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Advice for problem drinkers

   Do I have an alcohol problem?

There are two ways of being able to work out whether you have a problem at all, whether this is a minor issue or a major problem for you and one where you will need help. It can be useful to look at both.

The first way is simply to work out how much you are drinking. Try to remember what you had last week. Be careful to include all the drinks and remember that at home a glass of wine or spirits is often bigger than a pub measure! Was this a typical week? If you are drinking above the recommended limits, you should think about cutting down.

Using a drink diary can help you identify drinking patterns and habits, giving pointers as to what can be changed.

www.howsyourdrink.org.uk is a useful self-evaluation tool of drinking habits and includes signs of hazardous, harmful and dependent drinking, advice on getting help and tips for safer drinking.

The second way is to look at the signs set out below. There are three groups – one giving early warning signals that might mean you should think about cutting down, the next with signs of a drinking problem and the third with signs of being actually physically dependent on alcohol.

If you are worried that drinking may be becoming a problem for you, tick which of the following early warning signs apply to you:

Early warning signs	Tick here if they apply to you
Being drunk more often, particularly when needing to be on good form the next day
Taking the day off because of a hangover
Having accidents because of drink
Having an argument at home which you know was really because you had been drinking
Getting into trouble because of drinking - fights, drinking and driving
Doing something you would not otherwise have done after drinking and regretting it
Drinking more than you planned to in an evening

If these are only isolated incidents you may just need to think more carefully about reducing the number of drinks you have and where and when you decide to have them.

Using a drink diary can help you identify your drinking habits and give you a pointer as to what you could change.

Signs of problem drinking
Consider the signs and symptoms below to see if you do already have a problem with alcohol.

Sign of problem drinking	Tick here if you recognise yourself doing any of these
Thinking a lot about when you can next have a drink
Gulping your first drink quickly
Being conscious of how often you are the first person to finish a drink
Having more than the occasional hangover
Needing to have a drink before doing things or facing certain situations
Feeling sick, having the shakes, sweating in the morning or middle of the night
Spending more than you can afford on alcohol
Ordering doubles when it’s your round
Often feeling that you need a drink
Increase in arguments and rows at home over drink
Being annoyed if others mention your drinking or your behaviour when you were drunk
Other people telling you that they are worried about your drinking
Feeling secretly uncomfortable about your drinking
Drinking secretly
Deliberately hiding the evidence of your drinking (lying about money, hiding drink and empty alcohol containers)
Starting to drink at times when you didn’t before and earlier in the day

If you have ticked a number of the above signs then you are likely to have a problem with alcohol. It would be worth looking at the tips (later on in this section) for cutting down and for getting help.

Symptom of Dependency	Tick if you experience this symptom
Have to increase the amount you drink to maintain the same effect
Always wake up with the shakes and feeling sweaty
Need a drink to start the day
Drink large quantities over the course of the day without it making you drunk
Feel uncomfortable if you don’t have a drink at hand
Lie about your drinking
Are covering up your drinking and the costs of it

If you have ticked 3 or more you are likely to be dependent on alcohol and will require help with dealing with your alcohol problem.

To medical effects section