinking.
Stage 4: Action -
You start to reduce your alcohol consumption, you set yourself limits and you achieve them. You start talking about the problems in your life that might be causing your drinking, maybe to a counsellor or another mental health professional. You might well announce your decision to cut down or quit drinking to your partner or family members.
Stage 5: Maintenance or Relapse -
Your new pattern of drinking is becoming a habit, your alcohol consumption is back to acceptable, healthy levels again. Or maybe you haven’t had a drink for a couple of months, and you’re feeling comfortable with your sobriety. You can feel the benefits of not drinking so much - you’re healthier, happier and functioning better.
There is always a possibility that future circumstances might take a turn for the worse, and you end up drinking again. Maybe you go right back to stage 1, or one of the other stages instead. The important thing is to learn from this process, not to blame yourself for it. If you see this set-back as a ‘failure’, then you’ll just feel more depressed about it. You’ve made a mistake and had a relapse, that’s all, but you can get back to where you were again.
If you think you’re ready to take action about your drink problems, contact us to arrange an online live chat with a professional alcohol counsellor.
I guess I really started drinking in the mid 60′s when I was about 5…. We used to go round our parents houses nicking shots from the optics while they were at work…I got a taste for it really early… it then progressed to social drinking.. football matches and then in and out of court for alcohol related crimes… It’s fair and true to say that I have drank solidly practically everyday of my life and at every waking moment. If i awoke in the night I would drink from the glass next to me… I would be downing a bottle of wine and 10mg of Valium just to get out of bed..pus other drugs it was that bad…An alcoholic can ALWAYS get a drink, it rules there life…apart from numerous hospital stints, prison sentences and a 10 000 fights… It took my wife to move out after 23 years marriage and 3 children..When we are down we drink, when we are up we drink, we drink… The DT’s were always horrendous and last year I had a bout of seizures… just prior to Christmas I dried out for a month and my wife moved back… However I had a drink drive case coming up and I got drunk on the court day, I was really down…Anyway I went through the DT’s and I’m 3 days in and I’m feeling better hence this post…. All I can say from 45 years of drinking I’m 51 now is that some people can enjoy a drink without going down this road..but for us drinkers that can’t put the bottle down…. We really don’t have any option but to stop totally… I wouldn’t want anyone to have to go through this misery… Life really is enjoyable without a drink, especially when we start to live again… We just have to be careful never to fool ourselves into thinking , just one drink……IT NEVER IS ONE DRINK IS IT…..
My brother was admitted to hospital a week ago after a sezure at my parents house.We knew he had been drinking very heavily for some time, and we managed to get him to the doctors before this.He is 38, and was on his own, we think he had been drinking 3 bottles red wine a day.He is in hospital at the moment, and gone through a detox, we as a family are scared when he gets discharged, as what to do, he was a fit, healthy guy, climimbing and walking before may last year,when he quit his job, his choice,- now he is borderline anorexic..confused, and not my brother anymore, this has shattered my parents lives, and his close family, he has so much to live for, a new girlfriend, a new house…how can we help him?
Hi cj, I’m a recovering alcoholic 8months abstinent so far, I lost my uncial aged 39 due to alcoholism we did everything we could, he went to rehab and got a lot of support, unfortunately your brother needs to learn how to help himself, I would recommend you and your family getting Suport with help understanding this illness as there is things you can do to help but really it’s down the the person, my uncial did not want to stop as hard as it was to here I felt he was to depressed to cope and was all too little to late for him. Patched are a uk based service for friends and family to help them cope. I think it’s really important you and your family get lost of support with what your going through and it will help you to be able to give him better advise if he wants it, I hope you and your family are staying strong and my prays are with you, take care Sonja x
I get so bad I can’t even raise my hand; I’m on day 3 I’ve been here before…. I should not be alive, I’ve had more fights, crashes, hospitalizations… Just getting through it minute by minute…. I’ve got to stop……..
I hope your coping with your addiction as best you can, remember don’t feel guilty as will make the drinking worse, remember this is an illness we do not choose to become alcoholics x