WHAT IS ADDICTION?
If you’re curious whether you have a problem, take the following tests. See what you come up with and make your own decisions.
1. Tolerance. Has your use of drugs or alcohol increased over time?
2. Withdrawal. When you stop using, have you ever experienced physical or emotional withdrawal? Have you had any of the following symptoms: irritability, anxiety, shakes, sweats, nausea, or vomiting?
3. Difficulty controlling your use. Do you sometimes use more or for a longer time than you would like? Do you sometimes drink to get drunk? Do you usually stop after a few drinks, or does one drink lead to more drinks?
4. Negative consequences. Have you continued to use even though there have been negative consequences to your mood, self-esteem, health, job, or family?
5. Neglecting or postponing activities. Have you ever put off or reduced social, recreational, work, or household activities because of your use?
6. Spending significant time or emotional energy. Have you spent a significant amount of time obtaining, using, concealing, planning, or recovering from your use? Have you spent a lot of time thinking about using? Have you ever concealed or minimized your use? Have you ever thought of schemes to avoid getting caught?
7. Desire to cut down. Have you sometimes thought about cutting down or controlling your use? Have you ever made unsuccessful attempts to cut down or control your use?
If you answered yes to at least 3 of these questions, then you meet the medical definition of addiction. This definition is based on the of American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV) and the World Health Organization (ICD-10) criteria.(1)
The terms alcohol addiction, alcoholism, and alcohol dependence all mean the same thing. No one term is more serious than the other. Different terms have evolved over the years to overcome the negative stigma of addiction, and to make it easier for people to reach out and ask for help. The same is true for the terms drug addiction and drug dependence. (Reference: www.AddictionsAndRecovery.org)
TAKE THESE TESTS TO FIND OUT IF YOU’RE SUFFERING FROM ALCOHOL ADDICTION.
Here are some tests to help you decide if you have an addiction.
The AUDIT Alcohol Addiction (Alcoholism) Test
To correctly answer some of these questions you need to know the definition of a drink. For this test one drink is:
One can of beer (12 oz or approx 330 ml of 5% alcohol), or
One glass of wine (5 oz or approx 140 ml of 12% alcohol), or
One shot of liquor (1.5 oz or approx 40 ml of 40% alcohol).
1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?
Never (score 0)
Monthly or Less (score 1)
2-4 times a month (score 2)
2-3 times a week (score 3)
4 or more times a week (score 4)
2. How many alcoholic drinks do you have on a typical day when you are drinking?
1 or 2 (0)
3 or 4 (1)
5 or 6 (2)
7-9 (3)
10 or more (4)
3. How often do you have 6 or more drinks on one occasion?
Never (0)
Less than monthly (1)
Monthly (2)
Weekly (3)
Daily or almost daily (4)
4. How often during the past year have you found that you drank more or for a longer time than you intended?
Never (0)
Less than monthly (1)
Monthly (2)
Weekly (3)
Daily or almost daily (4)
5. How often during the past year have you failed to do what was normally expected of you because of your drinking?
Never (0)
Less than monthly (1)
Monthly (2)
Weekly (3)
Daily or almost daily (4)
6. How often during the past year have you had a drink in the morning to get yourself going after a heavy drinking session?
Never (0)
Less than monthly (1)
Monthly (2)
Weekly (3)
Daily or almost daily (4)
7. How often during the past year have you felt guilty or remorseful after drinking?
Never (0)
Less than monthly (1)
Monthly (2)
Weekly (3)
Daily or almost daily (4)
8. How often during the past year have you been unable to remember what happened the night before because of your drinking?
Never (0)
Less than monthly (1)
Monthly (2)
Weekly (3)
Daily or almost daily (4)
9. Have you or anyone else been injured as a result of your drinking?
No (0)
Yes, but not in the past year (2)
Yes, during the past year (4)
10. Has a relative, friend, doctor, or health care worker been concerned about your drinking, or suggested that you cut down?
No (0)
Yes, but not in the past year (2)
Yes, during the past year (4)
Your score:
If you scored 8-10 or more, you are probably addicted to alcohol.
It may seem like the AUDIT questionnaire is an easy test to fail. If you applied this test to other aspects of your life you will almost certainly come up as being addicted to something. For example, most people watch too much television, or eat too much of their favorite food. But those are so-called “soft addictions”, and the AUDIT questionnaire was not designed to assess them. It is extremely reliable when it comes to assessing alcohol addiction.
The AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The test correctly classifies 95% of people into either alcoholics or non-alcoholics. It was tested on 2000 people before being published.(1)
(The pdf format version of the AUDIT is available through the WHO website. Copyright 1993 World Health Organization.)
The CAGE Alcohol Addiction Test
Based on the C.A.G.E. questionnaire
This simple test is surprisingly accurate. Answer yes or no to each question.
1. Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
2. Have you ever been annoyed when people have commented on your drinking?
3. Have you ever felt guilty or badly about your drinking?
4. Have you ever had an eye opener first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?
Your score:
Score one point for each yes answer.(2)
If you scored 1, there is an 80% chance you’re addicted to alcohol.
If you scored 2, there is an 89% chance you’re addicted to alcohol.
If you scored 3, there is a 99% chance you’re addicted to alcohol.
If you scored 4, there is a 100% chance you’re addicted to alcohol.
The Modified CAGE All Addictions Test
Most self-test questionnaires apply to alcohol addiction, but can be easily adapted to any addiction.
1. Have you ever felt you should cut down your use of drugs?
2. Have you ever been annoyed when people have commented on your use?
3. Have you ever felt guilty or badly about your use?
4. Have you ever used drugs to avoid the low feeling you get after using, or to avoid withdrawal symptoms?
Please note the one response to each item that best describes how you have felt and behaved over your whole life.
“A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.”
Old Taoist Saying
If you believe that you have, or that you may have a problem with alcohol or other substances, we can help.
Call us at (877) 673-4225 or email us at admissions@journeymalibu.com
for more information.
