Waiting for precontemplators to hit bottom is not only painful and inefficient, it is risky. We would not consider this approach with purely physical disorders. If someone shows signs of heart disease or cancer, we would not wait to do something until the disease was undeniable. When people exhibit symptoms of an impending heart attack, even if they refuse to see a physician, their loved ones usually force the issue. Research shows that problems are almost always treated more effectively when they are less rather than more severe, and when they are of shorter rather than longer duration. The
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