Take the check
The Fagerström test gauges physical nicotine dependence from your smoking pattern. It's written for cigarettes; if you vape or use other tobacco, read the result as a rough guide.
Free nicotine dependence check
6 questions · under 2 minutes · no sign-up, nothing stored
What your score means
Six items scored out of 10. The usual bands:
- 0–2 — very low dependence. Mostly habit and cue-driven. Behaviour change and timing often carry you through.
- 3–4 — low dependence. Some physical pull. Nicotine replacement can smooth the first weeks.
- 5 — medium dependence. Real physical dependence. Replacement therapy or medication clearly improves your odds.
- 6–7 — high dependence. Strong physical dependence. Combined support (patch plus a short-acting form, or a doctor's prescription) works best.
- 8–10 — very high dependence. Withdrawal will be sharp. This is exactly where medical support makes quitting realistic rather than miserable.
What actually helps you quit
None of this replaces support, but all of it is worth doing while you decide:
- Match the tool to your dependence. Light habit responds to cue changes; strong dependence needs nicotine replacement or medication. Mismatched effort is why most attempts fail.
- Set a quit date, don't drift. A chosen day beats 'cutting down slowly forever'. Tell someone the date so it's real.
- Break the cue chains. Coffee, the first chai, the post-meal walk, the balcony — plan a different move for each trigger before you quit, not during.
- Expect the craving to pass in minutes. A craving peaks and fades in about three minutes whether or not you smoke. Having something to do with your hands and mouth helps you ride it.
- Treat a slip as data, not failure. Most people who quit for good have lapsed first. One cigarette doesn't undo the attempt — giving up does.
When self-help isn't enough
If you've tried to quit before and the physical withdrawal — the irritability, the restlessness, the 3am craving — pulled you back, that's not a character flaw, it's dependence. That's the point where nicotine replacement, a quitline, or a doctor's prescription turns a miserable ordeal into something doable. Counselling helps with the part willpower can't reach: the stress, boredom or anxiety the cigarette was quietly managing.
Talking to someone about it
A Lume Live session is a confidential 1:1 conversation with Sachin Bajaj, who holds an M.Sc in Clinical Psychology (Gurugram University) and a PGDGC from Jamia Millia Islamia. Sessions are ₹499 for 45 minutes, with your first at ₹249 using code FIRST50 — priced so that finding out whether it helps doesn't require asking anyone for money.
Nothing is shared with your parents, school, college or employer, and you can book using a first name only. For most people that matters more than the price.
Book a first session — ₹249
One 45-minute conversation. Pick your own slot and get the invite immediately. No package, no commitment to a course of treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Is this test free and private?
Completely. No sign-up, no email, no payment. Your answers aren't stored, sent or seen by anyone — they stay in your browser for the length of the check and are gone when you close the tab.
Does this diagnose addiction?
No. The Fagerström test measures physical nicotine dependence to guide quitting support. It isn't a diagnosis — it's a practical gauge of how much help you're likely to need.
What is the FTND?
The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence is a six-item questionnaire about your smoking pattern — how soon after waking you light up, how many a day, and so on — scored out of 10.
Does it work for vaping?
Not precisely — it's built around cigarettes. If you vape, the questions about 'cigarettes' won't map cleanly, so treat your result as a rough indication of dependence rather than an exact score.
Is it anonymous?
Yes. No name, email or phone number to take it, and nothing recorded. If you later book a session, a first name is enough.