Am I an Alcoholic?

Answer the questions below to find out if you have signs of a problem. The results are confidential, so be honest about your drinking over the past year. Some of the behaviors and symptoms described in the quiz may not seem serious, but they can be warning signs that a more severe problem is developing. If you recognize a drinking problem early on, you can take steps to reduce your risks.

This quiz is based on criteria from the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the definitive handbook that medical experts use to diagnose mental health disorders such as alcoholism. We’ll tell you if your answers indicate a mild, moderate or severe alcohol use disorder and provide resources to start you on the path to sobriety.

In the past 12 months, have you:

Completed

  • 1

    Drank more or longer than you intended?

  • 2

    More than once tried to reduce your drinking but were unable to?

  • 3

    Spent a lot of time drinking, being sick from drinking, or hungover?

  • 4

    Felt cravings so strong that you couldn’t think of anything else but drinking?

  • 5

    Realized that drinking or being hungover interfered with work, school or family responsibilities?

  • 6

    Kept drinking despite problems with friends or family?

  • 7

    Stopped participating in activities you used to enjoy so you could drink?

  • 8

    More than once participated in dangerous or reckless behavior after drinking, such as driving or having unprotected sex?

  • 9

    Kept drinking after feeling depressed or anxious, after blacking out or after knowing it would worsen another health problem?

  • 10

    Had to consume more drinks than usual to feel the same effects?

  • 11

    Experienced hallucinations or withdrawal symptoms (shakiness, trouble sleeping, nausea, depression, sweating, elevated heart rate, anxiety, irritability or seizure) when the effects of alcohol started to wear off?

You must answer all of the questions.

 

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

Drank more or longer than you intended?

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

More than once tried to reduce your drinking but were unable to?

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

Spent a lot of time drinking, being sick from drinking, or hungover?

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

Felt cravings so strong that you couldn’t think of anything else but drinking?

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

Realized that drinking or being hungover interfered with work, school or family responsibilities?

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

Kept drinking despite problems with friends or family?

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

Stopped participating in activities you used to enjoy so you could drink?

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

More than once participated in dangerous or reckless behavior after drinking, such as driving or having unprotected sex?

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

Kept drinking after feeling depressed or anxious, after blacking out or after knowing it would worsen another health problem?

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

Had to consume more drinks than usual to feel the same effects?

Question

In the past 12 months, have you:

11. Experienced hallucinations or withdrawal symptoms (shakiness, trouble sleeping, nausea, depression, sweating, elevated heart rate, anxiety, irritability or seizure) when the effects of alcohol started to wear off?

You are at Mild Risk

Alcohol addiction is a chronic disease that can devastate your health, strain your finances and damage your relationships with family and loved ones. According to the World Health Organization, harmful alcohol use causes 3.3 million deaths per year and more than 200 diseases and injury conditions.

Get cost-effective, quality addiction care that truly works. Fill out the form or call our 24/7 hotline at 855-520-2898 to get help now.

    Share this quiz:

    *The results of this quiz are for your personal assessment and not intended to serve as an official diagnosis.

    You are at Moderate Risk

    Alcohol addiction is a chronic disease that can devastate your health, strain your finances and damage your relationships with family and loved ones. According to the World Health Organization, harmful alcohol use causes 3.3 million deaths per year and more than 200 diseases and injury conditions.

    Get cost-effective, quality addiction care that truly works. Fill out the form or call our 24/7 hotline at 855-520-2898 to get help now.

      All correspondence is 100% confidential.

      *The results of this quiz are for your personal assessment and not intended to serve as an official diagnosis.

      You are at Severe Risk

      Alcohol addiction is a chronic disease that can devastate your health, strain your finances and damage your relationships with family and loved ones. According to the World Health Organization, harmful alcohol use causes 3.3 million deaths per year and more than 200 diseases and injury conditions.

      Get cost-effective, quality addiction care that truly works. Fill out the form or call our 24/7 hotline at 855-520-2898 to get help now.

        All correspondence is 100% confidential.

        *The results of this quiz are for your personal assessment and not intended to serve as an official diagnosis.

        Each question you answered relates to a symptom of alcohol use disorder. As your number of symptoms increases, so does the severity of the risks if you continue drinking. Even if you have no symptoms, you’re probably concerned about your alcohol use. Consider seeking help now before your drinking causes serious distress or harm.

        Mild Alcohol Use Disorders

        If you answered yes to two or three questions, you meet the American Psychiatric Association’s criteria for a mild alcohol use disorder. At this stage of alcoholism, people have developed a tolerance to alcohol and experience withdrawal symptoms when the effects of drinking wear off.

        Moderate Alcohol Use Disorders

        Having four or five symptoms indicates a moderate alcohol use disorder. People with a moderate alcohol addiction may binge drink so frequently that they do not show signs of tolerance or withdrawal.

        Severe Alcohol Use Disorders

        If you answered yes to six or more questions, you may have a severe alcohol use disorder. Those with severe addictions have developed serious health problems, such as heart or liver problems, from their drinking. They still experience tolerance and withdrawal despite frequent binge drinking.

        The severity of your alcoholism can affect your treatment options. People with mild alcoholism will likely benefit from interventions such as counseling, behavioral therapy and 12-step support groups. As the disease progresses, these options become less effective.

        Treatment for moderate and severe alcohol use disorders usually includes medications that ease withdrawal symptoms or help people abstain from drinking. Quitting when the addiction has progressed this far can result in life-threatening withdrawal symptoms, so it’s safest to detox under the supervision of medical professionals.

        Consider seeking professional assistance if you answered yes to two or more questions. Some people with mild symptoms can cut back or quit on their own, but others may need medical treatment and support to achieve long-term sobriety.

        Ways You Can Reduce Your Risks:

        • Drink less or quit. If you can’t control your drinking or you experience withdrawal symptoms when you attempt to cut back, you may need medical treatment to quit safely.
        • Create a sobriety plan. Recovery is challenging, but finding support and making a sobriety plan will assist you in the transition to a happier, healthier life. Our free Sobriety E-book can prepare you for recovery and teach you how to avoid relapse.
        • Get professional help now. If you’re ready for change but can’t quit on your own, learn more about treatment for alcohol addiction. We can connect you with doctors, therapists and other experts who use proven techniques to help people overcome addiction.

        View Sources

        We're here to help you or your loved one.
        Question mark symbol icon

        Who am I calling?

        Calls will be answered by a qualified admissions representative with Advanced Recovery Systems (ARS), the owners of DrugRehab.com. We look forward to helping you!

        Question mark symbol icon

        Who am I calling?

        Phone calls to treatment center listings not associated with ARS will go directly to those centers. DrugRehab.com and ARS are not responsible for those calls.