Self-Evaluation
It takes tremendous courage to face the possibility of personal addiction. A willingness to ask and answer some difficult questions will be necessary to identify whether you or a loved one has an addiction. Determining that you or a loved one does have an addiction is the first step toward receiving the help needed for you (or her) to overcome it and regain control of your lives.
Consider the following questions as you seek to identify the signs and symptoms of addictions.
Have you ever wondered if you should cut down on your drinking, smoking, gambling, spending, etc.?
Do you become annoyed if others ask you about your substance use or compulsive behaviors?
Do you ever feel guilty in relation to your substance use or compulsive behaviors?
Do you feel compelled to use your substance or engage in your compulsive behaviors first thing in the morning?
Have others complained about your substance use or compulsive behaviors and the negative effects they may have experienced as a result?
Have you lost friends as a result of your substance use or compulsive behaviors?
Have you ever experienced legal problems as a result of your substance use or compulsive behaviors?
Have you ever lost a job or received disciplinary action at work because of substance use or compulsive behaviors?
Have you ever wondered if you should seek professional help for your substance use or compulsive behaviors?
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you should seriously consider the possibility that you could be suffering from addiction. A professional evaluation may be necessary to be sure.
Alert
While online self-evaluation quizzes can be informative, interesting, and sometimes fun to take, they cannot take the place of a professional evaluation, diagnosis, and/or recommendation for treatment. Use them to increase awareness of a potential problem, then take action and seek professional mental health care for further help.
A physician or mental health professional who is knowledgeable and experienced in the treatment of addictions could work with you to confirm or deny that your substance use or compulsive behaviors are at the level of abuse or addiction. This may be done on an outpatient or inpatient basis, depending on the severity of symptoms.
An addictionologist is the ideal professional to evaluate your situation. This is a physician who has completed additional specialized training in the evaluation and treatment of addictions. However, one may be difficult to find unless you live in a metropolitan area.
