Substance Use Screen
Adapted from the CAGE-AID (Cut Down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener Adapted to Include Drugs), a validated screening tool for substance use problems that covers alcohol and all other drugs. Four yes/no questions that flag patterns worth evaluating further.
Think about your use of alcohol and/or other drugs. Answer Yes or No to each question.
1. Have you ever felt that you should cut down on your drinking or drug use?
2. Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking or drug use?
3. Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking or drug use?
4. Have you ever had a drink or used a drug first thing in the morning as an eye-opener to steady your nerves or to feel normal?
About This Screener
This screener reproduces the CAGE-AID, an adaptation of the original CAGE questionnaire (Mayfield, McLeod, and Hall, 1974) modified by Brown and Rounds (1995) to include drug use alongside alcohol. A score of 1 or more "Yes" answers is the recommended cutoff for identifying a substance use problem warranting further evaluation. A score of 2 or more has high specificity for alcohol use disorder.
The CAGE-AID is designed to detect problems with substance use, not to quantify consumption. A positive screen should be followed by a comprehensive clinical interview, not an assumption of addiction.