ABSTRACT
This is the stage where people acknowledge that they do indeed have a problem and begin to contemplate doing something about it. However, thinking about it and actually doing something about it are two entirely different things. Ambivalence is an inner polarity response whereby people ruminate between the two poles of the change argument. In effect they are saying I want to change and I don’t want to change . . . at the same time. This can be a very confusing state to be in and some people may go round in ruminative circles with an increasing feeling of exasperation and frustration. In fact some chronic contemplators who have remained stuck in this feeling for months or even years may become quite depressed.
