99Relapses Podcast Episode #24 Part I- 5 Stages of Change Transcript

Hi, I’m James Egidio, your host or the 99relapses podcast. The podcast that moves you from recovery to discovery through the grace and mercy of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. This is episode number 24 part one, titled five stages of change. In episodes number 20 through 23, I discussed in detail about the structure and function of how the addicted brain influences your behavior to make the choices that you make, or even don’t make.

In this episode, I’ll introduce the five stages of motivation for change when it comes to addiction. Which is influenced by the brain in making the choices and decisions for sobriety. When it comes to addiction one of the key things to keep in mind is that sobriety is not an event. It’s a process and it takes time and it takes patience.

For anyone who’s ever experienced an out of control addiction knows that change can often be difficult. Especially when it comes to sobriety from addictions when attempting to do it on your own. And I mentioned in earlier episodes at the very beginning of the 99 relapses podcast that you need really good support structures.

And of course that change also comes from motivation for change. And that of course comes along with having patience..

Recovery comes when the pain of addictive behavior becomes greater than the pain of giving up the behavior and I’ll repeat that. Recovery comes when the pain of the addictive behavior becomes greater then the pain of giving up the behavior. This is called hitting rock bottom. I’m sure you’ve heard when someone hits rock bottom.

The bad news about hitting rock bottom is that it can, and often time leads to jail or death. And I mentioned this In a previous episode when I interviewed retired bounty hunter Dee Sanders and I highly encourage you to go back and listen to that episode because. It’s titled the 2 Faces of Addiction where Dee Sanders experienced a family member, her son who was The victim of addiction and she was on the law enforcement side. So it gives you a really good perspective of addiction and recovery.

The good news though, is that those who survived this rock bottom with an out of control addiction. That’s where the grace is found. That’s where the true grace is found is that when someone who is going through an addiction and hits that rock bottom. That’s where they’re like, okay, I’ve had enough, and this is where the grace comes from. And in one sense, Addiction can be the enemy of grace, but it could also be a powerful channel for the flow of the grace. And addiction can be an often is the thing that brings us to our knees for the most part. You’ll see most people who get addicted and hit that rock bottom, say enough is enough. Or they’ll say things like. I’m sick and tired of being sick of being addicted and that’s where the most of the grace is found now. In the Bible. Grace is best illustrated in

Romans 5:20-21, where it reads God’s law was given so that all people see how sinful they were. But as people sin more and more. God’s wonderful. Grace became more abundant.

And I talked about how sin is addiction in earlier episodes of the 99 relapses podcast. And of course, with sin should come repentance in going to the cross for the blood that was shed at Calvary.

Another verse comes from the apostle Paul in

2Corinthians 12:7-10 which reads. Even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud. I was given a thorn in my flesh. A messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time He said, my grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when, I am weak, then I am strong.

The Christian monk, Abba Anthony also is quoted as saying, whoever has not experienced temptation cannot enter into the reign of heaven.

And the Christian monk Evagius says take away temptations and no one will be saved.

So you can see hitting rock bottom also means of course shedding the pride and ego through your humility. And it’s important to humble yourself through the grace and mercy of God when going through sobriety.

The most vulnerable time for relapse is the first 90 days. this is what I’ve seen with a lot of coaching and counseling, a lot of clients through addiction and recovery. That first 90 days sobriety because that reward center in the brain that I spoke about in the limbic system of the brain say to yourself, I owe it to myself. This reward center does. And At that point when you’re contemplating these changes to get through sobriety and recovery is, was when you have to take that deep breath and take that step back. And really lean into the Lord for that grace and that mercy.

I’m going to take a short commercial break. And when I come back, I’ll introduce five stages of change for recovery.

Okay, welcome back to the 99 relapses podcasts. Before I took the commercial break, I was talking about finding the Grace through the rock bottom of addiction and that. You can’t go through addiction alone, you have to have really good support structures. And I talked about that In the earlier episodes at the very beginning of the 99 relapses podcast. Now I’d like to introduce the five stages of change when going through addiction and recovery. The five stages of motivational change was originally utilized and introduced by Rollnick and Miller in 1995.

In the spirit, that number one it’s done, of course, in a collaborative, rather than authoritarian manner. and two that it evokes the client’s own motivation rather than trying to install it. And finally three, It honors the client’s autonomy.

The way I assist clients through the process of addiction and recovery through faith. incorporating that for motivation for change. Is that. I’m not going to be the one that makes the final decision whether they are sober or not sober, or whether they’re going to relapse or not relapse. God’s gonna work in people God’s gonna work in people to make that change.

So this gets to a point that I made in previous podcast. As a recovery coach. I can lead clients to successful recovery through the word of God, however, it’s God who will do the work in that individual to make the changes. So I don’t give myself the credit for helping clients and listeners. I give all the credit to God when it comes to these changes.

And it’s amazing when you give the client the autonomy, but at the same time, You’re doing it through biblical principles because that light bulb goes on at some point in those coaching and counseling sessions where they see the beauty in the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ and the changes that take place, especially when they read scripture and they apply it to their addiction and recovery.

And again Rollnick and Miller make it clear that change is not only a decision, but. There’s Five stages that people go through and they pass through on the road to sobriety and there. They’re number one. pre-contemplation, number two contemplation, number three preparation, number four action, and number five, finally maintenance. And I’ll get into more detail about these five stages of change in episode number 25. I want to thank you for joining me in this episode of the 99 relapses podcast.

For current podcast episodes, show notes, episode memory versus as well as episode recovery lessons and tools. Go to 99 relapses.org. That’s the number 99 relapses.org. And if you’d like to make a prayer request for yourself, family or friends, please do not hesitate to email me your prayer requests at the number 99 relapses. That’s number 99. relapses.org. And do not forget to like me on Facebook. Also, If you have an interesting story to share about how God has changed your life through addiction and recovery. You’re an expert in the field of Christian addiction and recovery, you’ve published a Christian book, podcast or website, and you’d like to be featured as a guest on the 99 relapses podcast, please email me anytime at James at 99relapses.org. That’s James at the number 99relapses.org. And I will respond within 24 to 48 hours thank you so much and God Bless.