Self-Help Tools
Addiction Recovery Resources
Alcohol Addiction Resources
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CAGE Questionnaire
PDF Download [13KB]Developed by Dr. John Ewing, founding Director of the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CAGE is an internationally used assessment instrument for identifying alcoholics. It is particularly popular with primary caregivers.
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Do I Have A Drinking Problem? (AUDIT)
The results of this test do not constitute an alcohol use disorder diagnosis and should solely be used as a guide to understanding your alcohol use and the potential health risks involved. The information provided does not substitute a full evaluation by a health professional.
Drug Addiction Resources
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Drug Use Questionnaire (DAST-20)
PDF Download [5KB]The results of this test do not constitute a drug-use-disorder diagnosis and should solely be used as a guide to understanding your drug use and the potential health risk involved. The information provided does not substitute a full evaluation by a health professional.
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Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test — CUDIT
PDF Download [89KB]The Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test - Revised (CUDIT-R) is a broadly employed measure of cannabis-related problems. This is a self-administered test and is not meant to provide a clinical diagnosis.
Behavioral Addiction
Some examples of addictive behaviors include gambling, sex, internet, shopping, and video games.
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Gambling Self-Assessment
PDF Download [159KB]This self-assessment is based on the Canadian Problem Gambling Index. The higher your score, the greater the risk that your gambling is a problem.
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Pornography Addiction Screening Tool (PAST)
PDF Download [149KB]The PAST provides a profile based on the responses that help to identify individuals who are addicted to pornography.
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Video Gaming Use Self-Assessment
Are you concerned about your gaming? Take the short quiz below (nine questions) to learn if you meet criteria for problematic use/addiction. We have a Recovery Coach on our team that can work with you.
CBT Type Self-Help Tools
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Trigger Worksheet
PDF Download [47KB]An excellent tool to identify substance consumption triggers and create strategies to avoid or meet the triggers head on.
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Recovery Capital Worksheet
PDF Download [923KB]Recovery Capital is the total resources that a person has available to find and maintain their recovery.
Addiction Recovery Blogs
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Marc Lewis (Memoirs of an Addicted Brain)
Neuroscientist Marc Lewis PhD provides an alternative view on the idea of addiction as a disease.
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She Recovers
Founded in Victoria, B.C., Dawn Nickel and her daughter Taryn Strong built a movement of women in recovery with a worldwide audience and great resources.
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Hip Sobriety
Holly Whitaker’s blog is raw, fierce, and honest. Whitaker provides a unique approach for women getting sober that some consider unconventional.
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Sober Nation
Providing practical information to those in recovery and families navigating the difficulties in motion when someone they love is engaging in problematic substance consumption.
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Laura McKowen
A strong voice in recovery with a particular advocacy for women.
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William White Papers
Substance use historian Bill White writes objective coverage on various topics.
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The Fix
The Fix features a mix of news within the field, exclusive interviews, investigative reports, and lifestyle and cultural resources.
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Maia Szalavitz
An American journalist covering substances and substance users, Maia focuses on science, public policy, and recovery.
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Centre for Motivation & Change
Based in New York City, the Center for Motivation & Change is committed to providing non-ideological, evidence-based treatment. Co-founder Dr. Jeffrey Foote is the author of Beyond Addiction, a great book for families and loved ones of someone struggling with substance use.
Family Support Resources
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CRAFT: Community Reinforcement and Family Training
Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) teaches family and friends effective strategies for helping their loved one to change.
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Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change
An essential read for anyone affected by someone else’s substance use.
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The 20-Minute Guide
A free resource from The Centre for Motivation & Change for parents or partners who are concerned about their loved one's substance use.
Research & Science
The internet offers a wealth of information focused on addiction research in all disciplines. Below you will find a collection of online resources that I value highly.
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CISUR: Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research
Based in B.C. at the University of Victoria, CISUR conducts high-quality research and contributes to constructive communication between producers, intermediaries, and users of various types of knowledge.
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CAMH: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Based in Toronto, Ontario, CAMH is one of the world's leading research centres in substance recovery and mental health.
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The Chemistry of Addiction (Video)
In under 12 minutes, science educator Hank Green describes how our brains respond to various addictive substances and behaviors, and identifies how those reactions evolved in our species.
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Wasted (Video)
Psychotherapist Mike Pond from Vancouver, British Columbia and his partner, Documentary Filmmaker Maureen Palmer of Bountiful Films, set out to document, the latest in substance recovery resources. This documentary was shown on CBC's "The Nature of Things", hosted by David Suzuki.
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British Columbia Centre on Substance Use
The BC Centre on Substance Use is a provincially networked organization with a mandate to develop, help implement, and evaluate evidence-based approaches to substance use and addiction.