Updated
Original VAYEMA symptom and impact self-check – not a validated scale
Cannabis use concerns
Answer the symptom statements below to see which experiences and areas of daily life you report as most affected. These are original VAYEMA questions, not a validated diagnostic scale. No clinical severity or probability score is calculated.
Answers are processed only in this page by this assessment. They are not submitted, monitored or automatically saved. No name, email or account is required. Use a private device and clear your answers when finished.
For adults aged 18 and over. This self-check cannot diagnose or rule out a condition. Concerns about a child require an age-appropriate professional assessment.
Thinking about the past four weeks, how well does each statement describe your experience?
Additional context – not included in any questionnaire score
These are original VAYEMA questions, not a diagnostic instrument or a validated severity scale. They summarise the experiences you select and do not predict a diagnosis or future harm. Background condition information; this source does not endorse this self-check.
Start with the question that matters to you
You may be wondering whether a habit has become dependence, whether cannabis is affecting sleep or whether a recent anxious experience needs attention. An assessment can begin with that uncertainty. You do not need to arrive having chosen a diagnosis or a treatment goal. The professional should explain the appointment’s scope and listen to the reasons you are seeking advice now.
The CDC description of cannabis use disorder focuses on a pattern of difficulty stopping despite problems. That is not a judgement based only on the existence of use. A useful assessment connects symptoms and functioning with the person’s own concerns. It should not require you to demonstrate a crisis or accept the word addiction before a thoughtful conversation can take place.
Describe the pattern and the product without guessing
The clinician may ask how often cannabis is used, the product type, route, approximate amount and changes over time. A product’s strength or composition may be uncertain, and it is important to say so. Include prescribed products rather than assume they fall outside the conversation. The aim is to understand exposure and purpose, not to make a diagnosis solely from how a product was obtained.
A representative account can be more useful than reconstructing every occasion. Describe an ordinary day or week, what tends to lead to use and what happens afterwards. Do not try different doses or products to test a theory before the appointment. If cannabis is prescribed, bring the treatment details and contact the responsible prescriber about concerns. The assessment should consider the original indication alongside any difficulties that have developed.
Control, craving and consequences provide the clinical context
Questions may cover using more than intended, unsuccessful attempts to change, urges, time devoted to use and effects on relationships or responsibilities. The clinician also needs to know what still works well and what support is available. Outward functioning in one area does not tell the whole story, and one difficult event does not independently establish the diagnosis.
The understanding guide explains possible patterns. Bring one or two examples of choices that have become difficult or activities that have quietly dropped away. You might also describe reasons you are hesitant about change. The purpose is an accurate account, not a convincing argument for or against a label. Honest uncertainty helps the professional identify useful questions rather than fill gaps with assumptions.
Sleep and withdrawal history need more than a score
A clinician may ask what happens when you use less, stop or cannot obtain cannabis. Irritability, restlessness, appetite changes, mood difficulties or disturbed sleep may be relevant after sustained frequent use. Their timing and severity matter, and other conditions or substances may contribute. The NIDA cannabis information describes withdrawal as one part of the wider assessment.
Explain whether sleep problems existed before regular use and what you have tried to manage them. Do not assume that difficulty sleeping proves either that cannabis is essential or that every sleep problem is withdrawal. A separate sleep assessment may be useful. Avoid adding alcohol or borrowed medicines to prepare for the appointment; discuss symptoms and prescribed treatments with an appropriate professional instead.
Anxiety, paranoia and other mental-health symptoms need attention
The assessment should ask about mood, anxiety, trauma symptoms, unusual perceptions and any previous psychiatric care. Cannabis can affect mental state, but a clinician needs the sequence and broader history before drawing conclusions. The CDC mental-health resource describes anxiety, paranoia and associations with psychotic disorders. It does not provide an individual diagnosis from a single experience.
Tell the professional when symptoms occur, whether they persist when use is different and what effect they have on behaviour or safety. Do not record an urgent concern only in this worksheet. New severe confusion, hallucinations, dangerous behaviour or inability to remain safe requires prompt or emergency professional help. A normal result from another online test should not be used to decide that these symptoms can safely wait.
Physical health and other substances belong in the same assessment
Vomiting, dehydration, breathing concerns, fainting or other physical symptoms may need medical examination. Mention nicotine, alcohol, other drugs, prescribed medicines and non-prescription products. The clinician should consider combinations and simultaneous changes rather than assume cannabis explains everything. If the product might have contained a synthetic cannabinoid or something unknown, communicate that uncertainty directly.
The CDC questions and answers describe adverse reactions that can require help. Current serious symptoms should be assessed through a medical service rather than saved for a future therapy appointment. You do not need to determine the cause yourself. The receiving clinician can decide which observations, tests or referrals are appropriate and explain how those findings connect with the wider care discussion.
Screening tools and drug tests answer limited questions
A validated screening questionnaire may help identify concerns for further clinical discussion. It is not equivalent to a diagnosis, an assessment of every mental-health condition or a guarantee of safety. Drug testing has a different purpose and must be interpreted in relation to the test, timing and clinical question. Exposure, impairment and a problematic pattern are related but not identical concepts.
This worksheet is not CUDIT-R or another validated cannabis instrument. It has no cut-off, severity category or probability score. It simply organises your observations. Ask the clinician why any formal measure is proposed and how the result will be used. Repeating internet quizzes until they agree is unlikely to provide the fuller history and individual interpretation that a professional assessment can offer.
Ask how the findings will guide treatment
The conclusion should explain the working understanding, any uncertainty and what is recommended next. Psychological approaches may address motivation, coping, routines and related problems. Medical or psychiatric care may be needed for associated symptoms. The EUDA evidence summary reviews psychosocial approaches, including CBT and motivational interventions, while noting limitations of the evidence.
Our treatment guide explains questions to ask. A recommendation should state who provides care, the initial format, likely costs and the first review. It should not automatically allocate an intensive programme because of a score or assume every concern will resolve once use changes. You should understand why each proposed element is relevant and which alternatives are available.
Use the preparation tool without oversharing
Write only what helps you prepare, avoiding names and unnecessary details about other people. You can leave questions blank, clear your entries or stop at any point. Nothing typed here is transmitted to VAYEMA, monitored or added to a patient record. It does not request an appointment or alert staff to a safety concern. Use direct clinical contact when help is needed.
A summary can be reviewed on the page or downloaded deliberately. A downloaded file remains on your device and should be kept privately. Clear the notes when finished, especially when using a shared computer. You may also bring a short spoken account instead. The tool should make a conversation more accessible, not create another requirement or suggest that clinical help depends on completing a detailed form.
Arrange accessible care and clear follow-up
Discuss language, appointment setting, privacy and any practical barriers when arranging assessment. A trusted person may support attendance where appropriate, but you can ask for private time with the clinician. Clarify what information may be shared and who is receiving support. Relatives can separately seek guidance for their own concerns without diagnosing someone who has not been assessed.
VAYEMA’s private assessment pathway can discuss suitable expertise and availability. Care coordination may help when several professionals are involved, while clinical responsibility remains clear. Ask what happens after the first appointment and how concerns are raised between sessions. Routine inquiries are not emergency channels, and urgent medical or safety issues should not wait for a private booking.
Frequently asked questions about cannabis assessment
Will this page give me a cannabis addiction score?
No. It provides original unscored notes for a professional conversation, not a validated screening instrument. It cannot diagnose cannabis use disorder, interpret a drug test or establish safety. You do not need a particular result or a completed worksheet before requesting an appropriate assessment.
Can prescribed cannabis be discussed without assuming addiction?
Yes. A clinician should consider the reason for prescribing, how treatment is used, benefit, adverse effects and any concerns about control. A prescription alone does not establish a disorder or remove the need for review. Discuss changes with the responsible prescriber rather than alter treatment independently to test your symptoms.
Do I need to know the exact THC content?
Give the information available and say when the product or strength is uncertain. Do not guess or experiment to obtain a more precise answer. The clinician can consider the limits of the information alongside the pattern, symptoms and health history. A missing product detail should not delay urgent care.
Can a drug test tell whether I need treatment?
Not by itself. Testing may address a specific exposure question, while treatment decisions also require control, consequences, health and the person’s goals to be considered. Ask what the test can and cannot show. A result should not substitute for an assessment of the experiences that prompted you to seek help.
What if I am anxious or cannot sleep when I reduce use?
Explain the timing, severity and other medicines or substances to an appropriate professional. Withdrawal can be relevant, but other conditions may also need attention. Do not add alcohol or borrowed sedatives. Serious deterioration or an immediate safety concern needs direct urgent help rather than repeated online testing.
Can I arrange an assessment without deciding on abstinence first?
Yes. The conversation can explore concerns, goals and clinically appropriate recommendations while you still have questions. The professional should explain reasoning and options without requiring perfect certainty. Medical and safety concerns still need attention, and a useful plan should include a practical first step and a review point.
Resources and references
[1] CDC: Cannabis use disorder
[2] NIDA: Cannabis and withdrawal
[3] CDC: Cannabis and mental health