If your friend or loved one has one or more of the following signs, he or she may have a problem with drugs or alcohol:

·        Getting high on drugs or getting drunk on a regular basis.

·        Lying about things, or the amount of drugs or alcohol they are using.

·        Avoiding you and others in order to get high or drunk.

·        Giving up activities they used to do such as sports, homework, or hanging out with  friends who don’t use drugs or drink.

·        Having to use more alcohol or other drugs to get the same effects.

·        Constantly talking about using drugs or drinking.

·        Believing that in order to have fun they need to drink or use other drugs.

·        Pressuring others to use drugs or drink.

·        Getting into trouble with the law.

·        Taking risks, including sexual risks and driving under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs.

·        Feeling run-down, hopeless, depressed, or even suicidal.

·        Suspension from school for an alcohol-or drug-related incident.

·        Missing work or poor work performance because of drinking or drug use.

How Can I Tell if I Have a Problem with Alcohol or Other Drugs?

Drug and alcohol problems can affect every one of us regardless of age, sex, race, marital status, place of residence, income level, or lifestyle.

You may have a problem with drugs or alcohol, if:

·        You can’t predict whether or not you will use drugs or get drunk.

·        You believe that in order to have fun you need to drink and/or use drugs.

·        You turn to alcohol and/or drugs after a confrontation or argument, or to relieve uncomfortable feelings.

·        You drink more or use more drugs to get the same effect that you got with smaller amounts.

·        You drink and/or use drugs alone.

·        You remember how last night began, but not how it ended, so you’re worried you may have a problem.

·        You have trouble at work or in school because of drinking or drug use.

·        You make promises to yourself or others that you’ll stop getting drunk or using drugs.

·        You feel alone, scared, miserable, and depressed.

ASSESSMENTS & SCREENINGS

 SASSI – 3 Adult

The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) is a psychological screening measure that helps identify individuals who have a high probability of having a substance dependence disorder (i.e., chemical dependency).  Subtle items that seem unrelated to substance use enable the SASSI to recognize individuals with alcohol and other drug problems even if they do not acknowledge substance misuse or symptoms associated with it. Objective scoring quickly identifies substance dependence with an overall empirically tested accuracy of 93 %-( 94% of substance dependent people are correctly identified; 93% of non-substance dependent people are correctly identified). Interpretations of the SASSI profiles also suggest possibilities that the counselor may find useful in understanding clients and planning their treatment.

SASSI-A2 Adolescent

The Adolescent Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI-A2) is a psychological screening measure that helps identify individuals who have a high probability of having a substance use disorder (i.e., substance abuse and substance dependence).  It should be used for adolescents between 12 and 18 years old.  It is relatively easy to identify someone who has been abusing alcohol and other drugs for many years and has thereby suffered numerous clear consequences. However, it is not as easy to identify and adolescent in the early stages of the disorder when there are not a lot of obvious negative consequences. The SASSI-A2 has been found to be 94% accurate in identifying both substance dependence and substance abuse disorders.

Alcohol Screenings

Several methods have shown to work including quantity-frequency interview questions and questionnaires such as CAGE, the AUDIT, and the MAST. The CAGE is a well-established and simple method of screening for alcohol problems. It was designed (in 1970) for use by people such as doctors to quickly identify whether a patent may have a drink problem. The questions are designed to be put to anyone whose overall level of consumption is at a level considered risky or harmful. The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) was developed by the World Health Organization to identify persons whose alcohol consumption has become hazardous or harmful to their health. Developed in 1971, the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) is one of the oldest and most accurate alcohol screening tests available, effective in identifying dependent drinkers with up to 98% accuracy. Questions on the MAST test relate to the patient’s self-appraisal of social, vocational, and family problems frequently associated with heavy drinking.