A diagnosis of alcoholism can be very difficult as one of the main symptoms of alcoholism is DENIAL.  If the alcoholic denies having a drinking problem, then they are not likely to seek out a diagnosis.  Most times it is a friend or family member that recognizes there  is a alcohol abuse or an alcohol dependence problem happening.  If you are reading this and have a friend or loved one with a drinking problem, then it is important that you raise your concerns with them, remembering not to be judgmental.  Tell them what you have noticed and direct them towards help.  Visiting their family doctor would be the first step in a diagnosis of alcohol dependence.

How are alcohol problems diagnosed?

A doctor’s diagnosis will typically include some questions about the symptoms that the person is experiencing and looking into their health history.  The doctor will do a physical exam and run some tests to see if there are any health problems that are linked with alcoholism.  A mental health exam may also be needed if the doctor suspects that there are any mental health issues such as depression. 

There are hundreds of diagnostic screening tests available which are used to evaluate drinking problems.  To deal with the denial, many screening tests stay away from direct questions but ask questions about problems associated with drinking instead.  A formal diagnostic interview can be very time consuming, so to encourage screening there have been many practical screening tests for alcohol dependence and abuse developed.  These tests consist of only a few questions and prove to be very effective for an initial screening in identifying alcoholism. 

An example of one of the most common screening tests available is CAGE which asks only four questions:

1.  Have you ever felt that you should cut down on your drinking?
2.  Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
3.  Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
4.  Eye opener:  Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

It is important that alcoholism get’s diagnosed so that recovery can begin.  Unfortunately, during routine visits, doctors usually fail to pick up or diagnose alcohol abuse or dependence and yet early intervention can make a difference in recovery.