Dangers

• Alcoholism can be a progressive and fatal condition. Long-term heavy drinking can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and certain types of cancer, according to the New York Times. It can also wreak havoc on your intestinal and stomach linings.
  
  

At Risk

• If you are a male who consumes 15-plus drinks a week, or a female who has 12-plus drinks a week, you are at risk for developing alcohol addiction.
  
  

Diagnosis

• If a doctor suspects alcohol abuse, he will ask you a series of questions (such as whether you've had blackouts or feel the need to cut back). Toxicology screens and liver function tests can identify problems.
  
  

Tests for Diagnosis

• There are several short screening tests that you can take on your own. One example is the CAGE test. Answering yes to two or more questions signals possible dependence:
  
  1. Have you tried to Cut down on your drinking?
  2. Are you Annoyed when people criticize your drinking?
  3. Do you feel Guilty about your alcohol use?
  4. Do you need an Eye-opener drink in the mornings?
  
  Another possible test is so simple that it consists only of a single question: "When was the last time you had more than five drinks (for men) or four drinks (for women) in one day?" Half of those patients who indicated "within three months" were accurately identified as alcohol abusers, according to the New York Times.
  
  See Resources below for even more tests for diagnosis.
  
  

Symptoms

• Alcoholics may exhibit any of the following symptoms: abdominal pains, confusion, drinking alone, no control over drinking, nausea or vomiting, poor eating habits, shaking in the morning, and hostility when confronted about drinking. Denying that there is a problem at all can be a powerful indicator of alcoholism.
  
  

Getting Help

• Denial is a huge hurdle to recovery. But with treatment, many people are able to cease drinking, according to the New York Times.