Managing Your Addiction

How it affects your life

Substance use and gambling can affect many areas of your life. By looking closely at these areas, you can see what the effects have been. This can help you focus on what you want to change and build the motivation to do it.

The questions below can help you think about how your substance use has affected your life.

Legal

Have you ever been in legal trouble because of alcohol, other substance use, or gambling? For example, stealing, selling drugs, or driving after drinking.
Have you ever been charged with a crime related to alcohol or other substances?
What changes did these legal issues make in your life? For example, losing custody of a child or paying fines.

Money

How much money do you spend each month or year on alcohol, other substances, tobacco, or gambling?
Have you spent money on alcohol, other substances, or gambling that you wish you had used for other things?
Have you had to pay court fees and fines?
Have you ever lost a job or pay because of alcohol, other substances, or gambling?
Have you borrowed money or sold items to buy alcohol or other substances or to gamble?
Have you been in a car crash that made your insurance rates go up?

Family

How has your relationship with family changed because of alcohol, substance use, or gambling?
Has your family’s trust in you changed?
Are there arguments in your family because of alcohol, substance use, or gambling?
Do you avoid your family, or do they avoid you, when you drink or use substances?
Has there been any violence in your family due to drinking or substance use?

Friends

How has your alcohol use, substance use, or gambling affected your relationships?
Have your friends told you to cut down?
Have you had arguments or lost friends because of alcohol, substance use, or gambling?
Do you and your friends trust each other?

Hobbies and spare time

How has alcohol use, using substances, or gambling affected your hobbies or free time?
Do most of your spare-time activities involve drinking alcohol, using other substances, or gambling?
How often do you do things that don’t involve these activities?
Have you lost interest in things you used to enjoy?

School or work

Has alcohol use, substance use, or gambling affected your school or work?
Have you been suspended from school or lost a job because of alcohol use, substance use, or gambling?
Have your grades changed because of alcohol use, substance use, or gambling?
Do you miss school or work often?
Have your teachers or bosses talked to you about your alcohol use, substance use, or gambling?

Physical health

How has using alcohol or other substances affected your physical (body) health?
Have you ever had a blackout (where you can’t remember what happened), hallucination (seeing something that isn’t there), seizure, the shakes, or vomiting because of alcohol or substance use?
Have you ever had a poisoning or overdose?
Have you been hurt (such as an injury or fight) when drinking alcohol or using substances?
Have you been sick and had to stay home because you were drinking alcohol or using substances?
Has a doctor told you to stop drinking alcohol or using substances?

Emotional and mental health

How has drinking alcohol or using substances affected your emotions?
Do you feel like you’re just trying to make it through the day?
Have you ever felt guilty or embarrassed about drinking alcohol, using substances, or gambling?
Are you sad or depressed about your life?
Do your moods change quickly?
Do you hide how much you drink alcohol, use substances, or gamble?
Do you drink or use substances just to feel normal?

Spiritual health

How has drinking alcohol or using substances affected your sense of peace or spirituality?
How has drinking alcohol, using substances, or gambling affected how you feel about yourself?
Do you feel less connected to others than before?
Do you feel like life has no purpose?

For more information and to find an addiction services office near you, call the 24-hour Addiction Helpline.

Current as of: April 8, 2025

Author: Recovery Alberta: Mental Health and Addiction Services

This material is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified health professional. This material is intended for general information only and is provided on an "as is", "where is" basis. Although reasonable efforts were made to confirm the accuracy of the information, Alberta Health Services does not make any representation or warranty, express, implied or statutory, as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, applicability or fitness for a particular purpose of such information. Alberta Health Services expressly disclaims all liability for the use of these materials, and for any claims, actions, demands or suits arising from such use.