Anonymous, two minutes

Am I a drug addict? Take the 2-minute check.

"Addict" is a heavy word, and you do not have to decide whether it fits you today. This is the DAST-10, a widely used drug-use screening questionnaire. It takes about two minutes and it is completely anonymous.

Your answers never leave your device. Nothing is saved.

Answer for the last 12 months, and for drug use other than alcohol: illegal drugs, and any prescription or over-the-counter medicines taken in a way they were not prescribed. If alcohol is the worry, use the alcohol check instead.

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

Yes scores 1; No scores 0.

2. Do you use more than one drug at a time?

Yes scores 1; No scores 0.

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

Yes scores 0; No scores 1.

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

Yes scores 1; No scores 0.

5. Do you ever feel bad or guilty about your drug use?

Yes scores 1; No scores 0.

6. Does your partner, or your parents, ever complain about your involvement with drugs?

Yes scores 1; No scores 0.

7. Have you neglected your family because of your use of drugs?

Yes scores 1; No scores 0.

8. Have you done anything illegal in order to get drugs?

Yes scores 1; No scores 0.

9. Have you ever felt sick (withdrawal symptoms) when you stopped taking drugs?

Yes scores 1; No scores 0.

10. Have you had medical problems as a result of your drug use, for example memory loss, hepatitis, convulsions or bleeding?

Yes scores 1; No scores 0.

What the scores mean

0: Your answers suggest no problem with drugs right now. Your answers do not flag a problem with drugs at the moment. One honest note: a screen is a snapshot, not a verdict. If drug use still worries you, or someone you love has said something, that feeling is worth listening to regardless of a score.

1 to 2: Your score suggests a low level of problems related to drugs. Many people score here, and most do not think of themselves as having a problem. But this is the range where drug use can quietly start costing sleep, money, mood and health. Small changes now make a big difference. Three gentle options: keep an eye on it for a couple of weeks, talk to your GP or FRANK, or sit in on one meeting just to listen.

3 to 5: Your score suggests a moderate level of problems related to drugs. A score in this range is worth a proper look. It does not mean you are an addict, and no one is telling you that. It means your drug use is the sort that a GP, FRANK, or a free local drug service would want to help you with. You do not have to carry this alone. Meetings are free, anonymous, and you can just listen.

6 to 8: Your score suggests a substantial level of problems related to drugs. A score in this range is the level where it really is worth talking to someone: a GP, a free local drug service, or FRANK. They do this every day, with no judgement. And some hope, because it matters: many people who scored like this are now in recovery and well. The rooms are full of them.

9 to 10: Your score suggests a severe level of problems related to drugs. A score this high is the point where a GP or a local drug service really matters. This is routine for them, there are no lectures, and treatment can include medication and support to come off safely. And some hope, because it is true: thousands of people with scores like this are now clean and well. You do not have to do it alone.

Total score: 0 to 10. The DAST-10 is a widely used drug-use screening tool. A score is a snapshot, not a diagnosis.