Tips To Pinpoint The Signs Of Alcoholism
People face ailments of all sorts. They range from the obvious physical problems to diseases of the mind along with various other troubling conditions. One of the most pernicious - largely because it is self-induced and frequently difficult to acknowledge - is alcoholism.
There are a number of tests and tools used to identify possible alcoholism symptoms. Many of these tools are self-administered or professionally administered questionnaires. These are designed to help the alcohol abuser identify his or her own symptoms of addiction.
There are five major tests used by addiction counselors and alcohol abuse programs. These include the CAGE questionnaire, the Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire, the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Paddington Alcohol Test. To learn more about each one, keep reading.
The CAGE Questionnaire
The CAGE Questionnaire is named after each of the four questions that are used to screen an alcohol user for possible abuse and addiction. These four simple questions ask if the person has ever felt the need to cut down on their drinking, whether people have ever criticized their drinking patterns, if they feel guilt about their drinking habits and whether they felt the need to have a drink first thing in the morning.
The person is then initially diagnosed with alcoholism if answering “yes” to two or more of the above questions. It’s designed specifically for alcoholism and not intended to be used to identify other drug dependencies.
The Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire
The Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire is slightly more comprehensive than the CAGE Questionnaire and tries to differentiate between heavy alcohol use and actual dependence on alcohol.
The ADDQ is used mostly throughout Europe and the UK, but it’s also utilized in some areas of the United States. It consists of 15 questions and actually gives respondents a score on a scale of 0 to 45. A score that comes in higher than 20 typically infers a high level of alcohol dependence.
The Michigan Alcohol Screening Test
The Michigan Alcohol Screening Test is used primarily by the justice system as a way of determining an individual’s dependence on alcohol and is often used when considering sentencing for any alcohol-related offenses.
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)
The AUDIT was created by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is intended to be used throughout the world. It has been tested and validated in six countries in both independent and WHO-sponsored studies.
AUDIT is comprised of ten simple questions. The first group of questions deals with alcohol consumption levels, the next focuses on alcohol dependence and the remaining group covers alcohol related issues or problems.
The Paddington Alcohol Test (PAT)
The Paddington Alcohol Test was first developed as a way to screen those in emergency, accident and health services for potential alcohol abuse problems. Essentially, it is typically administered to a patient in the ER to identify hazardous drinking and underlying causes.
These five tests are each intended to determine a respondent’s level of dependence on alcohol and associated alcoholism symptoms. Each has been validated, is used in the field and is designed for a particular purpose.
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