Alcohol and drugs
Alcohol check
3–10 questions · 3 min
This is the World Health Organization’s standard check for drinking. It asks how often and how much you drink, whether you’ve found it hard to stop, and whether drinking has caused problems for you or worried people around you.
It looks mostly at the past year. It isn’t about judging you. It’s a way to see whether your drinking might be affecting your health, so you can decide if you’d like to make any changes.
Taking tests is free. Your results unlock with a free 7-day trial.
What it shows
Whether your drinking may be putting your health at risk, based on the past year.
What it doesn’t
A diagnosis. Only a professional can tell whether someone is dependent on alcohol.
Who it’s for
This check is for anyone who drinks and wonders whether it’s more than they’d like. It can be useful after a period of heavier drinking, if friends or family have mentioned it, or if you’ve found it hard to cut back.
You don’t need to think you have a problem to take it. It’s a way to see where you stand, and taking it again later can show whether changes you make are helping.
Questions people ask
What does the AUDIT measure?
It looks at how often and how much you drink, signs that drinking is getting hard to control, and problems it may have caused, mostly over the past year. One drink here means about 10 grams of alcohol, such as a small glass of wine or half a pint of regular beer.
How is the AUDIT scored?
The ten answers add up to a score from 0 to 40. In the World Health Organization’s risk levels, 0 to 7 is low risk, 8 to 15 some risk, 16 to 19 higher risk and 20 or more very high risk. Cut-offs can vary a little between countries.
Is this a diagnosis?
No. It shows whether your drinking may be putting your health at risk, but only a professional can tell whether someone is dependent on alcohol.
What if my score is high?
Your doctor or a local alcohol service can help you cut down, without judgement. If you drink heavily every day, talk to a doctor before stopping suddenly, as stopping all at once can be unsafe.
How often can I retake it?
Every three months or so works well. As most questions are about the past year, small changes take a while to show.
What if I’m struggling right now?
If you might hurt yourself, call your local emergency number now. You can find free, confidential helplines in your country at findahelpline.com.
Where it comes from
Developed by the World Health Organization in 1989 with researchers in six countries, and now used around the world.
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
On iPhone or iPad?
Sprout is an app there too, and this link opens the test straight away if you have it.
Coming soon to the App Store