Am I Addicted to Prescription Narcotics?

Opioid (narcotic) dependence/addiction is a disease in which there are biological or physical, psychological, and social changes. Some of the physical changes include the need for increasing amounts of opioid to produce the same effect, symptoms of withdrawal, feelings of craving, and changes in sleep patterns. Psychological components of opioid dependence include a reliance on narcotics (opioids) such as Vicodin or OxyContin to help cope with everyday problems. The inability to feel good or celebrate without using narcotics is another sign of addiction. The social components of opioid dependence include less frequent contact with important people in your life, and an inability to participate in important events due to drug use. In extreme cases, there may even be criminal and legal implications

The hallmarks of opioid dependence are the continued use of drugs despite their negative affect, the need for increasing amounts of opioids to have the same effect and the development of withdrawal symptoms upon cessation.

Take the following Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) to further assess if you have a problem with narcotics.

Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST)

1.      Have you used drugs other than those required for medical reasons?   

2.      Have you misused prescription drugs?   

3.      Do you misuse more than one drug at a time?   

4.      Can you get through the week without using drugs (other than those required

         for medical reasons)?   

5.      Are you always able to stop using drugs when you want to?   

6.      Do you misuse drugs on a continuous basis?  

7.      Do you try to limit your drug use to certain situations?   

8.      Have you had "blackouts" or "flashbacks" as a result of drug use?   

9.      Do you ever feel bad about your drug misuse?   

10.     Does your spouse (or parents) ever complain about your involvement with drugs?   

11.     Do your friends or relatives know or suspect you misuse drugs?   

12.     Has drug misuse ever created problems between you and your spouse?   

13.     Has any family member ever sought help for problems related to your drug use?  

Have you ever:

14.     Lost friends because of your use of drugs?   

15.     Neglected your family or missed work because of your use of drugs?   

16.     Been in trouble at work because of drug misuse?  

17.     Lost a job because of drug misuse?   

18.     Gotten into fights when under the influence of drugs?   

19.     Been arrested because of unusual behavior while under the influence of drugs?   

20.     Been arrested for driving while under the influence of drugs?  

21.     Engaged in illegal activities to obtain drugs?   

22.     Been arrested for possession of illegal drugs?   

23.     Experienced withdrawal symptoms as a result of heavy drug intake?   

24.     Had medical problems as a result of your drug use (e.g., memory loss, hepatitis,

         convulsions or bleeding)?   

25.     Gone to anyone for help for a drug problem?   

26.     Been in hospital for medical problems related to your drug use?   

27.     Been involved in a treatment program specifically related to drug use?   

28.     Been treated as an outpatient for problems related to drug dependence or misuse? 

Scoring: 

Each positive response yields 1 point, except for questions 4, 5, and 7 which yield 1 point for a negative response or false direction.

A score greater than 5 requires further evaluation for substance misuse problems.

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