Alcoholism

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Alcoholism

How Do I Know If Someone is Addicted to Drugs?

From National Institute on Drug Abuse, for About.com

Updated: November 21, 2007

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Question: How Do I Know If Someone is Addicted to Drugs?
Answer: Have you ever felt you ought to Cut down on your drinking/drug use? Have people ever Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking/drug use? Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking/drug use? Have you ever had a drink or taken a drug first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover (Eye-opener)? If a person is compulsively seeking and using a drug despite negative consequences, such as loss of job, debt, physical problems brought on by drug abuse, or family problems, then he or she is probably addicted.

Those who screen for drug problems, such as physicians, have developed the CAGE questionnaire. These four simple questions can help detect substance abuse problems:
  • Have you ever felt you ought to Cut down on your drinking/drug use?
  • Have people ever Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking/drug use?
  • Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking/drug use?
  • Have you ever had a drink or taken a drug first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover (Eye-opener)?
CAGE test adapted from: Ewing JA, Detecting Alcoholism: The CAGE Questionnaire. JAMA, 252:1905-1907, 1984.

Back to: Drug Abuse FAQ

More Alcoholism Q&A
Buddy T
Guide since 1997

Buddy T
Alcoholism Guide

About.com Special Features

Do I Have Allergies?

Are your symptoms merely irritating, or could they be a sign of allergies? More >

Preventing Headaches

The best way to treat a headache is to prevent it. Learn how. More >

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

Alcoholism

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Alcoholism