What Is Motivational Interviewing in Recovery?

Imagine you’re having a conversation with a friend. Instead of focusing on things that were going wrong, the conversation explored what life could be like if you made a change in your life. This profound shift in perspective ignited a spark within you, and you came out of it with a new energy to take on life. This is what motivational interviewing is all about.

It’s a therapeutic technique that helps us find our own motivation to change. In recovery, motivation can be a powerful force that allows us to achieve lasting change. Let’s learn more about this approach to see how it can transform our journey to quitting or cutting back on alcohol. 

What Is Motivational Interviewing?

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based therapeutic tool that helps us find motivation to make positive change. The practice is person-centered, which means it focuses on the needs of the individual and facilitates the natural process of change, rather than forcing it, which can reduce our motivation even more.

MI can be particularly beneficial for those who may be ambivalent about recovery, doubt our ability to change, and are unsure about the disadvantages of our current situation. One study examined barriers to treatment among people with alcohol use disorder (AUD), and ambivalence is one of them, demonstrating the power both ambivalence and MI can have.

MI uses a guiding style of communication like talk therapy but involves following (listening) and directing (giving advice) to help us overcome ambivalence and find motivation to initiate positive change. 

Recovery from alcohol misuse or AUD is full of changes. Often associated with physical and neurological dependence, AUD is physically and emotionally challenging to overcome, requiring active and intentional choices. Let’s understand the potential game-changing role of MI in recovery. 

The Purpose of Motivational Interviewing in Recovery

Motivation is crucial in recovery, but alcohol can strip it away. Here are some reasons why:

1. Alcohol Is a “Downer”

Alcohol is a depressant. This manifests in different ways. Emotionally, alcohol actually has temporary stimulant effects. When we drink, alcohol promotes release of dopamine and serotonin, our “feel-good” hormones, which explains why we might feel a sense of euphoria. But that feeling quickly goes away.

After we drink, hormone fluctuations can lead to a bad mood and low self-esteem. This can eventually lead to mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and mood disorders.

With a negative mood and low self-esteem also comes low motivation. We may not feel confident in ourselves or have the mental energy to go after our goals. But that’s not all!

2. Things Get Hazy

Alcohol not only affects us emotionally but also mentally. When we drink, alcohol slows down our cognitive function. This can lead to impaired judgment, lowered inhibitions, and slower thinking. Over time, alcohol can have more long-term effects such as memory issues, impaired decision making, impacted processing, and more. 

When we’re not able to think clearly, our motivation to change also takes a hit. We may not clearly recognize the consequences of our actions and identify the need for change, and we may not care.

3. The “Bed-Rotting” Hits Hard

Last but not least, alcohol is also extremely physically taxing. Alcohol depresses or slows down our normal functions by disrupting signaling in our central nervous system. This is why we often slur our speech, lose coordination, and feel off balance when we’re intoxicated.

Not only that, alcohol is toxic to our body. It causes inflammation and cell and tissue damage, which affects organ function and all of our body’s processes. This is why we often feel hangover symptoms the day after and why drinking is associated with many chronic health conditions. 

When we’re not feeling our best, we’re not able to perform our best. Think of the last time you had a cold. Most likely you weren’t itching to run a mile or ecstatic to come into the office. So, when alcohol takes a toll on our body, it also takes a toll on our motivation.

Alcohol is a triple threat to our motivation by negatively impacting our physical, mental, and emotional health. Let’s learn how we can combat these effects by using the processes and skills of MI.

The Processes and Skills of Motivational Interviewing 

MI involves four main processes that are facilitated by a therapist. These steps help us resolve our ambivalence and increase our drive to change: 

1. Engage. The first step is like the opening to a conversation. Our therapist is asking open-ended questions and building rapport for us to feel comfortable sharing our current situation and thoughts and emotions.
2. Focus. Our therapist will help us reflect on the information we shared and summarize our main points to check for understanding. They may also point out discrepancies, which promote further reflection. You know how sometimes you’re explaining a story to someone, and you feel like it’s all over the place? Well, this second step helps us identify the main points so we have a better understanding, and others have a better understanding of what we’re trying to communicate. 
3. Evoke. This is where the therapist may ask more thought-provoking questions and point out things to evoke our thoughts, feelings, motivations, and concerns. An example of this would be to explore what our future would look like if we continue down the path of our current drinking habits. Walking through the details of the consequences can help evoke emotions and motivation that propel us to change.
4. Plan. Now that we’ve found our motivation for change, it’s time to chart our path forward. MI is heavily person-centered, so although we’ll have support in developing a plan for change, there’s a strong emphasis on self-efficacy, which is instrumental in positive change. Here we might identify ongoing support, such as joining a peer support group or opening up to family and friends. 

These processes of MI utilize the four core skills known as OARS: 

1. O for open-ended questions. They encourages communication, which helps us explore and tackle ambivalence.
2. A for affirmations. They increase our self-confidence and self-efficacy, fueling our own power to change.
3. R for reflective listening. By summarizing and confirming our understanding, reflective listening not only expresses empathy but also identifies communication areas we can work on.
4. S for summarizing. Summarizing what’s been said reinforces key points, promotes reflection, and helps us transition to making changes. 

These core MI skills not only demonstrate how the practice can facilitate change in recovery but also serve as a guide for family and friends who are looking to support a loved one in recovery.

Benefits of Motivational Interviewing in Recovery

With its primary purpose to increase our motivation, MI has many benefits that can be especially helpful in recovery.

• Increased self-efficacy. MI teaches us to find our own motivation rather than relying on external motivators, increasing our power to change. 
• Increased likelihood to stick with treatment. When we have intrinsic motivation, we have more drive to stick to our goals. In the case of recovery, this can mean sticking to the treatment plan even when things get tough. 
• Higher engagement. MI requires reflection and awareness. This promotes a more proactive approach to treatment, which can boost our success. 
• Reduced risk of relapse. Motivation helps us stick to our goals and reduce the risk of relapse, even when challenges such as alcohol cravings arise.
• More skills to apply elsewhere. MI can be transformative in recovery, but the skills we learn can be applied to other areas of our life. Explore your interests and passions with newfound motivation.

Now that we’ve covered the benefits of MI, let’s explore how we get there!

Tips To Find Motivation for Change in Recovery 

Motivation can be a game-changer in recovery. It can help us take that first step and encourage us to continue on our journey even when things get tough. Let’s explore ways to give our motivation a boost. 

• Practice self-care. Self-care, whether it’s doing our skincare routine or taking a mental health day, improves our overall well-being. You know that feeling when one thing goes right and it seems like everything else falls into place? Practicing self-care is like that first step that sets us up for success. 
• Create a routine. Having a routine gives our day some structure, which helps us better identify our goals and increase our motivation. It’s definitely okay to have a lazy day or two, but when we don’t have any sort of routine, we may lack a sense of purpose, making our motivation dwindle. 
• Practice gratitude. Focusing on the negative can lead to a bad mood, low self-esteem, and lack of confidence. And we’ve learned that all those things can negatively impact our motivation. Practicing gratitude helps us develop a positive mindset, boosting our motivation. 
• “Act As If.” This practice is known as “fake it ‘til you make it.” By engaging in positive behaviors, even if we don’t believe in them at the time, we can alter our self-perception over time and our thoughts and feelings can eventually align with our habits. It’s similar to the concept of smiling to stop ourselves when we’re crying. Although we may feel sad, when we smile, it tricks our brain into thinking happier thoughts and can lift our mood. 
• Connect with a community. Have you ever noticed that it’s sometimes easier to get yourself to go to the gym or try a new challenge when you have someone to do it with? This is the power of community. There will always be days we may not feel motivated to do something, but having encouragement and support from a community can help us get through those down days.

Motivation isn’t always easy to find in recovery with the way alcohol negatively impacts it. However, it’s a crucial aspect of successful recovery. We can use these practices to inspire ourselves and jumpstart our journey to better health. If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out the motivational recovery story of Ben Affleck.

Harnessing Inner Drive

Now that we’ve learned more about MI, the power of the approach becomes clear. It’s more than just a technique. It’s a transformative dialogue that empowers us to uncover our own reasons for change. By focusing on personal motivation, MI unlocks a deeper commitment to recovery — turning hopes into actionable plans and resistance into resolve. It also teaches us how motivation can be the key to recovery and creating lasting change. Cheers to finding motivation to embark on a journey to a healthier, happier you!