Am I Addicted?

The self-assessment begins here.

1. Do you ever use alone?

2. Have you ever substituted one drug for another, thinking that one particular drug was the problem?

3. Have you ever manipulated or lied to a doctor to obtain prescription drugs?

4. Have you ever stolen drugs or stolen to obtain drugs?

5. Do you regularly use a drug (including nicotine) when you wake up or when you go to bed?

6. Have you ever taken one drug to overcome the effects of another?

7. Do you avoid people and places that do not approve of you using drugs?

8. Have you ever used a drug without knowing what it was or what it would do for you?

9. Has your job or school performance ever suffered from the effects of your drug use?

10. Have you ever been arrested as a result of using drugs?

11. Have you ever lied about what or how much you use?

12. Do you put the purchase of drugs ahead of your financial responsibilities?

13. Have you ever tried to stop or control your using?

14. Have you ever been in a jail, hospital or drug rehabilitation center because of your using?

15. Does using interfere with your sleeping or eating?

16. Does the thought of not having drugs worry you?

17. Do you feel it is impossible for you to live without your drug(s) of choice?

18. Do you feel depressed and/or suicidal because of your drug use?

19. Is your drug use making your social or home life unhappy?

20. Have you ever felt defensive, guilty, or ashamed about your using?

21. Do you think a lot about drugs?

22. Do you use drugs because of pain or stress?

23. Have you ever overdosed on any drug?

24. Do you continue to use despite knowing its negative physical or psychological consequences?

25. Do you think you might have a drug problem?

This self-test was not designed to take the place of talking with a professional or undergoing a professional assessment. The intent of this self-test is as a resource whose answers may help you make some decisions about your health.

Broken down to its most simplest, an addict is an individual who has given up a lot of choice, and whose life is controlled to a significant degree by his or her dependence on substances. The substances can be cocaine or heroin, marijuana or inhalants, methamphetamines or tobacco, food or sex, or a combination of several.

The 25 questions were adapted from a Narcotics Anonymous’ list of criteria for drug addiction. I believe the best part about it is that it absolutely depends on your honesty. If… If you can be honest with yourself, the self-assessment can be helpful in determining if you are an addict in need of outside help, no matter your drug of choice.

If you gave more than 5 “yes” answers during this self-assessment, you should probably consider seeking help. That help can be from a family doctor, a local agency, a treatment facility, or an individual therapist. You can also contact us, anonymously, any time.

Hopefully, this self-assessment helped you to look honestly at your substance-using behaviors and make the decision whether your level of involvement with substances warrants detox and/or treatment. If the answer is yes – even a hesitant yes – then we encourage you to contact us. In more acute cases, it may be necessary to go directly into a detox. For yourself, for a friend or for a loved one, contact us today.

We love to talk about opiate addiction recovery!