Do You Have A Drinking Problem?

Answering these 20 questions can give you and indication if your drinking habits are safe, at risk for a drinking problem, or harmful. This quiz was developed by the Office of Health Care Programs, Johns Hopkins University Hospital. If you regularly consume alcoholic beverages, this quiz can give you an idea of how your drinking put you into harmful patterns and indicate whether or not you have a drinking problem.

When answering, use the last 12 months as your frame of reference. Be honest with yourself because you can only benefit if your answers are accurate. A drinking problem can lead to more serious problems with alcohol like alcohol dependence and addiction (alcoholism).

1. Do you lose time from work from 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 felt remorse after drinking?
6. Have you had financial difficulties as a result of drinking?
7. Do you turn to inferior companions and environments 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 each day?
11. Do you want to 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 troubles?
16. Do you drink alone?
17. Have you ever had a 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 because of your drinking?

According to the Office of Health Care Programs, Johns Hopkins University Hospital if you answered as few as 3 of these answers with a Yes there is an indication that you have a drinking problem and your drinking patterns are harmful and considered alcohol dependent or alcoholic. If this is the case for you, then you should seriously consider seeking an evaluation by a healthcare provider or someone in the alcohol treatment field to discuss your drinking problem.