Substance Use & Problem Gambling Self-Assessments

Are you concerned that you or someone you care about is struggling with substance use or problem gambling? The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) offers a variety of tools that can help you identity the warning signs and evaluate if there is a problem.

Substance Use Self Assessment

CAMH asserts that substance use is a problem when it begins to interfere with your life.

For example, you may:

• be repeatedly late for work
• get lower grades at school
• have arguments with family or friends
• develop health concerns
• be charged with impaired driving

CAMH has created a confidential, web-based self-assessment tool designed to help you evaluate your substance use. Click here to take the personalized questionnaire.

Problem Gambling Self Assessment

A combination of the following warning signs may indicate a gambling problem:

• Is there money being gambled that your family cannot afford to lose?
• Is there someone in your family who cannot be trusted with money?
• Have you noticed money missing from a bank account or wallet?
• Are you worried about the amount of debt that is accumulating?
• Has your family member started a second job with no change in finances?
• Are bills and credit card payments going unpaid?
• Is there lying going on to cover up or deny gambling activities?
• In addition to the above is that person moody or preoccupied or secretive about finances?
• Is that person gone for long unexplained periods of time?
• Has the person distanced himself/herself from responsibilities and interests?
• Is the person talking a lot about gambling or money?
• Is the person experiencing mood swings or physical ailments?*

The CAMH offers a self-assessment based on the Canadian Problem Gambling Index that can give you a good idea of whether you need to take corrective action. Click here to take the self-assessment.

* Source: Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) and Centre for Addiction & Mental Health (CAMH)