You may be wondering if you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol. It seems like an obvious question, but denial plays a major role in masking the disease.

There are numerous questionaires, self-tests, and diagnostic criteria available to preliminarily assess for addiction. For example, Google either “alcohol addiction test” or “drug addiction test” and you will find, in some cases, comprehensive information on the subject.

If you are interested in a quick self test, answer the following questions:

* Do I gulp my drinks down rather than sipping them?

* Does stress cause me to drink or do drugs more than usual?

* Am I guilty about drinking and doing drugs?

* Have I lost time from work because of my using drugs and/or alcohol?

* Do I consistantly drink alone?

* Am I compelled to use before or during social events?

* Have I experienced legal problems because of drinking or substance abuse?

* Do I forget things that happened when I drink or use drugs?

* If alcohol is not available at a social event am I uncomfortable?

* Do I still claim I can stop drinking and doing drugs whenever I want?

* Do I ever need a drink first thing in the morning or a pill to get going?

* Did I hide my alcohol at home?

* Have I lost a job because of my drug use or drinking?

* Do I ever need a drink or a couple of pills to get rid of the “shakes?”

* Do chemical substances or alcohol help me build confidence?

While the above questions in no way replaces an assessment conducted by a professional in the addiction field, if you answered “yes” to several of these questions it may be time for you to take a closer look at your drinking or use of mood altering drugs.

So how do we know if we`ve turned the corner on using and it`s become an addiction? In the early days of alcoholism and drug treatment, therapists and counselors would say: “If you think you have a problem with alcohol or drugs you almost certainly do!” That would often suffice as a personal diagnosis and was followed by a list of behaviors that usually accompany frequent and obsessive bouts with alcohol.

The next step requires honesty with ones self. Since denial is, however, a prime symptom of alcoholism and drug addiction that may not be as easy as it sounds. A clearer answer lies in the person`s conduct. We can be sure we`re headed for possible alcoholism and addiction if our consumption of any chemical substance has begun to adversely affect a major part of our life.