Assessment explores a person's use of legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or other harmful substances and the extent to which the substance use has negatively impacted physical and emotional well-being. The assessment process includes completion of screening, interview, documentation, and determination of DSM 5 diagnosis and ASAM Level of Care recommendation.
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), addiction is considered a progressive disease that, left untreated, can result in disability or premature death. If you are not sure you need help or not ready to make a call, think about how alcohol or drugs are impacting your life or the life of a loved one:
- Do you feel your substance use is holding you back in any way?
- Is substance use negatively impacting your relationships, work, school, or home life?
- Are you using more substances than you intended, or is it difficult to cut down or control your substance use?
- Is the quality of your school or work declining as a result of your substance use?
- Do you feel physically sick or unwell when you stop using substances?
- Are you taking opioids for pain but are now “hooked”?
- Have you ever gotten a DUI for drinking/driving under the influence of a substance?