In the last 12 months, has your patient’s drinking repeatedly caused or contributed to:

• risk of bodily harm
• relationship trouble
• role failure
• run-ins with the law

If one or more of these statements is true, then your patient has alcohol abuse.

In the past 12 months, has your patient

• not been able to stick to drinking limits
• not been able to cut down or stop
• shown tolerance
• shown signs of withdrawal
• kept drinking despite problems
• spent a lot of time drinking
• spent less time on other matters

If three or more of these statements is true, then your patient has alcohol dependence.