Check your drinking habits: about our online alcohol test

Data from the NHS estimates that 49% of adults in England drink alcohol at least once a week. It’s a normal part of many people’s lives, but knowing when you’ve developed a dependency on alcohol can be hard to establish.

With tools like our alcohol test, you can get a greater understanding of your drinking habits and guidance on any extra support you might need. Being more aware of our relationship with alcohol is important to us all, but especially for people who may need an official diagnosis and treatment for alcohol addiction.

Before you begin, it’s important to note that this tool doesn’t diagnose alcohol abuse disorder, but can identify your risk of it developing. Click below to take our quick 10-question online alcohol quiz. Read on for more about what to expect from the test, how it works and what next steps there may be for you.

What’s the purpose of the alcohol test?

The alcohol test helps to identify behaviours and traits associated with alcohol dependence. Our alcohol test is based on the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT). Developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), AUDIT is used in health and social care settings as a screening tool for alcohol-related problems. 

The test contains 10 multiple choice questions, looking at areas such as:

• Your drinking habits (such as frequency and quantity)
• The physical, emotional and psychological effects of your drinking
• The impact your drinking has had on your daily life and responsibilities

To get an accurate result, you should read each question carefully and answer with complete honesty. The test is absolutely anonymous, with no data collected from your answers. 

At the end of the quiz, you’ll be given a risk factor rating for your susceptibility to alcohol dependence. You’ll also be given a breakdown of what this means, and what you should potentially do next. 

After you take the alcohol test

This test isn’t a diagnostic tool, but it can give you important guidance on whether you should get extra support for alcohol dependence. Once you complete the test, you’ll be given a summary of what the results mean and what you should consider as your next steps.

If you’re completely dependent on alcohol, withdrawing immediately could be dangerous. Get in touch with your GP for advice, or consider calling 999 if you have severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms like hallucinations and seizures.

Other steps you can take in the short-term include:

• Adopting some strategies for cutting down on alcohol
• Phoning national alcohol support line, Drinkline, for confidential support and advice on what to do next - 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm)
• Attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a free self-help group that support people with alcohol dependency

Getting help for alcohol addiction

If you need professional support for alcohol addiction, Priory offers world class inpatient and outpatient treatment across the UK. You can access a free addiction assessment to help us understand your current relationship with alcohol and explore our treatment options. Use the information below to get started.