When is someone addicted to alcohol?

To answer this question, you can find some questions below about drinking alcohol. When you answer yes to these questions two or more times, this is a signal that you could have an addiction. In that case it is important to make an appointment with your general practitioner. He or she can then put you into contact with the right help.

• Do you drink larger amount and more often alcohol than you intended?
• Do you try to drink less or quit, but this fails?
• Does it take a long time before you feel better after drinking? Does it cost a lot of time to recover?
• If you don’t drink, would you like to start drinking?
• Does the drinking cause problems at home, school or work?
• Do you keep drinking, even if other people are in trouble, like friends or parents?
• Do you spend less time on homework, social activities, hobbies or work because of drinking?
• Do you keep drinking even when you could get into danger (because you are driving or cycling)?
• Do you keep drinking even if you know that this can cause physical and psychological problems?
• Do you need to drink more alcohol to get the same effect?
• When you do not drink, do you get withdrawal symptoms (for instance shaking or sweating) that become less again when you continue drinking?