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2013Determining Risk for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
If you have ever wondered or worried that you or someone you care about had the potential to abuse Alcohol and become dependent someday, review these common symptoms. Being aware of the symptoms of alcoholism can help you determine if you or someone you care about has a problem with alcohol. Many times being aware of the symptoms is all it takes when determining the need for help and Treatment.
The questions in this simple self-test refer to some of the common symptoms of alcoholism. This test is intended to help you determine if you or someone you know needs to find out more about alcoholism. It is not intended to be used to establish an alcoholism diagnosis.
Alcohol Addiction
Alcoholism Self Assesment
| 1 | Yes / No | Do you ever drink heavily when you are disappointed, under pressure or have had a quarrel with someone? |
| 2 | Yes / No | Can you handle more alcohol now than when you first started to drink? |
| 3 | Yes / No | Have you ever been unable to remember part of the previous evening, even though your friends say you didn’t pass out? |
| 4 | Yes / No | When drinking with other people, do you try to have a few extra drinks when others won’t know about it? |
| 5 | Yes / No | Do you sometimes feel uncomfortable if alcohol is not available? |
| 6 | Yes / No | Are you in more of a hurry to get your first drink of the day than you used to be? |
| 7 | Yes / No | Do you sometimes feel a little guilty about your drinking? |
| 8 | Yes / No | Has a family member or close friend ever expressed concern or complained about your drinking? |
| 9 | Yes / No | Have you been having more memory “blackouts” recently? |
| 10 | Yes / No | Do you often want to continue drinking after your friends say they’ve had enough? |
| 11 | Yes / No | Do you usually have a reason for the occasions when you drink heavily? |
| 12 | Yes / No | When you’re sober, do you sometimes regret things you did or said while drinking? |
| 13 | Yes / No | Have you tried switching brands or drinks, or following different plans to control your drinking? |
| 14 | Yes / No | Have you sometimes failed to keep promises you made to yourself about controlling or cutting down on your drinking? |
| 15 | Yes / No | Have you ever had a DWI, DUI, MIP, PI, or any other legal problem related to your drinking? |
| 16 | Yes / No | Do you try to avoid family or close friends while you are drinking? |
| 17 | Yes / No | Are you having more financial, work, school and/or family problems as a result of your drinking? |
| 18 | Yes / No | Has your physician ever advised you to cut down on your drinking? |
| 19 | Yes / No | Do you eat very little or irregularly during the periods when you are drinking? |
| 20 | Yes / No | Do you sometimes have the “shakes” in the morning and find that it helps to have a “little” drink, tranquilizer or medication of some kind? |
| 21 | Yes / No | Have you recently noticed that you can’t drink as much as you used to? |
| 22 | Yes / No | Do you sometimes stay drunk for several days at a time? |
| 23 | Yes / No | After periods of drinking do you sometimes see or hear things that aren’t there? |
| 24 | Yes / No | Have you ever gone to anyone for help about your drinking? |
| 25 | Yes / No | Do you ever feel depressed or anxious before, during or after periods of heavy drinking? |
| 26 | Yes / No | Have any of your blood relatives ever had a problem with alcohol? |
Any “yes” answer indicates you may be at greater risk than normal for alcohol abuse and/or alcoholism.
More than one “yes” answer may indicate a strong potential for or actual presence of an alcohol-related problem. At the very least, it suggests the need for consultation with an addictions professional.
Many people with higher potential for alcohol addiction and/or abuse can avoid stepping over the line into that state, but once that line has been crossed, there is no going back. The relevant idea is this:
You can turn a cucumber into a pickle, but you can’t turn a pickle back into a cucumber
