This Week In Recovery Lesson
Stages of Change in Recovery
Please read Psalm 38.
In the addiction field, we attempt to help clients to examine where they are at in their “stage” of change, or recovery. The “Stages of Change” are as follows:
- Pre-contemplation—you begin to recognize the more obvious consequences in life due to your problem (addictive behavior). The problem is that you fail to connect the consequences with the behavior.
- Contemplation—as you experience the consequences of your problem (addictive thinking and behavior) you have considered the connection, and have likely concluded that you need help.
- Preparation/Determination—you have decided that you need to do whatever it might take to recover from your problem. The question is, “What will it take?”
- ACTION—you are actively participating in doing whatever it takes (!) to change in order to solve your problem (recovery from addictive thinking and behavior).
Let me just say it plainly about King David. He had a serious problem with addictive thinking and behavior. If you really want to get into the symptoms and patterns of addictive thinking and behavior David wrestled with his entire adult life, especially as King, you need to read I and II Samuel, the story of David’s life. I also refer to David’s issues in the article, “What Are You Thirsting For?”.
According to what you read in Psalm 38:
1. What is David’s problem in this passage?
2. How would you describe the problem of addictive thinking?
3. What would you identify as various forms of addictive behavior?
4. If you agree that David had issues with addictive thinking and behavior, according to what you know or have learned about him, what would you say David was addicted to?
5. Considering David’s disposition in this Psalm, how might you describe David’s perception of God?
6. What stage of change (recovery) would you say David is in?
7. Next, read Psalm 51, then notice and describe what you think the differences are with David: physically, emotionally, and spiritually?
Please proceed to this week’s application challenge by clicking TWRAC 002.
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