Is my drug use a problem? A structured way to check

What screening actually asks

Tools like the WHO's ASSIST ask about each substance separately: how often you use, how strong the urge to use has become, whether use has caused health, money, work or relationship problems, whether anyone close has expressed concern, whether you've tried to cut down and couldn't.

Notice what's NOT on the list: moral judgment. Screening measures pattern and consequences, and it distinguishes low-risk use from a moderate pattern that responds well to early self-management from a picture that needs professional care.

Drift: the sign people miss

The single most useful early signal is drift: the same amount doing less, use moving from weekends into the week, using alone where it used to be social, promises to yourself getting quietly renegotiated. Each step is small enough to explain away; the direction is the message.

Writing down actual use for a couple of weeks — when, what, what preceded it — makes drift visible while it's still cheap to correct.

Two situations that skip the queue

Opioids: if opioids are in the picture at all, the safety bar is different — overdose risk is real, tolerance drops fast after breaks, and self-guided programs are not the right tool. Don't use alone, and connect with professional care. That's not gatekeeping; it's the difference between a habit problem and a life-safety problem.

Benzodiazepines: never stop abruptly after sustained use — withdrawal can cause seizures. Stopping needs a doctor-managed taper.

Wondering where you actually stand?

The free check-in uses the same validated screening tools clinicians use, takes a few minutes, and is private. It tells you honestly what level of support fits — including when it's more than an app should handle.

Common questions

Keep reading

• Urge surfing: how to ride out a craving without acting on it →
• Cannabis: when a habit starts to harden →