How Do I Know if I Need Mental Health and Addiction Treatment?

Clinical Screening Tools for Self-Assessment

Healthcare providers commonly use the following evidence-based screening tools³ in treatment settings, but they’re also available for self-assessment. 

GAD-7: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale

What it’s for: Screens for generalized anxiety disorder and assesses severity. Also effective at detecting panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and PTSD.

How it’s used: Rate how often you’ve been bothered by anxiety symptoms over the past 2 weeks. Takes 2-3 minutes to complete.

Sample questions:

• Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge?
• Not being able to stop or control worrying?
• Trouble relaxing?

Where to find it: The GAD-7 is available online⁴ or through your healthcare provider.

PHQ-9: Patient Health Questionnaire-9

What it’s for: Screens for depression based on DSM-5 criteria and assesses severity, including suicidal ideation.

How it’s used: Rate how often symptoms have affected you over the last two weeks. Takes 3-5 minutes to complete.

Sample questions:

• Little interest or pleasure in doing things?
• Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless?
• Thoughts that you would be better off dead or hurting yourself?

Where to find it: The PHQ-9 is available online⁵ or through your healthcare provider.

CAGE Questionnaire (Cut Down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-Opener)

What it’s for: Brief screening tool to identify alcohol misuse.

How it’s used: Four yes-or-no questions that take about one minute to complete.

Sample questions:

• Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
• Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
• Have you ever felt guilty about your drinking?
• Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning (eye-opener) to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?

Where to find it: The CAGE Questionnaire⁶ is available online or through your healthcare provider.

These self-assessment tools offer a quick, confidential way to evaluate whether you may benefit from professional support. While they don’t provide a diagnosis, they can identify concerning patterns and help guide your next steps.

Of course, taking an honest self-assessment requires acknowledging that there might actually be a problem, which isn’t always easy.

The Role of Denial and Minimization

Let’s be honest. It can be easy to talk yourself out of needing help.

Maybe you have said things like:

• “It’s not that bad.”
• “I can handle this on my own.”
• “Other people have it worse.”

Minimizing or denying a problem is a common part of struggling with addiction or mental health concerns. It’s a way the mind tries to protect itself from pain by pretending things are fine. But most people underestimate how much their struggles are actually affecting their lives. Denial helps you feel in control, while minimizing sounds like “It’s not that bad” or “I can stop anytime”—but both can keep you from getting help when you need it most.

These thought patterns can delay help until a crisis occurs. But it’s important to remember that you don’t need to be in crisis to deserve support.

When “Functioning” Doesn’t Mean “Healthy”

You don’t need to lose your job, home, or relationships to require treatment. Many people with mental health or substance use disorders are still meeting their responsibilities at work or school. This is known as “high functioning.”⁷

Busting the Myth of the High-Functioning Addict

Not everyone struggling with addiction:

• Drinks or uses in the morning
• Gets a DUI
• Misses work regularly

Not everyone with a mental health condition:

• Experiences suicidal ideation
• Has difficulty in social situations
• Needs hospitalization

These things can and do happen for many people. However, addiction and mental illness look different for everyone. “Functioning” doesn’t mean your mental well-being is intact. High-functioning alcoholism, drug addiction, anxiety, or depression can fly under the radar for years. But that doesn’t mean you couldn’t benefit from treatment to improve your physical, mental, or spiritual well-being.

What Loved Ones Might Notice First

Sometimes, the people closest to us can see the signs before we’re ready to. It’s not because they’re trying to judge, it’s because they care. They know your usual patterns, and when something shifts, they notice.

Here are some common changes or warning signs⁸ loved ones or others closest to you, like family members or employers, may notice:

• A drop in mood or energy: You may seem tired, irritable, or not yourself—even if you don’t realize it.
• Changes in routine or motivation: Maybe you’re skipping work, sleeping all day, or losing interest in things you used to love.
• Avoiding responsibilities or isolating: Pulling away from family, missing events, or spending long hours alone can be a red flag.
• Unusual behavior or secrecy: Loved ones might notice you’re being vague, avoiding eye contact, or hiding parts of your day.
• Increased substance use: They may comment on how much you’re drinking or using—and how it’s affecting your mood or relationships.
• Emotional outbursts or numbness: Whether you’re snapping easily or seem checked out, they may sense something’s off emotionally.

Sometimes, these observations come as gentle concern. Other times, they may sound like frustration. Either way, don’t dismiss what your loved ones say, even if it’s hard to hear.

Why this matters:

When you’re in the middle of a mental health or addiction struggle, your view can get clouded. You might not notice how your habits or emotions have shifted. That’s why outside perspectives are valuable—they help you see what you might be missing.

What to do next:

• Ask someone you trust: “Have you noticed any changes in me lately?”
• Listen without defending. Just take it in with an open heart.
• If several people have expressed concern, it’s worth exploring.

Remember: A loved one noticing a change in you or family members sharing a concern isn’t an accusation. It’s an invitation to check in with yourself and consider if help could make things better. Reaching out for support, including peer support, can be another helpful way to bring other people into what is going on in your life.

Next Steps if You’re Unsure

Olivia Mueller, VP of Research at Recovery.com, shares:

Trying to find substance abuse and mental health treatment that meets your needs can be overwhelming. Why? Well, one main reason is we often don’t know where to begin and we have misconceptions about ‘rehab’ and recovery. When someone breaks a bone, most of us laypeople have common knowledge about treatment protocol: See a doctor, get an X-ray, get a cast or sling to hold things in place to allow healing, go to follow-up appointments, and so on.

Yet, it’s not as simple when it involves questions about treatment for addiction or mental health. The journey ahead can feel overwhelming, but there can be a clear path forward and guidance when you feel unsure about the next steps for treatment.

If you’re still unsure whether you need help, consider talking to a mental health professional or health care provider. A diagnostic evaluation typically includes:

• A review of your medical history
• A mental health screening
• Questions about alcohol use disorder, drug use, trauma, and mood
• Referral to treatment programs, psychotherapy, or support groups

These assessments can be conducted through outpatient mental health services, inpatient programs, or telehealth.

If you’ve read this far, something inside you is reaching for hope—and that matters.

You don’t need to have it all together to ask for help. You just need to be willing to take one small step.

No matter where you are in the process, you’re not alone. Recovery is possible and there’s a community here to help you take the next step. Find qualified addiction treatment programs in your area that offer personalized care when you need it most.

FAQs

Q: What are the signs that a person may need addiction or mental health treatment?

A: Everyone struggles with their health from time to time, but if your symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, interfere with your work or relationships, or you find yourself using substances to cope with daily stress, you may need professional addiction or mental health treatment. A professional assessment can help you accurately determine your treatment needs. Also note that you don’t have to be in severe distress or crisis to benefit from professional support: many people see therapists for maintenance, additional support through growth phases, or to work through less severe (but still important) issues.

Q: When should someone seek help for addiction or mental health?

A: If symptoms last more than 2 weeks, worsen over time, or affect your ability to function at home, work, or school, it’s a strong sign to reach out to a mental health professional or treatment provider. It is always recommended to seek outside support for symptoms of substance use disorder or mental health conditions. Determining risk factors or other symptoms through assessments can also be a helpful way to learn if you need outside support.

Q: How do I know if I need help with my mental health?

A: Ask yourself: Am I coping in healthy ways? Have others expressed concern? Am I feeling overwhelmed more often than not? If the answer is yes to any, consider taking a self-assessment or speaking to a provider.

Q: What qualifies as a serious mental illness?

A: Serious mental illnesses (SMIs) include conditions or mental disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and major depression that significantly impair daily functioning. A formal diagnosis is made by a licensed mental health professional.

Q: How do I get addiction or mental health treatment?

A: You can start by talking to your therapist, healthcare provider, using a non-biased treatment finder like Recovery.com, or calling a helpline. Treatment may include talk therapy, medication, support groups, or outpatient services.

Q: What are the types of substance use disorder?

A: Substance use disorders can involve alcohol, opioids, stimulants, or other drugs. They range in severity and may include physical dependence, compulsive use, or co-occurring mental health conditions. The DSM-5-TR outlines criteria for specific mental health and substance use diagnoses. To better understand what you’re experiencing, you can take a self-assessment, complete a formal evaluation, or talk with a licensed treatment provider or health care professional. These steps can help clarify whether treatment would be beneficial.

Q: Can substance abuse treatment fail due to untreated mental health issues, or vice versa?

A: It’s common for mental illness and substance use to be interconnected. If one condition goes untreated, it can undermine recovery from the other. Integrated treatment is often the most effective. Talking to your treatment provider or health care provider about your concerns about co-occurring mental health and addiction is an important first step in preparing a comprehensive and effective treatment plan. 

Q: How can I tell if I need treatment for addiction?

A: Warning signs of addiction include cravings, loss of control, using despite consequences, a relapse or recurrence of use, or hiding your substance use. If you’re unsure, talk with a provider or complete a screening tool as a first step. Just asking the question may be an indicator that you already know something is not quite right, and that you want to change.

Q: How can I tell if my addiction requires professional treatment?

A: If your self-control is slipping, your health or relationships are suffering, or you’ve tried to stop and cannot, professional addiction treatment can provide structure, support, and lasting results. You have options: intensive residential programs, flexible outpatient treatment, family therapy, evidence-based behavioral therapies, and other specialized approaches that can be tailored to your specific situation and goals.