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Stages of Change

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Welcome to The MOUD HUB

This resource was built to help people who use opioids and friends and families of people who use opioids. You will find different resources related to topics surrounding opioid use and its treatment with medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD).

We chose to present this information using the “stages of change” to acknowledge that people will be at different places in their opioid use, all the way from not wanting to stop to having been on treatment with medications for many years. This website is for everyone across the spectrum!

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute On Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number DP2DA049295. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Why the stages of change?

Each stage will take you to a page of different resources related to it. In addition, each phase has a check-in for you to assess where you are at and how this behavior change is going. Changing your behavior doesn’t have to be a linear process where you hit one milestone or stage after another. Instead, think of it as a wheel, or spiral, where sometimes you leave one stage, go to another, and return to previous ones during your journey.

The Stages of Change may be a useful approach for where you are in your behavior change process. The stages can also be useful for family and friends and how to best handle the change process for a loved one.

Wheel of Change

It is not a linear process and every step is a step forward

STAGES OF CHANGE

STAGES OF CHANGE

Contemplation

Preparation

Action

Maintenance

Termination

Pre-contemplation

07 Relapse
“I stopped my MOUD and treatment” or “I started using opioids again.”

Recurrence/Relapse can happen. This is nothing to be ashamed of and gives you an opportunity to re-assess where you need extra support. See More.

02 Contemplation
“I am thinking about quitting, but not just yet. I need to know more about my options.”

Contemplation may look like “I am thinking about quitting, but may not yet,” or “I might have a problem, but I am not ready to stop using yet.” See More.

03 Preparation
“I want to start treatment with MOUD but I am not sure where to start with the process.”

Preparation may look like “I want to start treatment with MOUD but I am not sure where to start with the process.” See More.

04 Action
“I have started treatment and need support in this transition.”

The action stage is when you have engaged in the change behavior, in this case, starting your MOUD journey. See More.

05 Maintenance
“I have been in treatment for a while and want to keep it up.”

“I have started MOUD and want to continue working to maintain this change.” See More.

06 Termination
““I have been in treatment or on MOUD for a while and want to start getting off it.”

Termination may look like “I am thinking of stopping MOUD treatment” or “I want to try recovery out without using MOUD anymore.” See More.

01 Pre-contemplation
“I am currently using opioids and do not want to stop. How can I use in a safer way?”

If you or your loved one are thinking “I’m not ready to stop using” or “my use isn’t that bad,” then you might be in the pre-contemplation phase. See More.

Pre-contemplation

“I have heard MOUD works for some, but I am worried it won’t work for me.”

contemplation

“I am thinking about quitting, but not just yet. I need to know more about my options.”

PREPARATION

“I want to start treatment with MOUD but I am not sure where to start with the process.”

ACTION

“I have started treatment and need support in this transition”

MAINTENANCE

“I have been in treatment for a while and want to keep it up.”

TERMINATION

“I have been in treatment or on MOUD for a while and want to start getting off it.”

RELAPSE

“I stopped my treatment.” or “I started using again.”

Learn more about the stages of change

The Stages of Change may be a useful approach for where you are in your behavior change process.
The stages can also be useful for family and friends and how to best handle the change process for a loved one.
If you want to learn more about the stages of change, check out this website and podcast on this page about the stages of change:

173 – Friday Fix: The 6 Stages Of Change

On The Verywell Mind Podcast, Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern.

Very Well Mind Podcast

Stages of Change Model

The Stages of Change focus on the decision-making of an individual and recognize that people do not change their behaviors quickly, but more so through a cyclical process.

Changing your behavior doesn’t have to be a linear process where you hit one milestone or stage after another. Instead, think of it as a wheel, or spiral, where sometimes you leave one stage, go to another, and return to previous ones during your journey.

The Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change)

This video may also help make it easier to understand. Its about how the stages of change relate to quitting smoking.

Title: Quitting Smoking is a Journey

Youtube Video

Title: Smart Recovery Tips and Tools

Youtube Video

MOUD Testimonies

If you’re interested in reading longer testimonies from people who’ve shared their experience with MOUD on Reddit, please check out the links below!

Reddit Testimonial Links

“I can see the light at the end of the tunnel see more”

“The choice to get on methadone 3 years ago was one of the best decisions of my life and that is coming from a girl who has a rap sheet full of ill advised and unhealthy decisions”
see more

“I am very happy for the first time ever and it all started by walking into the Methadone clinic and being real with myself see more…”

disclaimer

The information provided on this site is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with a medical professional or healthcare provider if you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. Language disclaimer: We have done our best to not use stigmatizing language in this website. Words that are presented in quotations are words that we do not agree with, but that have been present in the substance use field. Additionally, when we use the term recovery, we mean it is as a way to improve your quality of life. We have collected information from other websites and compiled them here for you to look at.

MOUD

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute On Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number DP2DA049295. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.