Go Directly To Self Test

This is an incredibly confusing question for most people when alcohol or other drugs have become a problem. Part of the problem is that alcohol and drugs did not start out as a problem. They seemed, at first, to be a solution to problems! People move toward drugs for reasons - such as pain control, confidence boosting or to alleviate loneliness. The problem is that the situation changes over time - almost imperceptibly for many people. What really was not a problem in the past may have slowly become a problem without your realizing it. That makes it hard to see it happening.

That's not the only thing that can make the problem difficult to see. Alcohol and other drugs change how you see and experience things. They affect how you remember - or don't remember - what has happened. You could be missing some important information that others can see clearly.

Finally, there's that natural human desire not to see things we don't want to see. We all do it. We all protect ourselves by distorting the truth at times. It's natural. When we human beings have a frightening problem, we seem to have a choice: we can either (1) acknowledge the problem and work on a solution or (2) try to ignore it and pretend it's not there. We do seem to have an incredible capacity to avoid seeing things - by trying to ignore them, by coming up with excuses that seem to make sense, by blaming others. These "denial tactics" seem to help protect us and make us feel safer and more comfortable for a while. However, they distort the truth. There comes a time when they, too, begin to hurt us.

All of these things make a growing drug or alcohol problem difficult to see. If you are willing to answer a few questions very honestly for yourself, you can assess whether you may have a problem with alcohol or other drugs. If the test indicates a potential problem, you'll know that the next step is further assessment. Please feel free to contact us at any hour of the day or night, seven days a week. We can help.

It might take some courage to look clearly and fearlessly at what is happening now, but if there is a problem, your honest look at the situation can open the door to recovery and to freedom.

"How Do I Know If I Have a Problem?"

This self-test is a slightly modified version of a "Simple Screening Instrument for Alcohol or Drug Abuse" published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Directions: The following questions are about your use of alcohol and other drugs. Check the box for each question where your answer is "Yes." Answer the questions in terms of your experiences in the past six months.

During the last six months...

1. Have you used alcohol or other drugs (such as beer, wine, hard liquor, pot, coke, heroin or other opiates, uppers, downers, hallucinogens or inhalants)?

2. Have you felt that you used too much alcohol or other drugs?

3. Have you tried to cut down or quit drinking or using alcohol or other drugs?

4. Have you gone to anyone for help because of your drinking or drug use? (Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, counselors, or a treatment program)

5. Have you had any health problems? For example, have you_

6. Had any medical problems that your doctor suggested are related to alcohol or drugs?

7. Had blackouts or other periods of memory loss?

8. Injured your head after drinking or using drugs?

9. Had convulsions or severe withdrawal symptoms?

10. Had hepatitis or any other liver problem?

11. Felt sick, shaky or depressed when you stopped?

12. Felt "coke bugs" or crawling feeling under your skin after you stopped using drugs?

13. Been injured after drinking or using?

14. Used needles?

15. Has drinking or other drug use caused problems between you and your family or friends?

16. Has your drinking or drug use caused problems at school or at work?

17. Have you been arrested or had other legal problems? (Such as bouncing bad checks, driving while intoxicated, theft or drug possession)

18. Have you lost your temper or gotten into arguments or fights while drinking or using other drugs?

19. Are you needing to drink or use drugs more and more to get the effect you want?

20. Do you spend a lot of time thinking about or trying to get alcohol or other drugs?

21. When drinking or using drugs, are you more likely to do something you wouldn't normally do, such as break rules, break the law, sell things that are important to you, or have unprotected sex?

22. Do you feel bad or guilty about your drinking or drug use?

23. Have you ever in your life had a drinking or other drug problem?

24. Have any of your family members ever had a drinking or drug problem?

25. Do you feel that you have a drinking or drug problem now?

Preliminary Interpretation of Responses:

Score	Degree of Risk for Alcohol or Drug Addiction
0 - 1	No risk to low risk
2 - 3	Minimal risk
4 and above	Moderate to high risk. (Need for further assessment.)

If your score shows a moderate to high risk, we encourage you to take action of some kind. That means that you should at least talk with a professional about your use, so you have a clearer idea of what it means.

You are welcome to contact us at Mountain Vista Farm to discuss your situation. You can also find more information about our residential care program and outpatient options, links to information, support and other treatment programs in your community on our links page.

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