REGARDING ALCOHOLISM:

The first step to getting help with alcoholism is to recognize that you really need help. The following are two tools to help with that: 20 Questions from Alcoholics Anonymous And the criteria from the DSM-IV, Diagnostic Criteria from the American Psychiatric Association.

THE 20 QUESTIONS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Here are 20 Questions designed to help you determine how alcohol has affected your life.

  1. Do you lose time from work due to drinking?
  2. Is drinking making your home life unhappy?
  3. Do you drink because you are shy with other people?
  4. Is drinking affecting your reputation?
  5. Have you ever felt remorse after drinking?
  6. Have you got into financial difficulties as a result of drinking?
  7. Do you turn to lower companions and an inferior environment when drinking?
  8. Does your drinking make you careless of your family's welfare?
  9. Has your ambition decreased since drinking?
  10. Do you crave a drink at a definite time of the day?
  11. Do you want a drink the next morning?
  12. Does drinking cause you to have difficulty sleeping?
  13. Has your efficiency decreased since drinking?
  14. Is drinking jeopardizing your job or business?
  15. Do you drink to escape from worries or trouble?
  16. Do you drink alone?
  17. Have you ever had a complete loss of memory as a result of drinking?
  18. Has your physician ever treated you for drinking?
  19. Do you drink to build up your self-confidence?
  20. Have you ever been to a hospital or institution on account of drinking?

If you have answered YES to any of the questions, there is a definite warning that you may be alcoholic.

If you have answered YES to any 2, the chances are that you are an alcoholic.

If you have answered YES to 3 or more, you are definitely an alcoholic.


CRITERIA FOR SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE (ALCOHOLISM) FROM THE DSM-IV.

A maladaptive pattern of substance use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12- month period:

  1. Tolerance, as defined by either of the following:
    • a need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect
    • markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance
  2. Withdrawal
    • the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the substance
    • the same (or a closely related) substance is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms
  3. The substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended
  4. There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use
  5. A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance (e.g., visiting multiple doctors or driving long distances), use the substance, or recover from its effects
  6. Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use
  7. The substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance (e.g., continued drinking despite recognition that an ulcer was made worse by alcohol consumption).