Am I Addicted? The Storm Test (11 Signs of Substance Use Disorder + What to Do Next)

Medical disclaimer: This article is for education only. It isn’t medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you think you may have a substance use disorder (alcohol, drugs, or prescription misuse), talk to a qualified health professional.

Need help right now? SAMHSA’s National Helpline is free, confidential, available 24/7, 365 days a year (English/Spanish): 1‑800‑662‑HELP (4357).

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I’ve been there (and it wasn’t poetic)

I remember thinking I had a problem—just not the kind that deserved that word in full. I remember staring straight at the wreckage and naming it something softer, something survivable. Stress. Burnout. A rough patch. Bad timing. Weather.

I remember bargaining with a substance like it could hear me, like it cared. Just tonight. Just the weekend. Just until this month stops trying to kill me. I remember the panic rising like bile, the slow, stupid heaviness in my limbs, the sweat soaking my shirt like my body was trying to wring the poison out through skin. I remember how every “relief” came with interest.

And I remember the lie that kept me breathing and kept me dying: I can stop whenever I want.

Here’s the truth. If you’re here typing “am I addicted,” you’re not asking from a safe distance—the storm is already close enough to rattle the windows.

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What this is (and what it isn’t)

This post is a mirror, not a courtroom.

It’s not a diagnosis. It’s not a permission slip to panic. It’s not an excuse to minimize either. It’s a self-check built around the DSM‑5 framework for substance use disorder—because if we’re going to talk about the storm, we’re going to use a map that’s real.​

You don’t need to be “the worst” to be in trouble. You don’t need to lose everything to be losing yourself.

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Who this is for (and what counts)

This is about substances:

• Alcohol.
• Illicit drugs.
• Prescription medications when used in ways not intended (more than prescribed, someone else’s meds, using to get high, using to avoid withdrawal).

If you came here wondering about behaviors (gambling, porn, shopping, etc.), that’s a real conversation—but it’s a different post. This one is substance-only so you get clarity without loopholes.

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How to take the Storm Test

1. Read each sign and answer based on the last 12 months.​
2. Mark Yes or No. No essays. No arguments.
3. Count your Yes answers at the end.

You are not trying to look good. You are trying to stay alive.

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The Storm Test: 11 signs you might be addicted

These signs are based on the DSM‑5 criteria for substance use disorder.​

1) You use more than you meant to (or longer than planned)

What it looks like:
You go in with rules and come out with wreckage. “Two drinks” becomes a blackout. “One pill” becomes a handful. “Just tonight” becomes a three-day fog and a missing piece of your memory.

Ask yourself:

• Did you end up using more than you intended?
• Did you use longer than you planned?

2) You’ve tried to cut down or stop—and you couldn’t

What it looks like:
You make promises like you’re stacking sandbags, and the storm takes them anyway. You delete numbers. You block people. You swear off. Then something inside you starts screaming, and you cave—not because you’re weak, but because the addiction is trained.

Ask yourself:

• Have you wanted to stop or cut down and found you couldn’t?

3) A lot of your time goes to getting, using, or recovering

What it looks like:
The substance isn’t a thing you do. It’s a system. You plan routes, timing, money, excuses. You know who to call and when. You also lose hours—or days—to hangovers, comedowns, nausea, shaking, insomnia, and the kind of exhaustion that feels like punishment.

Ask yourself:

• Do you spend a lot of time getting it, using it, or recovering from it?

4) Craving (urges that hijack your brain)

What it looks like:
Craving isn’t always a polite thought. Sometimes it’s a physical demand. Your body leans toward relief like a starving animal. Your mind rehearses the ritual before you’ve even decided.

Ask yourself:

• Do you get strong cravings or urges to use?

5) Using causes problems at work, school, or home—and it keeps happening

What it looks like:
Missed shifts. Missed deadlines. Missed moments. Half-present parenting. Dishes stacked like guilt. Bills ignored. Your life starts running on apologies and last-minute fixes.

Ask yourself:

• Has your substance use repeatedly interfered with responsibilities?

6) You keep using even though it’s harming relationships

What it looks like:
People stop believing you, then stop asking, then stop calling. You lie even when the truth would be easier—because the addiction needs cover. Fights repeat. Trust rots. You become a stranger to people who love you.

Ask yourself:

• Did your use cause or worsen relationship problems—and you used anyway?

7) You’ve given up important things because of using

What it looks like:
You stop going places you can’t use. You stop doing things that make you feel alive because the substance wants the whole stage. Your world shrinks until it fits inside the next hit, the next drink, the next dose.

Ask yourself:

• Have you cut back on hobbies, friends, events, or goals because of using?

8) You use in physically dangerous situations

What it looks like:
Driving. Mixing substances. Taking risks you would never take sober. Using alone where no one can help if your body decides to quit on you.

Ask yourself:

• Have you used in situations that could get you seriously hurt—or kill you?

9) You keep using even though it’s hurting your mind or body

What it looks like:
Your anxiety spikes. Depression deepens. Sleep disappears. Your heart races. Your stomach stays wrecked. Your thinking gets darker. And still—something in you reaches for the substance like it’s medicine.

Ask yourself:

• Did you keep using even after you knew it was harming your physical or mental health?

10) Tolerance (needing more to get the same effect)

What it looks like:
What used to work doesn’t work. You need more to feel the same relief—or the same numbness. You chase the old feeling like a ghost you can’t catch.

Ask yourself:

• Did you need more to get the same effect, or notice the same amount didn’t work like it used to?

11) Withdrawal (feeling sick when you stop or cut down)

What it looks like:
This is the body storm. Sweating, shaking, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, nightmares, panic, pain, agitation. Or the quieter version: you don’t feel “sick,” you feel wrong, like your skin doesn’t fit, like reality is too sharp.

And sometimes withdrawal isn’t just misery—it’s dangerous depending on the substance and your health. That’s why “just quit” can be reckless advice.

Ask yourself:

• When you stopped or cut down, did you feel withdrawal symptoms?
• Did you use again (or use something else) to avoid withdrawal?

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Score your storm

Count your Yes answers.

In the DSM‑5 framework, severity is commonly categorized as:

• Mild: 2–3 criteria
• Moderate: 4–5 criteria
• Severe: 6 or more criteria​

0–1 “Yes”

This is below the usual diagnostic threshold, but it doesn’t automatically mean you’re safe. People can be sliding into the storm long before the roof caves in.​

2–3 “Yes” (Mild)

This is the outer bands—where people still have room to change course, and still lose years by waiting.​

4–5 “Yes” (Moderate)

This is not “a phase.” This is a pattern with teeth. If you keep walking into it alone, it usually gets worse.​

6+ “Yes” (Severe)

This is the storm’s core. This isn’t about willpower. This is about survival and getting the right help.​

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Read this if you’re already arguing with the result

“I’m not addicted. I still work.”

Functioning is not freedom. You can pay rent and still be owned.

“I can stop for a week, so I’m fine.”

Stopping briefly can be a control test, not proof of control. The real test is what happens when life punches you again.

“I’m not as bad as other people.”

That comparison is a trap. The storm loves when you point at somebody else’s wreckage so you don’t have to look at your own.

“It’s prescribed, so it doesn’t count.”

Prescription misuse can still fit the criteria. The label doesn’t protect you from the pattern.​

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What to do next (based on your score)

If you scored 0–1: build a perimeter

• Track your use for 2–4 weeks (how often, how much, why, what happens after).
• Watch for escalation: tolerance, craving, lying, planning, hiding.
• Talk to a professional if the question keeps coming back.

If you scored 2–3 (mild): don’t wait for landfall

• Tell one safe person the truth.
• Add structure: meetings, counseling, recovery community, accountability.
• Reduce access and exposure: remove “easy grabs,” avoid high-risk people/places.

If you’re not sure where to start, SAMHSA’s helpline can guide you to support options.​

If you scored 4–5 (moderate): get an assessment and a plan

• Get a professional evaluation.
• Consider structured treatment options (outpatient, intensive outpatient, higher levels as needed).
• If withdrawal is part of your pattern, don’t make cold-turkey a pride contest.

SAMHSA’s helpline can help connect you to treatment resources.​

If you scored 6+ (severe): act like it’s life or death—because it can be

• Get professional help urgently.
• If you’re in immediate danger, seek emergency services.
• Use the supports that exist for this exact moment.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline is free, confidential, and available 24/7, 365 days a year: 1‑800‑662‑HELP (4357).​

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Getting help without drowning in details

If you call SAMHSA’s helpline, it helps to have:

• Your zip code
• What you’re using (alcohol, opioids, stimulants, benzos, etc.)
• Any immediate safety concerns
• Insurance info (if you have it)

You don’t need the perfect speech. You don’t need to “prove” you deserve help. You just need to make contact.​

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Storm FAQs

Can I be addicted if I don’t use every day?

Yes. Daily use can be a sign, but addiction is often about loss of control and continued use despite harm—captured across the criteria.​

What if it’s “only alcohol”?

Alcohol use disorder is still a substance use disorder. The storm doesn’t care what you call the bottle.​

What if I only use at night or on weekends?

Pattern doesn’t equal safety. If it’s escalating, causing harm, or you can’t reliably stop, it still matters.

Is craving alone addiction?

Craving is one criterion, but DSM‑5 diagnosis generally requires two or more criteria within 12 months.​

I’m scared of detox—what if withdrawal is dangerous?

Fear is rational. Withdrawal can be brutal and sometimes medically risky depending on the substance and your health. Talk to a qualified professional about safe options and supervision, and use SAMHSA’s helpline to find resources.​

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Stormborn exit line (no false comfort)

If you recognized yourself in this, you’re not cursed. You’re not beyond help. You’re not “just weak.”

You’re in a storm that lies in your own voice.

And storms don’t stop because you mean it this time. They stop when you build shelter—structure, support, treatment, truth.

Some links below are affiliate links. If you click and sign up, we may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. That money helps keep RawRecoveryJourney running. We only link to resources we’d stand behind, not whoever pays the most.

• Talkspace provides virtual therapy (and also offers psychiatry services on its platform), so support can happen from a phone or computer instead of an office visit.
• Online-Therapy.com is a CBT-focused online therapy platform that combines a self-guided program (sections + worksheets) with therapist support, including messaging and optional live sessions depending on subscription level.
• Brightside offers an online Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for substance use disorder, built around a weekly schedule that includes group therapy, individual therapy, and psychiatry/med consults as needed.

Build Your Storm Shelter 

• Early Recovery Guide – Start here ​ (Our Foundation)
• Relapse Prevention Plan (because when rebuilding, stress is real). ​
• Boundaries (we need protection, not walls) ​
• Rebuilding Life After Addiction (built upon our foundation)

Stormfront Dispatches

• One Year Clean
• How to Choose a Rehab Without Getting Exploited (Stormborn’s Field Guide)
• Types of Addiction Treatment Programs: Inpatient vs Outpatient, PHP vs IOP
• Am I Addicted? The Storm Test (11 Signs of Substance Use Disorder + What to Do Next)
• Cravings Plan: Twenty Minute Fight in the Teeth of the Storm