Honest questions

Am I using too much?

Updated 2026-07-11 · Grounded in: Skinner 1982 (DAST) · SAMHSA TIP 35

The honest answer: "too much" is less about substance or quantity and more about three questions clinicians actually ask. Is the use running itself — more than intended, hard to stop, more than one thing at a time? Is it costing you — sleep, work, money, people, mood? And are there body signals — feeling sick when stopping, or health problems that trace back to use? That last group is different from the rest: withdrawal symptoms or medical harm deserve a doctor's involvement on their own, regardless of anything else, because stopping some substances abruptly can be dangerous. For the full picture, the standard screen is the DAST-10 — ten yes/no questions — and you can take it privately here in about three minutes.

Signs worth noticing

The kinds of things the screening questions explore: using beyond what was intended or prescribed. Mixing substances. Guilt afterwards. People close to you worrying. Obligations slipping. Needing it to feel normal rather than to feel good. Blackouts. Anything illegal done to obtain it.

Prescription medication counts when it's used outside the prescription — more than prescribed, someone else's, or for the feeling rather than the condition.

A private way to check — with one honest caveat

The check-in here uses the DAST-10, the four-decade standard for drug-use screening. Three minutes, no name, no account. One thing to know upfront: this product is honest about its limits. If your answers show withdrawal symptoms, opioid use, or medical risk, the result won't sell you a self-help plan — it will point you to real medical support, because that's the only right answer there.

Honest limits

A screening tool estimates how risky a pattern looks — it cannot diagnose anyone. Only a qualified clinician can do that, with a real conversation.
Scores describe the recent past you reported. They don't define you, and they change when the pattern changes.
An honest result needs honest answers, and it's normal for the first attempt to soften things. The tool works best as a private conversation with yourself.

A private way to check where you stand

Three minutes, the same validated screening questions clinicians use, no name and no account. You get a plain-words result and one first step — and crisis support stays free either way.

Start the free check-in

Common questions

Does weed count?

Cannabis is one of the substances the DAST-10 covers. Whether a pattern is risky shows in the same signals as anything else: control, cost, and consequences — not in the substance's reputation.

What about my prescription medication?

Taking it as prescribed is not what the screen asks about. It counts when use goes outside the prescription — higher doses, someone else's medication, or taking it for the feeling rather than the condition.

Why do withdrawal symptoms matter so much?

Because stopping some substances abruptly — alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids among them — can be medically dangerous. Feeling sick when you stop is the body saying a doctor should be involved in how you stop. That's safety, not judgment.

Can I check without anyone knowing?

Yes — no name, no account, GDPR-protected, deletable any time. The check-in exists for honesty before visibility.

What happens after the check-in?

A plain-words result and a free first step, immediately. Where a paid weekly plan fits, it's offered; where the honest answer is medical or professional care, the result says exactly that and points you there instead.

The Mansio is a private wellness, education, and behaviour-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.