Stages Of Change

On the road to recovery and a life without the influence of drugs or alcohol, there are several phases that a person will go through.  Learning to live without the use of mood altering substances is challenging, and it is a skill that must be practiced and learned just like any other.

The first phase that a person will encounter is referred to as unconscious incompetent.  This period of time is actually not one of recovery, but happens before an individual even knows that there may be a problem.  The “incompetent” refers to a person’s behavior, in that it is potentially harmful and damaging. The “unconscious” refers to the individual’s awareness, in that they don’t even know that what they are doing may have dire consequences.  In this period of use, a person is using chemicals, but is yet to have any consequences.  They have not had any trouble with the law, lost a job, or had to drop out of school due to their drug or alcohol consumption.    

The second phase that an individual will enter is called the conscious incompetent phase.  Just like the first stage, the “incompetent” refers to the person’s behavior.  They are acting in a way that is unhealthy and potentially dangerous.  The difference between this and the first phase is that they have now become “conscious” of the fact that their actions are harmful and there may be consequences.  This awareness can be brought on by many different situations, but it alerts the user to the fact that what they are doing has become a problem.  An example of this would be someone getting arrested for a DWI or having a friend overdose from drug use.  This could also be brought on by something more subtle such as a friend commenting that they seem different or certain people not wanting to spend time with them.  There is a switch in thinking during this phase from a more carefree way of drinking or using, to one in which a person now realizes that their behavior is starting to have consequences.

For individuals that seek help with their addiction, they will move into the third phase, which is called consciously competent.  In this period of recovery, a person is starting to learn skills and techniques that will help them to stay sober.  They have stopped using and are taking steps to change their behavior and thinking patterns.  The “competent” refers to their behavior being non-destructive and healthier than in the past.  This part of recovery takes a lot of focus on the part of the individual, and is referred to as “conscious”, as it is something that they will have to think about quite a bit in order to be successful.  An example of actions in this phase would be attending 90 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in 90 days, or calling a sponsor twice a day.  During this time, it is common for a person to avoid difficult situations or people that may trigger cravings or a relapse.  Each person is different, and recovery varies for everyone, but the concept during this time is that in order to be successful, a person really has to devote some time and energy into making it happen.

The fourth and final phase of this process is called unconsciously competent.  Like the previous period, the “competent” refers to a person’s behavior.  In this case, the behavior is such that it is not causing any harm or doing any damage to an individual or those around them.  They are able to live in a productive and healthy manner without the use of alcohol or other substances.  The “unconscious” in this section points to a person behaving this way without having to concentrate on it too hard.  These actions have been practiced and improved upon, and in this phase are almost done automatically.  This is similar to the 11^th promise of Alcoholics Anonymous, which states, “we will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.”  A person that is living in this part of recovery has transformed their life to the point that new ways of thinking and living have completely taken over their former destructive behaviors.  Behaving in this new way has now become the norm, and making healthy, rational decisions has become easier.

These four different phases of substance use and recovery describe several areas that individuals may experience, but that doesn’t mean that it always moves in a forward motion.  These stages do not outline the steps to a cure, and a person is able to move between them at any time.  It is quite possible for an individual in the consciously competent stage to have a relapse and move backward into the consciously incompetent stage.  It is also a possibility that a person living in the final stage may have to pay more attention to their sobriety during certain parts of their life.  For example, when a person goes through a difficult time or tragedy, it may be necessary for them to spend more time thinking about and focusing on their sobriety.

Every situation is different and there are as many recovery programs as there are people.  It is important to recognize that there are no time limits or guidelines as to how long a person may spend in one part or another.  The essential thing to keep in mind is that there is hope for recovery, and with practice, making the right decisions will become easier and eventually be made unconsciously.