The doctor will ask about a person's symptoms and health history. The person will also be asked about their alcohol use and the impact it may be having on their life.

AUD is diagnosed when a person has 2 or more of the following problems in the past year:

Drinking more or longer than intended
Wanting to cut down or stop drinking but not being able to do so
Spending a lot of time drinking, being sick, or recovering from drinking
Wanting a drink so badly that it gets in the way of all other thoughts
Drinking habits that cause problems with a person's home, family, job, or school
Drinking despite the problems that it causes with family and friends
Giving up or cutting back on activities to spend more time drinking
Using alcohol in dangerous situations, such as when swimming
Drinking despite knowing the physical and mental health problems it is worsening
Needing to drink more to get the same effect
Having withdrawal symptoms when alcohol wears off, such as problems sleeping, shakiness, and nausea

A physical exam will be done to look for signs of damage from AUD. This is often enough to make the diagnosis. There are no tests to diagnose AUD.

References:

Alcoholism. Lab Tests Online—American Association for Clinical Chemistry website. Available at: https://labtestsonline.org/conditions/alcoholism. Accessed September 3, 2020.

Alcohol use disorder. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/alcohol-use-disorder. Accessed September 3, 2020.

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/alcohol-withdrawal-syndrome. Accessed September 3, 2020.

Day E, Copello A, Hull M. Assessment and management of alcohol use disorders. BMJ. 2015 Feb 19;350:h715.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). American Psychiatric Association; 2013.

Last reviewed March 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Adrian Preda, MD
Last Updated: 2/19/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.