TRUSTED CONTENTAddiction Severity Self-Assessment
A confidential, 11-question screening based on the criteria clinicians use to gauge how substance use may be affecting your life.
Thinking about the past 12 months, choose the answer that fits best. Be honest with yourself — there are no wrong answers, and nothing here is recorded.
Please answer all 11 questions to see your result.
Free, confidential help is available right now
- SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) — free, confidential, 24/7, 365 days a year. They can refer you to treatment near you (English & Spanish). TTY: 1-800-487-4889.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 if you are in emotional distress or crisis.
- You can also text your ZIP code to 435748 (HELP4U) to find help nearby.
Important: This self-assessment is an educational screening tool, not a diagnosis. It cannot tell you whether you have a substance use disorder. Only a qualified healthcare professional can do that, through a full evaluation. A low result does not rule out a problem, and a higher result does not mean your situation is hopeless — substance use disorders are treatable, and recovery is possible at every level of severity.
If you or someone you know may be in immediate danger, call 911 (or your local emergency number).
Understanding Your Addiction Self-Assessment Results
The screening above is built on the same framework clinicians use every day: the eleven diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder defined in the DSM-5-TR, the manual published by the American Psychiatric Association. Counting how many of those criteria apply to the past twelve months is exactly how a clinician gauges whether a pattern of substance use is mild, moderate, or severe. Where this tool differs from a clinical appointment is simple but important: it gives you a private, honest place to reflect, not a diagnosis. That distinction shapes everything below.
A screening is a starting point, not a verdict. A self-assessment can tell you whether your relationship with a substance is worth a closer look. It cannot confirm a condition, rule one out, or replace an evaluation by a licensed professional. People sometimes score low and still need support, and people who score higher are often closer to meaningful change than they realize. Wherever your result landed, the most useful thing it can do is help you decide what to do next.
How This Assessment Works: The DSM-5 Framework
The eleven criteria are not a random checklist. Researchers group them into four areas of life that substance use tends to affect, and seeing your answers through these four lenses often makes a result easier to understand than a single number does.
Using more or for longer than you intended, repeatedly wanting to cut down without success, strong cravings, and a lot of time spent getting, using, or recovering.
Falling behind at work, school, or home; continued use despite relationship problems; and giving up activities that once mattered to you.
Using in situations where it could be physically dangerous, and continuing even after it has started to cause or worsen a physical or mental health problem.
Needing more to feel the same effect (tolerance) and experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you cut back. These can occur even with medication taken as prescribed.
Severity is then read from a simple count of how many criteria are present in a twelve-month window. The table below shows how that count maps to the bands used in the screening, following the thresholds set out by the American Psychiatric Association and summarized by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
| Result band | Criteria met | What it typically indicates |
|---|---|---|
| Below threshold | 0–1 | No diagnosis is indicated at this time, though it may still be worth a conversation if you have concerns. |
| Mild | 2–3 | A pattern worth taking seriously early, when outpatient support is often highly effective. |
| Moderate | 4–5 | Use is affecting several areas of life; structured treatment is commonly recommended. |
| Severe | 6 or more | Often what people mean by addiction; medically supervised care is frequently the safest path. |
Substance Use in the United States: What the 2026 Data Shows
If your result gave you pause, it helps to know how common this experience is. The most recent federal figures come from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released by SAMHSA in July 2025 and the current benchmark heading into 2026.
people aged 12 or older met the criteria for a substance use disorder in the past year (16.8%).
people who needed substance use treatment in 2024 did not receive any — a treatment gap that has barely moved in a decade.
adults who once had a mental health or substance use issue now consider themselves in recovery or recovered.
That last figure matters as much as the first. Substance use disorders are treatable conditions, and recovery is not the exception — it is the most common outcome over time. The harder problem is the gap between needing help and getting it, which the chart below makes plain.
The 2024 treatment gap (people aged 12+)
Source: SAMHSA, 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. A screening like the one above is one small way to start closing that gap for one person.
What Your Result Means — and the Next Step
Below are practical next steps for each band. Open the one that matches your result. None of these is a prescription; they are starting points to discuss with a qualified professional who can see your full picture.
If you scored 0–1 (below threshold)
Your answers point to few or no clinical indicators right now. That is reassuring, but a screening only reflects a single moment. If you completed this because something felt off, that instinct is worth honoring. Keeping an eye on your own patterns, talking with a trusted clinician, or reading more about specific substances on our substance addiction and mental health sections can help you stay ahead of any change.
If you scored 2–3 (mild)
A mild pattern is the most responsive to early help, and you rarely need to upend your life to address it. Many people start with flexible, lower-intensity care such as outpatient treatment or an intensive outpatient program, often paired with evidence-based counseling like cognitive behavioral therapy or motivational interviewing. Acting now is one of the highest-leverage choices you can make.
If you scored 4–5 (moderate)
A moderate result suggests use is touching several parts of your life, and more structure usually helps. That can mean a partial hospitalization program, an intensive outpatient program, or residential inpatient care, depending on your circumstances and support at home. If anxiety, depression, or trauma sit alongside the substance use, ask specifically about dual diagnosis treatment, which addresses both together.
If you scored 6 or more (severe)
A higher score is a clear signal to reach out, and effective treatment exists for exactly this. Many people begin with medically supervised detox followed by residential inpatient care, because some substances — including alcohol and benzodiazepines — can be dangerous to stop without medical support. If you are thinking about stopping, please speak with a clinician first, and consider calling the free SAMHSA National Helpline below today.
Why This Tool Uses the DSM-5 Criteria
Several short screening questionnaires exist, and each has a purpose. The reason this assessment is built on the DSM-5 criteria is that they are the same standard used for clinical diagnosis and for insurance authorization of detox, rehab, and counseling, which makes the result easier to translate into a real next step.
| Screening approach | Primary focus | Length |
|---|---|---|
| DSM-5 criteria (this tool) | Any substance; maps directly to severity and diagnosis | 11 items |
| AUDIT | Alcohol use and related harm | 10 items |
| CAGE | Brief alcohol problem screen | 4 items |
| DAST-10 | Drug use other than alcohol | 10 items |
Finding a Confidential Assessment Near You
A self-assessment is most valuable when it leads to a real conversation with a local provider who can offer a full evaluation. RehabSeekers lists treatment and assessment options across Southern California. Browse by your city or neighborhood to find care close to home.
San Diego County
Start with San Diego and its neighborhoods, including Downtown, Hillcrest, North Park, La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Point Loma, Mission Valley, Clairemont, Mira Mesa, Carmel Valley, Rancho Bernardo and Scripps Ranch. Nearby cities include Chula Vista, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Escondido, El Cajon, Vista, San Marcos, Encinitas, La Mesa, National City, Poway and Coronado.
Orange County
Explore Orange County and its cities and communities, including Irvine, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Laguna Beach, San Clemente, Tustin and Dana Point. Community-level pages include Woodbridge, Anaheim Hills, Corona del Mar and Ladera Ranch.
Los Angeles
Find care across Los Angeles, including Hollywood, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Pasadena, Long Beach, Burbank, Glendale, Silver Lake, Culver City, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Manhattan Beach and Torrance.
Riverside County
Browse Riverside County, including the city of Riverside with Downtown Riverside, Canyon Crest, La Sierra and Moreno Valley, along with Corona. You can also view the full California and Southern California directories.
Explore Treatment Options and Coverage
Whatever your result, understanding the substance, the level of care, and how it is paid for makes the next conversation easier.
Alcohol, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crystal meth, benzodiazepines and Xanax.
Detox, residential inpatient, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and outpatient care.
All carriers, including Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicare and TRICARE.
Support is also available for specific groups, including veterans and military, young adults, teens and working professionals. If a co-occurring condition such as depression, anxiety or PTSD is part of the picture, integrated care tends to work best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my self-assessment private?
Yes. The tool runs entirely in your browser on your own device. Your answers are never saved, transmitted, or shared, and the result disappears when you close the page. Nothing you select is recorded.
Is this the same as a diagnosis?
No. It is an educational screening that uses recognized clinical criteria, but only a licensed professional can diagnose a substance use disorder after a full evaluation. Think of your result as information to bring to that conversation, not a conclusion on its own.
Can I complete it for a family member?
You can answer on behalf of someone you are worried about to help organize your own thoughts, but a screening is most accurate when the person themselves reflects honestly on the past twelve months. If you are concerned about a loved one, the SAMHSA National Helpline below can also guide family members.
I scored low but I am still worried. What should I do?
Trust that concern. Screenings capture a single moment and do not measure everything, such as how substance use makes you feel or its effect on people around you. A brief conversation with a doctor or counselor is a reasonable, low-pressure next step.
Does insurance cover treatment after a positive screen?
Often, yes. Most plans cover medically necessary substance use treatment, and a clinical diagnosis using the DSM-5 criteria is typically what authorizes detox, rehab, and counseling. You can check specific carriers on our insurance directory.
Free, confidential help is available now
The SAMHSA National Helpline offers free, confidential support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with referrals to treatment near you in English and Spanish: call 1-800-662-HELP (4357). If you are in emotional distress or crisis, call or text 988. If you or someone you know may be in immediate danger, call 911.
References and Citations
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released July 28, 2025. samhsa.gov
SAMHSA. Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2024 NSDUH (full report). samhsa.gov/data
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Alcohol Use Disorder: From Risk to Diagnosis to Recovery, Core Resource on Alcohol (DSM-5-TR criteria and severity levels). niaaa.nih.gov
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR), 2022. psychiatry.org
SAMHSA National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357). samhsa.gov/find-help
