Are you an addict?

There is really only one person who can answer that question and that’s you.

Others might be able to see it in you, and be convinced of it by your actions, and even take their own steps to obtain help for you or themselves. But you are the one who must decide whether you are “helpless over the problem.” 

These questions are presented as a self test. They have been derived and adapted from several programs to apply to addiction in general. The term “problem behavior” refers to any behavior you may have trouble controlling or refraining from engaging in. 

1. Do you ever lose time from work or school due to a problem behavior? 

2. Has the problem behavior ever made your home life unhappy? 

3. Has this problem behavior ever affected your reputation? 

4. Have you ever felt remorse after engaging in the problem behavior? 

5. Did you associate with people you didn’t respect and hang out in places you didn’t want to be in when engaging in the problem behavior? 

6. Does engaging in the problem behavior cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency? 

7. Does the problem behavior ever get you into trouble on the job or in business? 

8. Has a doctor ever treated you for the problem behavior? 

9. Do you engage in the problem behavior until your last dollar is gone? 

10. Do you ever borrow money to finance the problem behavior? 

11. Have you ever sold anything to finance the problem behavior? 

12. Does your desire to engage in the problem behavior encourage you to take large physical or social risks?

13. Does the problem behavior make you careless of the welfare of yourself or your family? 

14. Do you ever engage in the problem behavior longer than you had planned? 

15. Do you ever engage in the problem behavior to escape worry, trouble, boredom, loneliness, grief or loss? 

16. Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to engage in the problem behavior? 

17. Does the problem behavior cause you to have difficulty in sleeping? 

18. Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to engage in the problem behavior 

19. Have you ever been arrested, locked up or hospitalized on account of the problem behavior? 

20. Have you ever considered self-destruction or suicide as a result of the problem behavior 

If you answer “yes” to as few as three of these, you may be suffering from addiction. If so, the next question is “What are you going to do about it?” 

It’s up to you. How brave are you? Are you brave enough to surrender?