Applying the Stages of Change Model to Substance Use Relapse: The Case of Mario

HEALTH PSYC chapter 3 and 4 WEEK 3 JOURNAL It is important to discuss how change happens before explaining each step to promote change. As we know from our reading, Prochaska discovered that people go through six stages of change when they try to break unhealthy habits in accordance with the Stages of Change Model. Different tasks need to be addressed at each stage in order to progress to the next stage. It is important for the individuals to know what stage they are in. Without knowing this, the individual might set goals that are unrealistic. In thinking about the case below, what stage in the Stages of Change Model would Mario fall into and why?  Mario: Mario is a 39 year old male who has sought individual counseling for work-related stressors. Mario is a police officer and admits that sometimes his job “gets to him”. Recently, Mario’s partner was shot in the line of duty during a routine traffic stop. Fortunately, his partner sustained only minor injuries. However, Mario reports that he has experienced difficulty sleeping, concentrating, and relaxing since the incident. He reports that he has recently began to use his wife’s prescription sleep aid to help him fall asleep at night. However, the sleep aid has begun to lose its efficacy and Mario reports that he has recently began drinking in the evening, after he gets off of work to help him relax. Mario reports drinking approximately a six-pack of beer each evening for the past two weeks in addition to a half a pack of cigarettes. Mario admits that he is concerned about his reliance on substances to help control his stress. However, Mario states that he is also concerned about the effects of seeking treatment for his alcohol use as well as