Many people are hooked to smoking because they have already developed the so-called “nicotine addiction”. According to the American Heart Association, nicotine addiction has historically been one of the hardest addictions to break. No wonder why among people who attempt to quit, only 6 percent succeed, reports a study in 2011.
If you are a smoker, maybe you have asked yourself once “How addicted am I to smoking?”. Well, now is your chance to know the answer, using a simple questionnaire. It’s called modified Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence. This test is widely used by clinicians and individuals alike in assessing one’s level of nicotine addiction.
Are you ready to take the test? Simply open your notepad or get a pen and paper to record your answer for each question. You will need it to compute your total score. Don’t worry, this test is only consists of 6 questions and you just have to select an answer for each one.
So let’s begin!
Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence
1) How soon after you wake up do you smoke your first cigarette?
- After 60 minutes (0 point)
- 31 to 60 minutes (1 point)
- 5 to 30 minutes (2 points)
- Within 5 minutes (3 points)
2) Do you find it difficult to refrain from smoking in places where it is forbidden (e.g., in church, at the library, cinema, etc.)?
- Yes (1 point)
- No (0 point)
3) Which cigarette would you hate most to give up?
- The first one in the morning (1 point)
- Any other one (0 point)
4) How many cigarettes a day do you smoke?
- 10 or fewer (0 point)
- 11 to 20 (1 point)
- 21 to 30 (2 points)
- 31 or more (3 points)
5) Do you smoke more frequently during the first hours after waking than during the rest of the day?
- Yes (1 point)
- No (0 point)
6) Do you smoke if you are so ill that you are in bed most of the day?
- Yes (1 point)
- No (0 point)
Scoring:
7 to 10 Points = Highly Dependent
4 to 6 Points = Moderately Dependent
Less than 4 Points = Minimally Dependent
Did the result shock you? Many smokers think that they are not dependent on nicotine when in fact, they really are. Whether you’re in the bracket of “minimally dependent”, you still want to do something to overcome your addiction. As your brain builds tolerance on nicotine, your consumption will surely go up and over time, your dependence on it will increase. And once you become highly addicted to nicotine, you may find it very much harder to withdraw. For sure, you need not know that smoking is severely dangerous to health. It is linked to heart disease, cancer and premature death.
Getting rid of nicotine dependence may be challenging but it is highly possible. There are a variety of quit smoking treatments that can help you quit. So don’t waste time thinking about it, QUIT SMOKING NOW.
