Are you Addicted? 7 Questions to Find Out

If you are wondering about your drinking or level of drug taking, the very fact that you feel concern should indicate the presence of some degree of a problem, and people without substance abuse disorders do not generally question their level of use.

But since the types of treatment and intervention appropriate differ greatly depending on the level of abuse or addiction, it can be beneficial to diagnose the extent of the problem before seeking help.

The 7 questions as follows are those used by the American Psychological Association to diagnose addiction, and if you can honestly answer yes to three or more of the 7 questions over the last 12 month period, you have are considered addicted.

7 question self diagnosis

1) Have you developed a tolerance to the effects of the substance?

2) Do you ever feel symptoms of withdrawal after stopping use, or do you ever use a closely related substance to relieve the pains of withdrawal?

3) Do you ever use more of the substance than you had intended to?

4) Have you tried and failed to cut down on your use?

5) Do you spend a lot of time using, thinking about getting or using or recovering from your use?

6) Have you given up activities or responsibilities previously enjoyed or important to you as a result of your substance use?

7) Have you continued to use at the same level despite experiencing adverse social, professional or physical repercussions from that use?

Are you addicted?

If you answered yes to three or more of the preceding questions, you meet the American Psychological Associations criteria for addiction, and you will likely benefit from some form of intervention and professional treatment in your attempt to reduce your level of use, or achieve complete abstinence.

If you do not answer yes to three or more of these questions, the very fact that you felt compelled to evaluate your use behaviors may indicate the beginnings of a problem. Once abuse progresses to addiction the intensity and duration of treatment required to better the problem increases dramatically, and if you are not yet addicted but fear you are heading in that direction, you would be very wise to take pre emptive steps to get your use behaviors under control before they ultimately present as a far more serious challenge to your health and happiness.

Addiction rarely goes away on its own, and the sooner you tackle a problem with dependency, the better the ultimate prognosis of a life of sobriety and happiness.