Top 5 Addiction Calculators to Integrate Into Your Counseling Practice

You're running therapy sessions on Zoom. Conducting wellness workshops online. Managing a research study on digital behavior. And you need your clients to complete addiction assessments before your next session.

So you do what everyone does - you Google "addiction assessment tools," find a free template, copy it into Google Forms or SurveyMonkey, and send the link.

Three days later, your client mentions they're now getting targeted ads for rehab centers. Another participant emails asking why their responses require a login. 

Most addiction assessments deal with the most sensitive information people will ever share. We're talking about compulsive behaviors, substance use, emotional dependencies - the kind of stuff that could destroy someone's career, relationships, or custody case if it leaked.

Yet we're treating these assessments like we're asking people to pick their favorite pizza topping.

Free Addiction Tests Come With a Hidden Price Tag

Here's what actually happens when someone clicks your survey link:

Their location gets tracked. Cookies follow them around the web. Analytics tools record every answer. Some platforms require a login, linking responses to personal accounts. Others sell "anonymized" data to advertisers.

Translation: your client admits they can't stop smoking, scrolling Instagram, or gaming - and that information becomes a product.

For therapists, this isn't just uncomfortable. It's a violation of trust. Possibly illegal depending on HIPAA, GDPR, or your research ethics board.

Your clients assume the link you sent is safe. They don't read privacy policies. They just answer honestly because they trust you.

But trust doesn't protect their data. Encryption does. And most "free" tools don't have it.

5 Addiction Assessment Templates That Actually Keep Responses Private

Here are five research-backed addiction assessments you can use right now — with real encryption, no tracking, and complete privacy. Your clients answer. You see the results. Nobody else does.

1. Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale

For clients who "just check their phone" but somehow lose three hours to Instagram every night.

This scale measures six addiction signs: salience, mood changes, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse. Great for teens, young adults, and anyone whose social media use feels out of control.

It’s quick to administer and gives clear indicators of when social media habits have shifted from casual use to dependency.

Use the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale

2. Chen Internet Addiction Scale

This catches broader internet problems - gaming binges, shopping sprees, news scrolling, everything.

It identifies compulsive use, withdrawal, and relationship problems caused by being online. Perfect for spotting early-stage addiction before it gets worse.

It’s a solid choice for clinicians and researchers who need a validated, full-spectrum view of problematic internet use.

Use the Chen Internet Addiction Scale

3. Game Addiction Scale

Gaming can be a hobby or an addiction. This scale helps you tell the difference.

It measures preoccupation, loss of control, withdrawal, and how much gaming disrupts daily life. Works for teenagers playing Fortnite at 4 AM or adults whose relationships are suffering.

It’s an excellent screening tool for counselors working with clients balancing gaming with work, school, or social responsibilities.

Use the Game Addiction Scale

4. Smartphone Addiction Test

We all check our phones too much. But some people literally can't function without theirs.

This test looks at compulsive use, withdrawal, and life disruption - not just screen time. Ideal for digital detox programs and anxiety treatment.

It provides measurable insights that help therapists and coaches guide healthier screen habits and self-regulation strategies.

Use the Smartphone Addiction Test

5. The Cigarette Dependence Scale

Nicotine addiction isn't about cigarette count. It's about needing that first morning smoke or lighting up when you're sick.

This scale measures physical and psychological dependence, giving cessation programs real data to work with.

It’s particularly useful for tailoring quit plans to individual triggers, motivation levels, and dependency severity.

Use the Cigarette Dependence Scale

Why BlockSurvey Is Built for Sensitive Data

Here's the difference: when someone fills out your addiction assessment on BlockSurvey, their answers get encrypted on their own device before anything gets sent. Not after. Not "in transit." Immediately. Even BlockSurvey can't see what they wrote - only you can, with your private key. No tracking, no analytics, no corporate surveillance. Mental health professionals like Alyson rely on BlockSurvey precisely because mainstream survey tools treat sensitive data like a product, not a responsibility.

Your Clients Deserve Better Than "Free" Tools That Spy on Them

You shouldn't have to choose between good assessment tools and protecting privacy.

These templates are based on real research. They're hosted with end-to-end encryption, meaning even BlockSurvey can't see the responses - only you can.

No tracking. No data selling. No ads stalking your clients after they admit they can't stop scrolling.

If you care about protecting the people you work with, this is how you do it.

Start using private addiction assessments with BlockSurvey.