Alcohol Use Disorder: Warning Signs, AUDIT Screening and How to Get Help

Warning signs of alcohol use disorder include drinking more than you meant to, failing to cut down, craving alcohol, and carrying on despite problems at home, work or with your health. A screening test called AUDIT can show whether your drinking is risky. Effective treatment exists, and stopping heavy drinking suddenly can be dangerous, so talk to a doctor first.

This page previously ended with a link to an Amanita product. That had no place here, and we have removed it. Amanita muscaria is not a treatment for alcohol problems.

What are the warning signs of alcohol use disorder?

NIAAA defines alcohol use disorder (AUD) as a medical condition in which a person has an impaired ability to stop or control drinking despite harmful consequences (NIAAA, Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder, 2025).

Clinicians use 11 questions from the DSM-5 diagnostic manual. In the past year, have you:

• drunk more, or for longer, than you intended?
• wanted or tried to cut down but could not?
• spent a lot of time drinking or getting over its effects?
• felt strong cravings?
• found drinking got in the way of home, family, work or study?
• kept drinking even though it caused problems with people close to you?
• given up activities you enjoyed in order to drink?
• ended up in risky situations while or after drinking?
• kept drinking despite it worsening your mood or health?
• needed more alcohol to get the same effect?
• had withdrawal symptoms, such as shaking, sweating or nausea, as the effects wore off?

According to NIAAA, two or three of these suggests mild AUD, four or five moderate, and six or more severe. Only a clinician can make a diagnosis, but these questions are a useful mirror.

How does AUDIT screening work?

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was developed for the World Health Organization. It helps identify hazardous and harmful drinking patterns, often in primary care (WHO, AUDIT guidelines, 2nd edition, 2001).

It has ten questions, grouped into three areas:

• How much and how often you drink.
• Signs of dependence, such as needing a drink in the morning.
• Harm, such as injuries or others expressing concern.

Scores run from 0 to 40. Under the WHO guidance, a score of 8 or more is generally taken to indicate hazardous or harmful drinking. A higher score suggests a need for fuller assessment.

You can find the questionnaire through your doctor or national health service. A score is not a diagnosis, but it is a good reason to start a conversation.

Why can stopping drinking suddenly be dangerous?

When someone drinks heavily for a long time, the brain adapts. If they stop abruptly, the nervous system can become dangerously overactive.

NIAAA warns that withdrawal after prolonged heavy drinking can be painful or even life-threatening, with symptoms including a rapid heart rate and seizures (NIAAA, Treatment for Alcohol Problems, 2025).

The most severe form is delirium tremens, with confusion, hallucinations and seizures. The UK's NICE guideline recommends hospital admission for people at high risk of withdrawal seizures or delirium tremens (NICE CG100, Alcohol-use disorders: physical complications).

The NHS puts it plainly: if you are physically dependent, stopping overnight could be harmful (NHS, Alcohol support, reviewed 2026). Get advice first, and call 999 for severe symptoms.

Some people try to self-manage withdrawal with sedating substances found online, including Amanita muscaria. There is no evidence this works. Mixing sedatives with alcohol raises the risk of slowed breathing. Our article on why swapping alcohol for Amanita isn't quitting explains the risks.

What treatments work for alcohol use disorder?

NIAAA notes that behavioural therapies, mutual-support groups and medicines can all help people with AUD achieve and maintain recovery. Three medicines are approved in the US:

• Naltrexone helps reduce the urge to drink.
• Acamprosate eases some of the discomfort of early abstinence.
• Disulfiram causes unpleasant symptoms if you drink.

Talking therapies include cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational enhancement and family counselling. Groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, SMART Recovery and LifeRing offer free peer support.

In England and Wales, the NICE guideline on alcohol-use disorders asks professionals to work in a supportive, non-judgemental way and to offer a choice of evidence-based treatments (NICE CG115, updated 2014).

In the US, NIAAA's Alcohol Treatment Navigator helps you compare local options. For background on why some "alternatives" are marketed as safer than alcohol, see why fly agaric and alcohol both act on GABA-A.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the AUDIT test?

AUDIT is a ten-question screening tool developed for the World Health Organization. A score of 8 or more generally indicates hazardous or harmful drinking.

How many symptoms mean alcohol use disorder?

NIAAA says two or three of the 11 DSM-5 criteria suggest mild AUD, four or five moderate, and six or more severe. A clinician makes the diagnosis.

Can alcohol withdrawal kill you?

It can. After long-term heavy drinking, withdrawal can cause seizures and delirium tremens. Medical supervision makes it much safer.

Which medicines treat alcohol use disorder?

In the US, naltrexone, acamprosate and disulfiram are approved. They work best alongside counselling or peer support.

Does Amanita muscaria help with alcohol withdrawal?

No. There is no evidence it helps, and combining sedating substances with alcohol can slow breathing dangerously.

This article is educational content, not medical advice. Amanita muscaria is toxic and is not sold for ingestion. If you are worried about your health or someone else's, speak to a doctor or contact the services listed above.