DSM-5 criteria · 2 minutes · 100% private · Updated April 2026

Do I Need Rehab? 11-Question DSM-5 Self-Assessment

Evidence-based screening using the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder — the same framework licensed clinicians use. Your answers stay in your browser and never reach our server.

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What this tool is

DSM-5 questions

2 min

Average completion

Data sent to server

85%+

Concordance w/ clinician³

Start right here · 2-minute quiz

Do I need rehab? Take the DSM-5 assessment

11 research-backed questions. Instant severity result. 100% private — answers never leave your browser.

Ready to start?

Answer yes only if the behavior has occurred repeatedly in the past 12 months — DSM-5 uses a 12-month window.

✓ 11 yes/no questions (~2 minutes)
✓ Each question links to one of the 11 DSM-5 criteria
✓ Answers stored only in your browser — never sent to our server
✓ Instant severity result with next-step recommendations

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Quick answer

This free 11-question self-assessment maps directly to the DSM-5 criteria used by licensed clinicians to diagnose substance use disorder (SUD)¹. Meeting 2–3 criteria suggests mild SUD, 4–5 moderate, and 6+ severe². Results are instant and stored only in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere. This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis; a clinical interview is required for formal diagnosis, but self-assessments like this have 85%+ concordance with clinical evaluation for adults³.

Key takeaways

✓ Based on the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, text revision 2022) — the gold-standard diagnostic framework.
✓ Severity tiers: 2–3 = mild, 4–5 = moderate, 6+ = severe. Any count ≥ 2 over 12 months qualifies.
✓ Validated self-report versions correlate highly with clinical interview⁴ — not a substitute, but a strong starting point.
⚠ Not diagnostic: only a licensed clinician (MD, LCSW, LPC) can formally diagnose SUD.
✓ Privacy: all answers stored in browser localStorage — never transmitted to our server.

Full guide below

What is substance use disorder?
The 11 DSM-5 criteria explained
DSM-5 vs DSM-IV — what changed?
What do the severity tiers mean?
What if I score low but still feel concerned?
How accurate are self-assessments?
Other validated screening tools
Step-by-step: what to do after the quiz
Frequently asked questions
Sources & references

What is substance use disorder?

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic medical condition characterized by a problematic pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress¹. It's recognized by every major medical body — the American Psychiatric Association, WHO (ICD-11), and NIDA — as a brain disease, not a moral failing.

48.7M

Americans aged 12+ with SUD (SAMHSA 2023)⁵

24.1%

Of those received any treatment⁵

50-70%

Remission rates with proper treatment⁸

Early identification through self-assessment is one of the most important bridges to treatment — people who screen and act early have significantly better long-term outcomes than those who wait until severe impairment⁶.

"SUD exists on a spectrum. You don't have to be 'rock bottom' to benefit from treatment — mild SUD is a legitimate clinical diagnosis with its own recommended interventions."

— RehabPulse Editorial Team. Read our 10 rehab myths debunked.

The 11 DSM-5 criteria explained

The DSM-5 groups 11 criteria into four clusters. Meeting any 2+ of these in a 12-month period qualifies for a SUD diagnosis¹. Here's what each one measures and why it matters:

Cluster	Criterion	What it captures
Impaired control	1. Larger / longer	Using more or longer than intended
	2. Failed cut-down	Unsuccessful attempts to reduce
	3. Time spent	Significant time obtaining/using/recovering
	4. Craving	Strong urges or desires to use
Social impairment	5. Role failure	Work, school, home obligations disrupted
	6. Interpersonal	Continued use despite relationship problems
	7. Activities given up	Reduced social, work, or recreational activities
Risky use	8. Hazardous use	Use in physically dangerous situations
Risky use	9. Continued despite harm	Physical/psychological problems acknowledged but use continues
Pharmacological	10. Tolerance	Needing more for same effect OR reduced effect with same amount
Pharmacological	11. Withdrawal	Characteristic withdrawal syndrome OR use to relieve withdrawal

Note on tolerance and withdrawal: these are not counted when using substances as medically prescribed (e.g., opioid painkillers after surgery) and the prescribed use is appropriate.

DSM-5 vs DSM-IV — what changed in 2013?

The DSM-5 (2013) replaced the older DSM-IV "abuse" vs "dependence" binary with a single "substance use disorder" on a severity continuum. This was one of the biggest changes in addiction psychiatry in decades⁷.

Before 2013

DSM-IV (old model)

• 2 separate diagnoses: Abuse (1+) vs Dependence (3+)
• Hard binary threshold
• 11 criteria (different split)
• Included "legal problems"
• No "craving" criterion

Current (since 2013)

DSM-5 / DSM-5-TR (2022)

• Single diagnosis: Substance Use Disorder
• Severity continuum (mild/moderate/severe)
• 11 criteria, 4 clusters
• Removed "legal problems" (unreliable)
• Added "craving" — strong relapse predictor

The change matters clinically because it allows for earlier intervention. Under DSM-IV, a person with 2 criteria fell below the "abuse" threshold and often didn't qualify for insurance-covered treatment. Under DSM-5, they qualify for mild SUD — a real diagnosis with real coverage under the Mental Health Parity Act.

What do the severity tiers mean?

Criteria met	Severity	Typical level of care	Typical outcome with treatment
0–1	No SUD diagnosis	Brief counseling, monitoring	Resolution common
2–3	Mild SUD	Outpatient counseling / IOP	~70% achieve remission with treatment⁸
4–5	Moderate SUD	PHP or IOP, often + MAT	~60% achieve remission
6+	Severe SUD	Residential / inpatient, often preceded by detox	~50% achieve remission, higher with long-term treatment

Context: "remission" in SUD research typically means 12+ months without meeting criteria. Rates reflect research on clinical populations; outcomes vary widely by substance, treatment adherence, and comorbid conditions.

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What if I score low but still feel concerned?

Scoring below the SUD threshold doesn't mean your use is harmless. Substance use exists on a spectrum, and even "at-risk" use — below clinical SUD — is associated with measurable harm: impaired sleep, elevated blood pressure, relationship strain, accidental overdoses, and progression risk⁹.

6 warning signs worth a clinical conversation even with a low score:

Close call

Injury, overdose, or near-miss tied to use

Family concern

Loved ones have expressed worry about your use

Minimizing / hiding

You downplay, lie about, or hide use from others

Gradual escalation

Use has slowly increased even if you don't see it as a "problem"

Family history

First-degree relatives with addiction (genetic predisposition)

Self-medicating

Using to cope with anxiety, depression, or trauma

The SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) provides free confidential assessments 24/7. Our 12-point rehab selection guide also includes how to evaluate whether formal treatment is warranted.

How accurate are DSM-5 self-assessments?

Validated self-report versions of the DSM-5 SUD criteria show high concordance with clinician interview. Three key studies quantify accuracy:

Am J Psychiatry · 2013

κ = 0.69

Test-retest reliability

DSM-5 AUD field trial (Hasin et al.)¹⁰ — "good" by APA standards for self-report.

J Stud Alcohol Drugs · 2007

85-91%

Agreement w/ clinician

Self-administered AUDADIS (Compton et al.)¹¹ — across substance categories.

Addiction · 2019

r = 0.78

Longitudinal correlation

Self-report vs clinical diagnosis over 5-year follow-up (Edwards et al.)¹².

Caveats: self-assessments systematically under-detect SUD in people actively in denial, and over-detect in those with comorbid anxiety who over-report symptoms. A clinical interview resolves these edge cases. This is why we call this a screening tool, not a diagnostic.

Other validated screening tools

This quiz uses generalized DSM-5 criteria. For substance-specific screening, validated alternatives include:

Alcohol-specific

AUDIT (WHO, 10 items)

Gold standard for alcohol use disorder screening in primary care. AUDIT official site.

Drug-specific

DAST-10 (drug abuse screening, 10 items)

Validated across illicit drugs + prescription misuse.

Opioid-specific

COWS (Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale)

Used by providers to grade withdrawal severity (clinician-administered).

Brief screening

CAGE-AID (4 questions)

Ultra-short adaptation for alcohol + drugs. Used in medical settings.

Step-by-step: what to do after the quiz

1
Note your score. Write down the number of "yes" answers and which specific criteria applied — useful for the clinician conversation.
2
If score ≥ 2: schedule a clinical assessment. Your primary care doctor can refer, or you can call SAMHSA's helpline directly (1-800-662-HELP) for a free assessment and local referrals.
3
Check insurance coverage. Under MHPAEA, most plans cover SUD treatment. Use our cost calculator to estimate out-of-pocket.
4
Search facilities by care level. Mild → outpatient. Moderate → IOP/PHP. Severe → residential or detox first.
5
Talk to family / support. Research consistently shows that family engagement improves outcomes. Read our family therapy guide.
6
Plan logistics: job leave via FMLA, finances via our 30-day pre-rehab checklist, housing/childcare coverage.
7
Start. The biggest predictor of treatment success is simply entering treatment — the average person considers rehab for 9 months before acting. Don't let that be you.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this quiz a diagnosis?

No. It's a screening tool based on DSM-5 criteria. A formal SUD diagnosis requires a clinical interview by a licensed provider (MD, LCSW, LPC, or addiction-credentialed counselor). The quiz helps you decide whether to seek clinical assessment.

What does DSM-5 actually stand for?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association in 2013 (text-revised in 2022 as DSM-5-TR). It's the standard reference used by clinicians, insurance companies, and researchers in the US for psychiatric diagnosis.

Do my answers get sent anywhere?

No. All answers are stored in your browser's localStorage and never transmitted to our server. You can verify this by opening Developer Tools → Network tab while taking the quiz — you'll see zero outgoing requests with your answer data.

How is "mild" SUD different from normal recreational use?

Mild SUD (2–3 criteria) is still a clinical diagnosis. The distinction is that these behaviors cause measurable impairment or distress. "Occasional weekend drinking without any of the 11 criteria" is not SUD. "Occasional weekend drinking with 2+ recurring criteria like failed cut-down attempts and craving" is mild SUD.

Can I take this quiz for someone else?

This version is designed for self-assessment. For a loved one, the CAGE-AID or AUDIT (for alcohol) can be asked during a conversation. But for SUD specifically, a loved one's perspective can be biased — a clinical assessment is better. Our family therapy guide covers how to approach this.

Does meeting criteria mean I need inpatient rehab?

Not necessarily. Mild SUD (2–3 criteria) typically responds to outpatient counseling or IOP. Moderate (4–5) usually benefits from PHP/IOP with MAT if applicable. Severe (6+) often requires residential or detox first. Level of care is determined by the ASAM 6-dimension assessment, not just criteria count.

What's the difference between SUD and addiction?

"Addiction" is a lay term historically overlapping with the DSM-IV term "dependence." DSM-5 replaced both with "substance use disorder" on a severity spectrum. Clinically, severe SUD corresponds to what was previously called "addiction." NIDA and major medical organizations have adopted SUD as the preferred terminology.

Can SUD be "cured"?

SUD is categorized as a chronic condition, so the clinical term is "remission" (12+ months without meeting criteria) rather than "cure." Long-term remission rates reach 50–80% depending on substance and treatment adherence. Many people do achieve sustained abstinence or stable moderation. Read our 6 stages of recovery for detail.

What should I do if my score is 6+ and I don't know where to start?

Severe SUD typically requires structured treatment. Start by: (1) calling SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) or our free helpline for a confidential assessment and insurance verification; (2) if you use opioids, alcohol, or benzodiazepines daily, ask about medical detox first — abrupt stopping can be dangerous; (3) don't try to quit alone.

Is this screening appropriate for teens?

DSM-5 criteria apply across ages, but this self-report version is designed for adults. Adolescent-specific screenings like CRAFFT-N are better for ages 12–21. For parents concerned about a teen, SAMHSA's resources cover adolescent assessment. See our adolescent-specialized facility filter.

Does taking the quiz create a medical record?

No. Your responses are not stored anywhere outside your browser, not associated with you, and cannot appear in any medical, insurance, or legal record. The site follows 42 CFR Part 2 confidentiality principles even though we don't store clinical data.

Sources & references

American Psychiatric Association — Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5-TR), 2022. psychiatry.org.
NIDA — Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment, 3rd Edition. nida.nih.gov.
Grant BF et al. — Epidemiology of DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorder: Results from NESARC-III. JAMA Psychiatry, 2015. jamanetwork.com.
Hasin DS et al. — DSM-5 Criteria for Substance Use Disorders: Recommendations and Rationale. Am J Psychiatry, 2013. ajp.psychiatryonline.org.
SAMHSA NSDUH 2023 — National Survey on Drug Use and Health. samhsa.gov/data.
Kelly JF et al. — Early intervention and treatment retention outcomes. Addiction, 2020. Wiley.
O'Brien C et al. — DSM-5 substance use disorder commentary. Am J Psychiatry, 2013.
McLellan AT et al. — Drug dependence, a chronic medical illness: implications for treatment, insurance, and outcomes evaluation. JAMA, 2000.
CDC — Alcohol and Public Health, intermediate drinking harms. cdc.gov/alcohol.
Hasin DS et al. — DSM-5 AUD reliability field trial. Am J Psychiatry, 2013.
Compton WM et al. — AUDADIS-IV psychometric validation. J Stud Alcohol Drugs, 2007.
Edwards AC et al. — Longitudinal stability of DSM-5 SUD criteria. Addiction, 2019.

This article is informational and not medical advice. A formal SUD diagnosis requires a clinical interview with a licensed provider. Last reviewed: April 2026 by the RehabPulse Editorial Team.