Substance Abuse Self-Assessment Quiz

Prescription Drug Use

How do you know when your or someone you love needs treatment to get free from prescription drug dependence?

If you are unsure whether you or someone you know has a problem with prescription drugs, here are 20 questions that can help you become clearer about whether or not you’d benefit from help:

1. Has your doctor, spouse or anyone else expressed concern about your use of medications and the effects they have on you?
Yes No

2. Have you ever decided to stop taking pills only to find yourself taking them again contrary to your previous decision?
Yes No

3. Have you ever felt remorse or concern that you were taking too many pills?
Yes No

4. Has your efficiency or ambition decreased since taking pills?
Yes No

5. Have you established a supply for your purse or pocket or to hide away in case of emergency – e.g. that you ran out of pills?
Yes No

6. Have you ever been treated by a physician or hospital for excessive use of pills (whether or not in combination with other substances)?
Yes No

7. Have you changed doctors or drug stores for the purpose of maintaining your supply?
Yes No

8. Have you received the same pill from two or more physicians or druggists at approximately the same time?
Yes No

9. Have you ever been turned down for a refill?
Yes No

10. Have you taken the same mind- or mood-affecting medication for over a year only to find you still have the same symptoms?
Yes No

11. Have you ever informed your physician as to which pill works best at which dosage and had him or her adjust the prescription to your recommendations?
Yes No

12. Have you used a tranquilizer or a sleep medication for a period of months or years with no improvement in the problem, and kept taking the pills anyway?
Yes No

13. Have you increased the dosage, quantity, strength or frequency of your medication over the past months or years?
Yes No

14. Is your medication quite important to you; e.g., do you worry about refills long before running out?
Yes No

15. Do you become annoyed or uncomfortable when others talk about your use of medications?
Yes No

16. Have you or anyone else noticed a change of personality when you take your medication, or when you stop taking it?
Yes No

17. Have you ever taken your medication before you had the associated symptom?
Yes No

18. Have you ever been embarrassed by your behavior when under the influence of your prescription drug?
Yes No

19. you ever sneak or hide your pills?
Yes No

20. Do you find it impossible to stop or to go for a prolonged period without your pills?
Yes No