When you are trying to change a habit such as an addiction, there are many things to consider if you want to increase your chances of succeeding. The preparation stage, described in Prochaska’s Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of change, is essential to increasing your odds in favor of changing your undesirable behavior. It is at this stage of the journey that you will analyze and plan for your road to recovery. Identifying the situations that put you at risk for a slip (or a full blown relapse) and developing a course of action for dealing with these situations is how we create an effective relapse prevention plan. Harnessing the resources and skills for carrying out that plan is also a very important part of the preparation stage.
There is however, one simple action that can help you plan for and implement your action plan that is all too often neglected: social support. Wanting to break free from an addiction can often leave you feeling overwhelmed and alone. One efficient way to combat this is to include your close friends in the process by letting them be aware of your intentions. Tell them exactly what you are going through and what you intend to do about it. By doing so, you eliminate the feeling of going through a major behavioural change alone. The support you benefit from by including the positive people in your life can help fuel your motivation to go through the process of change and help you get through any difficult phases you find yourself in.
One of the ways friends and family can assist you is to provide you with valuable information about their observations of your behavior. Our own emotions about our addiction and our wanting to change can sometimes cloud our capacity to remain objective and collect all of the necessary data to build a thorough action plan. Some situations and/or details you may have overlooked while developing your relapse prevention plan can be identified from outside observers and prevent you from inadvertently finding yourself in a high risk situation. Close friends can also help you identify your strengths and actions that have in the past allowed you to successfully get through a high risk situation without giving in to your addiction. You can also discovery your own strengths by filling out the VIA questionnaire (the VIA identifies your top strengths from 24 universal characteristics) and then asking your supportive friends to help you see how using your top strengths can assist you in your quest to breaking free from your addiction. Do not limit yourself to the results of the VIA however, using hidden strengths that have helped in the past can certainly benefit you in the future.
Another way letting your family and friends know about your intentions can benefit you is by further reducing situations that can elicit a desire or craving to feed your addiction. If for example you are trying to quit smoking and your friends are aware of it, they can be careful not to smoke (or talk about smoking) in front of you. If you are going to a wedding with an open bar and you are trying to stop drinking, being in the presence of people that are aware of your actions can help distract you from any temptation and motivate you to stay on the right track.
The positive reinforcement you will receive from the people you include in your quest (closer relationships, emotional support, etc.) will provide the kind of feedback that is sure to increase your satisfaction of life and continued efforts for a better life. There are so many benefits to including positive people in your life and in the process of positive change. If you are trying to change an undesirable behavior, I strongly suggest you tell people about your intentions and include as many positive people as you can in your journey to a better, more enjoyable life.