What happens in an addiction screening (AUDIT, ASSIST, PGSI and co.)
Updated 2026-07-05 · Grounded in: WHO AUDIT · WHO ASSIST · PGSI (Problem Gambling Severity Index) · FTND (Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence) · NICE NG69 (binge-eating screening content)
Behind every 'do I have a problem?' question sits a small family of scientific questionnaires that clinicians worldwide use daily. Knowing what they are demystifies the whole first step — and explains what a good self-check can and can't tell you.
The instruments, briefly
AUDIT (WHO) covers alcohol: quantity, frequency, control, morning drinking, consequences. ASSIST (WHO) covers other substances, each separately: urge strength, frequency, consequences, failed attempts to cut down. PGSI measures gambling harm: chasing losses, borrowing, guilt, consequences. FTND gauges nicotine dependence — the classic tell is how soon after waking the first cigarette happens. Binge-eating screens ask about large amounts, loss of control, and compensation.
They share one design: a handful of pattern-and-consequences questions, scored into bands — because decades of research show the pattern predicts risk better than any single fact about amount.
What the bands mean
Scores sort into rough zones: low risk (keep an eye on it), moderate (early, structured self-management has the best leverage here), high (add professional support), and flags that skip scoring entirely — dangerous withdrawal risk, compensation after eating, safety concerns — which route straight to medical or crisis care.
A screen is not a diagnosis; only a clinician diagnoses. What it gives you is an honest sorting: which of the three broad situations you're in, and therefore which kind of help fits.
What makes a self-check trustworthy
Three things to demand from any online check: it uses the validated instruments (not vibes-quizzes), it's willing to tell you 'this needs a doctor, not an app', and it treats your answers as private health data with consent and deletion rights.
That third one is worth taking seriously: your honest answers are the whole value of a screening, and honesty needs privacy. The Mansio's free check-in is built on exactly these instruments, routes safety flags to real help, and is private by design.
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.
Start the free check-inCommon questions
Can I just take the questionnaires somewhere official?
The instruments are published and widely available. What a good tool adds: correct scoring and branching, the safety routing (withdrawal, compensation, crisis flags), and a concrete next step matched to your band instead of a bare number.
Will it tell me I'm an addict?
No respectable screen uses that word as an output. You get a risk band and a recommendation. Labels are neither the input nor the point.
What if I lie on it?
Then you get a report about the fictional person you described. Screens only work when they’re private and honest — which is exactly why anonymous self-checks exist.
Keep reading
The Mansio is a private wellness, education, and behavior-change support tool. It is not a medical device, not therapy, and not a substitute for professional medical or mental-health care. If you're in crisis, call your local emergency number — crisis help is always free and never requires an account.