Alcoholism Test

Who is an alcoholic? A lot of people mistake alcoholics for people who have a higher alcohol tolerance or people who simply drink a lot, or those who get high a bit too easily. But is that all there is to an alcoholic? Not really. Alcoholism is way more than just that.

Alcoholism Test

An alcoholic is a person whose life has become dependent on the beverage. An alcoholic is someone who drinks, not for pleasure, but out of necessity. An alcoholic is someone who has little control on his drinking habits, and lesser control on his behavior before and after drinking.

The test is better known as the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), is a questionnaire comprising 25 questions, based on the answers of which you will know whether you are an alcoholic. The test is answered in a yes/no format.

1. Do you feel you are a normal drinker? ("normal" - drink as much or less than most other people)?
2. Have you ever awakened the morning after some drinking the night before and found that you could not remember a part of the evening?
3. Does any near relative or close friend ever worry or complain about your drinking?
4. Can you stop drinking without difficulty after one or two drinks?
5. Do you ever feel guilty about your drinking?
6. Have you ever attended a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?
7. Have you ever gotten into physical fights when drinking?
8. Has drinking ever created problems between you and a near relative or close friend?
9. Has any family member or close friend gone to anyone for help about your drinking?
10. Have you ever lost friends because of your drinking?
11. Have you ever gotten into trouble at work because of drinking?
12. Have you ever lost a job because of drinking?
13. Have you ever neglected your obligations, your family, or your work for two or more days in a row because you were drinking?
14. Do you drink before noon fairly often?
15. Have you ever been told you have liver trouble such as cirrhosis?
16. After heavy drinking have you ever had delirium tremens (D.T.'s), severe shaking, visual or auditory (hearing) hallucinations?
17. Have you ever gone to anyone for help about your drinking?
18. Have you ever been hospitalized because of drinking?
19. Has your drinking ever resulted in your being hospitalized in a psychiatric ward?
20. Have you ever gone to any doctor, social worker, clergyman or mental health clinic for help with any emotional problem in which drinking was part of the problem?
21. Have you been arrested more than once for driving under the influence of alcohol?
22. Have you ever been arrested, even for a few hours because of other behavior while drinking?

You will add one mark for each 'yes' (except Q.1 and Q.4, where answer is 'no')

Now add up the scores. If the total is between 0 and 2, then you're clean, without a trace of alcohol addiction. If the score is between 3 and 6, then you might face problems with alcohol abuse unless you rein in the drinking habit. If you have scored more than 6, then you're having a tendency towards alcoholism and need alcohol treatment.

Alcohol affects you physically, mentally and financially. It ruins relationships and friendships as well. So basically, if alcohol is your friend, no one else will be!