Interesting question, since the answer really depends on how you define addict; my pain doc clearly draws a line between people who are ADDICTED to drugs and those who are DEPENDENT.
If you use drugs often enough to experience withdrawls, you are definitely dependent - but addicted? I think it would come down to how much in your life are you willing to sacrifice to stay on drugs. If you get behind in bills to pay for drugs, or have destroyed relationships because of drugs, or simply cant be happy without them, then yeah, you're addicted.
Ask yourself "aside from drugs, what else in life do i actively pursue that makes me happy?"
If you still go record shopping and maintain a good romantic relationship with someone and make time to hang out with friends and are still doing well at work, then personally I would say no matter how much drugs you do, you're probably not addicted.
But if the list of things in your life that make you happy have all fallen to the wayside and been replaced with a needle, then you might have a problem.
Personally, I admit I spend a lot more time at home than I used to so I can get high, and because of withdrawals I pretty much HAVE to be sure I'm home at regular intervals so I can fix... But all the other elements in my life are as they were; my job is fine, I still see my friends and my bills are paid. So maybe I'm a functioning addict, who knows.
But at the same time, I have it easy - because of chronic pain (which isn't really so chronic), I get a monthly script for a healthy amount of dilaudid. It's basically handed to me on a silver platter and feeding my addiction couldn't be easier.
But what would happen if my doc decided I wasn't really that bad and cut off my meds? Would I seek them out on the street? Would I turn everything upside down to continue my fix? Simply from a financial standpoint, I'd probably have to taper down and quit, since it would cost $1800 a month to keep going!
But since I'm willing to (at least hypothetically) give up the drugs and aren't contemplating what I could do to keep it going, then no, chances are I'm not actually addicted.
And there ya have it, John Burrows' thinking-out-loud self diagnosis!
Good question - it may be simple but it's something everyone should look in the mirror and ask themselves.
Actually, this can be answered even by an even simpler test: if you have more than 1,000 posts here on BL then yes, you're an addict!