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:
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.
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