GUIDELINES/REQUIREMENTS FOR STAGES OF CHANGE PROJECT
Go over the materials regarding the Stages of Change Model (The Transtheoretical Model originated by Prochaska and DiClemente in the 1970s) and become familiar with each stage. Read Lassiter and Culbreth, chapter 10 as well as Faulkner, chapter 3, pp. 36-38 as preparation for this assignment.(
PowerPoints Attached) Select one substance (caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, etc.) or food (chocolate, sugar, soda, cookies, bread, etc.) or behavior (watching television/Netflix, playing video games, shopping, texting, being on Facebook, online gaming, negative self-talk, sex, etc.) and completely abstain for at least a 4-week period. Keep a journal of your daily experiences. Be sure to give yourself a full 4 weeks and then another week to read it over before submitting. Keep in mind that I am the only person who will read your work.
Formatting your journal; finished product to be in a Word document:
· Include the date and time of each entry
· Number your days, #1- #30, or more
Make your
first entry a description of your project
· Include why you chose the substance, food, or behavior from which to abstain
· Explain where you are in the Stages of Change model and why
· Describe what you expect to gain or learn from this experience
Make the
last entry a detailed summary of the experience
· Describe your physical, emotional, and spiritual experiences
· Describe any insight regarding the physical, emotional, or spiritual need the substance, food or behavior served for you
· Relate this to addiction and relapse
· Explain where you ended up in the Stages of Change model and why
Content:
· Use a 1-10 scale (1=easy—10=hard) to describe the difficulty or ease of abstaining that day
· Explain where you are in the Stages of Change model and why
· Describe any physical or emotional withdrawal symptoms experienced
· Describe how your mood was affected by abstaining or relapsing
· Describe your thoughts related to addiction and relapse
· Discuss any source of support
· Discuss anyone’s attempt to sabotage your efforts
Grading
· You will need to have at least 30 entries minimum to receive full credit
· There is no set length for each entry but no less than 3-4 sentences
· Some entries may be 10 sentences, and some may be a full page depending on what you have to say and how you are feeling that day
Your final grade will reflect the following:
· Correct formatting
· First and last entry
· All items were addressed
· Insight as it relates to substance use and relapse
· Description of the stages of change experienced
· Depth of entries
Follow the format from this example:
Day #, Date, Time:
Quite the opposite of the night before last, I had one of the best night’s sleep ever last night. I woke up to my alarm, ready to get out of bed. I had morning energy that I have not had in a long time. I really think that wine was affecting my sleep, and in turn, my next day’s energy and clarity of thinking. When I came home from work and began to cook however, my cravings for wine returned. I think it was the association of chopping and sautéing food that made me crave a glass of wine while cooking. Instead, I filled a stem glass with club soda and lime. Honestly, once I was finished cooking and sitting down to dinner with my family, the cravings went away. (Only 3 to 4 sentences – Not this long)
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On a 1-10 scale (1=easy—10=hard) today’s difficulty or ease of abstaining was an 8.
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Stage of Change: I am currently in the action stage in the Stages of Change model because I am abstaining from drinking wine.
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Physical or emotional withdrawal symptoms: I have had a headache all week, but I’m not sure if that is related to me experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
·
Mood: I felt a little frustrated that I couldn’t open a bottle of wine, but the feeling passed after dinner.
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Thoughts: I am hopeful that I can abstain for 4 weeks, but I’m not entirely optimistic for some reason. Habits are so hard to break. Especially when there are other people relying on you to follow through with a certain behavior. How do you go about finding that fine line in not wanting to let people down but also maintaining your sobriety? What if the only way to calm my thoughts would be to drink wine? Addicts use substance as a coping mechanism. What happens when they are taken away?
·
Source of support: My colleagues are supportive of my choice to give up wine.
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Sabotage: No one attempted to sabotage my efforts today.
