Taking online tests is often a safe way to begin thinking about your alcohol consumption. If you think that you might have an alcohol problem, you can take an online alcoholism test. While this kind of test isn’t an official diagnosis, it can help you determine whether you should be concerned about how much you drink.
How is Alcoholism Diagnosed?
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcoholism is a chronic, relapsing disease that is characterized by a person no longer being able to control their use of alcohol, compulsively abuse it despite its negative ramifications, and/or experiencing emotional distress when they are not consuming.Take Our Alcoholism Assessment
To be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder (AUD), individual must meet certain criteria outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). If you meet at least two of the below criteria within the same 12-month period, you may benefit from speaking with a medical professional or addiction specialist about your drinking habits. You may be struggling with alcoholism if you’re:
- Unable to cut down on alcohol use despite a desire to do so.
- Experiencing cravings, or a strong desire to use alcohol.
- Giving up previously enjoyed social, occupational, or recreational activities because of alcohol use.
- Continuing to abuse alcohol despite the presence of a psychological or physical problem that is probably due to alcohol use.
- Using alcohol in higher amounts or for a longer time than originally intended.
- Spending a lot of time obtaining, using, and recovering from the effects of alcohol.
- Unable to fulfill major obligations at home, work, or school because of alcohol use.
- Continuing to abuse alcohol despite negative interpersonal or social problems that are likely due to alcohol use.
- Using alcohol in physically dangerous situations (such as driving or operating machinery).
- Having a tolerance (i.e., needing to drink increasingly large or more frequent amounts of alcohol to achieve desired effect).
- Developing symptoms of withdrawal when efforts are made to stop using alcohol.
Which Alcoholism Quiz Should I Take?
There are several online alcoholism quizzes that can help you begin to explore your relationship with alcohol. It can be hard to determine whether a quiz is accurate. Often, these quizzes will ask 10 to 20 questions and cover the way alcohol use impacts your relationships, your self-esteem, how much you drink, and when you tend to drink.
Some of these assessments include:
MAST: Developed in 1971, the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) is a self-scoring questionnaire designed to help identify alcohol dependent drinkers. Different forms of the test have been utilized over the years and is based on a number of yes/no questions to assess the presence and severity of a person’s drinking. It is still considered one of the most accurate screening tests.
CAGE: CAGE uses a simple 4-question test to help identify alcohol problems:
C – Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
A – Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
G – Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
E – Eye opener: Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?
Two positive responses indicate further assessment is necessary.
AUDIT: Created by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is a tool to detect alcohol problems experienced within the past year. If a person scores an 8 or more, it typically indicates harmful or hazardous drinking.
While helpful in determining whether your current drinking habits may put you at risk of an AUD, self-assessment with these tests should not be considered as a final diagnosis.
Considering Getting Help for Alcoholism?
Here are some links that can teach you more and help you get started.
How to Stop Drinking
Having a drinking problem can be detrimental to your life, in more ways than one. It can wreak havoc on your health, cause you to perform poorly at work and isolate you from your friends and family.
After you take an alcoholism assessment, the quiz will give you a score and tell you whether you should seek additional help. If the quiz informs you that you may have an alcohol problem, your next step is up to you. Some people print out quiz results to show to a doctor or counselor so that they can decide what to do next.
Asking for help with alcoholism can be difficult because it requires you to admit that you’re powerless over your drinking. However, it’s possible to stop drinking alcohol and work toward recovery, no matter how severe the problem may seem.
Treatment Options for Alcoholism
The type of treatment that will be most suitable for you will be determined by your alcohol history, previous attempts at quitting and/or treatment, any co-occurring medical and/or mental health conditions, and your current situation.
- Medical Detox: For those living with alcoholism and/or a physical dependence on alcohol, the first step will be a medical detox program that can provide necessary medical care.
- Residential/Inpatient Treatment: For those needing 24-hour medical care and supervision and/or those who don’t have a safe and sober home or have been unsuccessful in other programs.
- Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP): Some individuals begin their treatment experience in the care of a hospital while undergoing medical detox and then move into a residential or outpatient program.
- Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP): A comprehensive outpatient treatment program will include most of the treatments offered in a residential program 5 days/week, usually between 5-8 hours a day.
- Outpatient Treatment: Appropriate for those with no physical dependence and a strong support system, an outpatient program offers a flexible schedule that allows individuals to live at home while undergoing treatment.
Get Help For Alcoholism
If an online assessment suggests you might have an alcohol problem, consider calling us to explore your options. Alcohol.org is a subsidiary of American Addiction Centers (AAC), a nationwide provider of addiction treatment facilities. We are passionate about helping those in need get the help they deserve and find freedom from addiction.
Our admissions navigators are available 24/7 to answer your questions about alcohol rehab and share with you AAC’s approach to treatment. All calls are 100% confidential and there’s no pressure to take action immediately; we want you to feel comfortable, safe and heard.
Want to see if your insurance covers treatment with an AAC facility? Fill out the form below for an instant verification.