Assessing Prescription Drug Use Problems

Four Simple Questions

• Have you ever felt the need to Cut down on your use of prescription drugs?
• Have you ever felt Annoyed by remarks your friends or loved ones made about your use of prescription drugs?
• Have you ever felt Guilty or remorseful about your use of prescription drugs?
• Have you Ever used prescription drugs as a way to “get going” or to “calm down?”

Two or more affirmative answers may indicate probable drug addiction. Any single affirmative answer deserves further evaluation. Please discuss the results with your doctor or other health care professional.

*Adapted from Ewing, J.A. “Detecting Alcoholism: The CAGE Questionnaire.” Journal of the American Medical Association 252(14):1905-1907, 1984.