Self-Diagnosis Questionnaires

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Self-Diagnosis Questionnaires

The following are available on this page:

• Alcohol & Drug Addiction - Other Person Diagnosis
• Alcohol & Drug Addiction - Self Diagnosis
• Compulsive Gambling / Gambling Addiction - Self-Diagnosis
• Computer / Internet Addiction – Self-Diagnosis

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Alcohol & Drug Addiction - Other Person Diagnosis

If you think you may be affected by a friend, co-worker, or family member with an alcohol or other drug problem, the following test can help you determine if your suspicions are founded. Answer each question with a "yes" or "no."

• Are you ever afraid to be around the person when he or she is drinking or using drugs because of the possibility of verbal or physical abuse?
• Do you worry about the person's drinking or drug use?
• Has the person broken promises to control or stop his/her drinking or drug use?
• Have you ever made excuses for the way the person behaved while drinking or using?
• Do you feel guilty about the person's drinking or drug use?
• Do you feel anxious or tense around the person because of his or her drinking or drug use?
• Are you afraid to ride with the person after he or she has been drinking or using?
• Have you ever lied to anyone else about the person's drinking or drug use?
• Have you ever helped the person "cover up" for a drinking or using episode by calling his or her employer, or telling others that he or she is feeling "sick"?
• Have you ever been embarrassed by the person's drinking or drug use?

If you answered "yes" to three or more of these questions, then there is a good chance that the person you care about has a drinking or drug problem. If you answered "yes" to any five, the chance is even greater. And if you answered "yes" to seven or more, you can feel safe in assuming that the person you care about needs help.

Johnson Institute September 1996

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Alcohol & Drug Addiction - Self Diagnosis

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you lose time from work due to drinking or drug use?
• Is drinking or drug use making your home life unhappy?
• Do you drink or use drugs because you are shy with other people?
• Is drinking or drug use affecting your reputation?
• Have you gotten into financial difficulties as a result of drinking or drug use?
• Do you turn to lower companions and an inferior environment when drinking or using drugs?
• Does your drinking or drug use make you careless of your family's welfare?
• Has your ambition decreased since drinking or using drugs?
• Do you crave a drink or drugs at a definite time daily?
• Do you want a drink or drugs the next morning?
• Does drinking or using drugs cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?
• Has your efficiency decreased since drinking or using drugs?
• Is drinking or using drugs jeopardizing your job or business?
• Do you drink or use drugs to escape from worries or trouble?
• Do you drink or use drugs alone?
• Have you ever had a complete loss of memory as a result of drinking or drug use?
• Has your physician ever treated you for drinking or drug use?
• Do you drink or use drugs to build up your self-confidence?
• Have you ever been to a hospital or institution on account of drinking or drug use?

A Yes to three or more questions indicate abuse or addiction is present and corrective steps need to be taken.

Questions are courtesy of Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland

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Compulsive Gambling /
Gambling Addiction - Self Diagnosis

Gamblers Anonymous offers the following questions to anyone who may have a gambling problem. These questions are provided to help the individual decide if he or she is a compulsive gambler and wants to stop gambling.

TWENTY QUESTIONS

• Did you ever lose time from work or school due to gambling?
• Has gambling ever made your home life unhappy?
• Did gambling affect your reputation?
• Have you ever felt remorse after gambling?
• Did you ever gamble to get money with which to pay debts or otherwise solve financial difficulties?
• Did gambling cause a decrease in your ambition or efficiency?
• After losing did you feel you must return as soon as possible and win back your losses?
• After a win did you have a strong urge to return and win more?
• Did you often gamble until your last dollar was gone?
• Did you ever borrow to finance your gambling?
• Have you ever sold anything to finance gambling?
• Were you reluctant to use "gambling money" for normal expenditures?
• Did gambling make you careless of the welfare of your family?
• Did you ever gamble longer than you had planned?
• Have you ever gambled to escape worry or trouble?
• Have you ever committed, or considered committing, an illegal act to finance gambling?
• Did gambling cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?
• Do arguments, disappointments or frustrations create within you an urge to gamble?
• Did you ever have an urge to celebrate any good fortune by a few hours of gambling?
• Have you ever considered self destruction as a result of your gambling?

Most compulsive gamblers will answer yes to at least seven of these questions.

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Computer / Internet Addiction - Self Diagnosis

Ten Symptoms of Computer Addiction (by James Fearing, Ph.D.)

• A demonstrated "loss of control" when trying to stop or limit the amount of time on the computer. (Breaking promises to self or others. Promising to quit or cut down and not being able to do so)
• Being dishonest or minimizing the extent of the time you stay on the computer, or covering up or being dishonest about what activities you participate in when on the computer.
• Negative consequences experienced by the computer user or his/her friends or family as a direct result of time or activities spent on the computer.
• Participation in high risk or normally unacceptable behaviors when using the computer. Compromising your morals and values based on the opportunity to remain anonymous and protected on the computer. (a good test for this is to ask yourself if your spouse, partner or family would approve of what you were doing on the computer)
• An overdeveloped sense of importance for the computer in ones life. Defending your right to use the computer as much as desired, regardless of the fact that people in your life are feeling left out and neglected. (denial of the problem and justification; not being able to hear or feel what the other people are saying regarding your computer behavior)
• Mixed feelings of euphoria (a "rush"), combined with feelings of guilt brought on by either the inordinate amount of time spent on the computer or the abnormal behavior acted out while using the computer.
• Feelings of depression or anxiety when something or someone shortens your time or interrupts your plans to use the computer.
• Preoccupation with the computer and computer activities when you are not using the computer (thinking about the computer and its activities when doing something else; i.e. having a family dinner, working on project deadline etc.)
• Finding yourself using the computer at times when you are feeling uncomfortable, irritated, or sad about something happening in your life. ( feeling uncomfortable in your relationship, so you will self medicate and "hide out" on the computer) Using time on the computer to become externally focused outside yourself as a way to avoid facing what is happening in your life, and avoiding feeling the appropriate feelings inside yourself. (self medicating)
• Experiencing financial concerns or problems in your life as a result of money being spent on computer hardware, computer on-line charges, or any other costs associated with computers. (Spending money on computer related items which should have been allocated to other normal living expenses)

If you said yes to one question you may have a problem with computer addiction. If you said yes to two questions, there is a good chance you do have a problem with computer addiction. If you answered yes to three or more, you are demonstrating a pattern of behavior which would suggest that you are addicted to your computer and/or the activities on it.

This questionnaire was developed by James Fearing, Ph.D., at the National Counseling Center in Minneapolis, MN.

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