Purpose. This test describes things that happen to people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs. By taking this test, you will be able to determine if you are addicted and, if so, how serious your addiction is. To be addicted means that you cannot stop using alcohol or drugs without help. This test was adopted from the Jellinek Chart for Addiction. The following problems do not happen to people who are not addicted.

Instructions. Read each question and think back over your life. If this has ever happened to you, make a checkmark in the left column (yes). If this has never happened to you, make a checkmark in the right column (no). When you are finished, see the scoring sheet at the end of the test.

Yes No
1. Use to feel better: I use alcohol or drugs to get away from things that
bother me or are hard to face.

2. Use to solve most problems: I use alcohol or drugs to try to solve most of my problems and things that bother me.

3. It takes more: It takes more or stronger kinds of alcohol or drugs to get the same feelings than it used to.

4. Memory loss: Sometimes after I have been using, I do not remember what happened.

5. Sneaking: Sometimes I hide from other people how much I’m using or drinking. This might be because I do not want people to know or because I do not want to share.

6. Dependence: I rarely do anything for fun unless I use alcohol or drugs.

7. Fast start: I use stronger alcohol or drugs or use a lot quicker at first to get a
“good start.”

8. Feel guilty: I feel guilty about using alcohol or drugs or about the things that I do when I use.
9. Do not listen: Other people complain or try to talk to me about my use but I do not listen.
10. Regular blackouts: I do not remember what happened and I get into trouble when I use alcohol or drugs.
11. Excuses: I use problems in my life as an excuse for using alcohol or drugs. I feel that I have to use it to deal with these problems.
12. Using more than others: I use more than most people, so I hang around people who use as much or more so that I feel that I fit in.
13. Feel bad: I feel bad about how my using hurts other people, but I don’t know what to do about it.
14. Show off: I show off or get pushy with other people to feel better and prove that I am okay.
15. Promises: I promise to get my life in order and do better. I mean it, but it doesn’t work out that way.
16. Control: I try to control my use, but it doesn’t work.
17. Give up other things: I’ve stopped doing things that I used to do that didn’t involve using alcohol or drugs.
18. Make changes: I change jobs, move, or leave a relationship to try to make my life better, but it doesn’t make any difference.
19. Work and money troubles: I have problems on the job, owe money, or can’t work at all because of my using.
20. Avoid friends and family: I avoid old friends and family that do not use—it unless I need something from them.
21. Neglect food: I do not eat healthy foods or eat at regular times, especially when I’m using.
22. Resentment: I feel like other people are out to get me, and I feel angry a lot.
23. Withdrawal: I need a drink or a drug in the morning or else I get the shakes or sweats because I feel terrible.
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24. Can’t make decisions: I can’t make decisions about even small things. I just wait until things happen.
25. Health problems: I am sick, have lost a lot of weight, or feel physically bad most of the time.
26. Decrease in amount to get high: It takes less for me to get high or doesn’t matter how much I use because I can’t get the effect I want.
27. Over the line: I do things I said I would never do or things that do not reflect the way I was raised.
28. Use all the time: I use it whenever I can, and I don’t try to have a normal life.
29. Find someone worse: I try to use with people who are worse off than I am so that I feel better.
30. Major damage: Even when I’m not using, I have a hard time thinking, remembering, and doing things that used to be easy.
31. Afraid: I feel like something terrible might happen to me, people are out to get me, and I have to be on guard at all times.
32. Give up: I don’t try to change anything. I just wait to see what happens.
33. Using is everything: Getting something to use, using, and getting over using are my whole life.
34. Turn to God: I want God or religion to save me from my life.
35. I’m lost: I don’t try to pretend my life is normal. I know I am an addict or an alcoholic. I believe that things will never change.
36. Desperation: I am willing to do anything to get better.
37. Confinement: I have been in jails and mental wards because of my using.