Alcohol Use Self-Test — Free 10-Question Drinking Habits Check
- Free
- 10 questions
- No sign-up
- Instant result
A free drinking-habits self-check that reviews how often and how much you drank over the past 3 months, how hard it is to stop, and the traces alcohol left on daily life, in 10 questions. About 3 minutes, with a 0-30 score, a four-band interpretation and change over repeat tests.
What's included
- Questions
- 10 items
- Price
- Free
- Areas measured
- Drinking Habit Risk Level
What the 10 questions of the Drinking Habit Check cover
This is a 10-item self-check in which you think back over your drinking in the last 3 months. It looks at how often and how much you drink (more drinking days than dry days in a week, a large amount in one sitting, drinking alone at home on an ordinary evening), at how hard it is to stop ('just one' that lasts until the end of the night, a drink being the first thing on your mind as the day ends), and at the traces drinking leaves: memory gaps, putting off the next day's tasks, arguments, physical discomfort and the worry of people close to you.
You answer each item with 'Not at all', 'Sometimes', 'Often' or 'Almost always', scored 0 to 3, so the total ranges from 0 to 30. There are no right answers, so it helps more to choose what actually happened than what looks good. If you hardly drank at all in the last 3 months, simply choose 'Not at all'.
The same score can tell different stories
Your total is the sum of the 10 items, so the same number can come from different patterns. 'Sometimes' spread evenly across many items means something different from 'Often' concentrated on memory gaps or on people close to you being worried. Look at the four bands on the result screen (0–4, 5–11, 12–19 and 20–30) together with the items where you scored highest.
Scores also depend on the period. If the last 3 months included a season full of gatherings and celebrations, a very stressful stretch, or a break from drinking for health reasons, your result may differ from your usual pattern. This is a screening tool for checking habits, not a diagnosis. If you scored 12 or more, writing down the days you drank and how much for a couple of weeks makes the pattern behind the score much clearer.
Soundary's own items, inspired by the AUDIT
The items were written by Soundary, drawing on the framework of alcohol-problem screening research such as the WHO's AUDIT (Saunders et al., 1993). They are not an official version of the AUDIT, and the score range and bands differ, so do not compare your score directly with AUDIT scores. Instead, the questions use everyday situations so you can review not only how often and how much you drink, but also how hard it is to stop and what drinking leaves behind.
If you save your result, you can put it side by side with your previous score the next time you take the check. If you have been drinking heavily for a long time, it is safer to plan cutting down with a doctor than to stop suddenly on your own. Whatever your score, if you feel alcohol is unsettling your daily life, talk to a psychiatrist or a local addiction counseling service. Asking for help is not a sign of weak willpower; it is a practical way to change a habit.
How scores are interpreted
Drinking Habit Risk Level
This looks at the frequency and amount of drinking, the difficulty of stopping, and the impact alcohol has left on your daily life, relationships, health, and the feelings of those around you. A lower score means your current drinking habits are stable.
0–4pts · Comfortable Distance
You are maintaining a good, moderate distance from alcohol. Even on days you drink, you can control your pace and tend not to pass the burden onto yourself the next day. It would be good to keep up your current rhythm.
5–11pts · Worth Keeping an Eye On
It is generally not a problem, but there are moments when it goes on longer than usual depending on the atmosphere or on tiring days. It is not a major issue, so do not feel pressured. Setting up a small measure, like deciding in advance which days of the week you won't drink, will help you maintain your current state for a long time.
12–19pts · Signs You Need to Cut Back
The amount and frequency of your drinking are increasing, and instances of drinking longer than planned or having it affect your daily life the next day are repeating. It is not due to a lack of willpower, but because the habit has become ingrained in your body, making it difficult to reverse on your own. We recommend recording the days and amounts you drink for about two weeks, and casually bringing it up during a counseling session or medical checkup.
20–30pts · Time to Seek Help
It appears that alcohol is having a fairly broad impact on your daily life, relationships, and physical condition, and moments where it is difficult to stop on your own occur frequently. This is not a matter of personality or willpower, but an area where you can fully receive help. Talking about it at a psychiatric clinic, a nearby counseling center, or a local addiction management center will make things much easier. Since your body might struggle if you suddenly quit completely, it is safer to decide on a method to cut back together with a professional.
Sample questions
- 1. Looking back at a week, there were more days I drank alcohol than days I didn't.
- 2. In a single sitting, I drank more than about 1 liter of beer or half a bottle of wine.
- 3. I drank alone at home even on an ordinary evening with no plans.
- 4. I started with the intention of having just one drink, but kept refilling my glass until the gathering ended.
Thinking about the past 3 months, please choose how often each statement applied to you. There are no right or wrong answers, so it is more helpful to choose what actually happened rather than what looks good. If you rarely drank alcohol, you can choose 'Not at all'. It takes about 3 minutes.
FAQ
How do I interpret my drinking-habits score?
Each of the 10 items scores 0-3, for a total of 0-30. In this test, 0-4 suggests a comfortable distance from alcohol, 5-11 a level worth keeping an eye on, 12-19 a signal that some adjustment is needed, and 20-30 a level where professional help would be worthwhile. The score is a gauge for reviewing habits, not a diagnosis.
At what score should I seek professional help?
If you repeatedly score 12 or above, or notice signs like being unable to stop once you start, memory blackouts, or people around you worrying, regardless of the score, talking to a professional is recommended. At 20 or above, consider a psychiatrist or an addiction support service. If you have been drinking heavily for a long time, stopping abruptly can trigger dangerous withdrawal, so plan how to cut down together with a professional.
How much drinking counts as moderate?
Commonly cited low-risk guidelines are up to 2 standard drinks a day for men and 1 for women, but recent research finds no amount of alcohol that is completely safe for health. In practice, principles beat quotas: set alcohol-free days each week, avoid drinking heavily in one sitting, and keep the next day unaffected. If you are pregnant, have liver disease or take interacting medication, the rule is not to drink at all.
How often should I retake this check?
This check asks about the past 3 months, so every one to three months is a sensible interval. If you are trying to cut down, logging it monthly shows whether the score is falling. Retaking it after a holiday season or a stressful stretch reveals which way your habits moved, and saved results let you compare trends over time.
Source
The items in this test are a self-check adaptation based on the original instrument and literature below: These are items developed by Soundary with reference to alcohol-problem screening paradigms such as the WHO AUDIT (Saunders JB, Aasland OG, Babor TF, de la Fuente JR, Grant M, 1993, Addiction). This is not an official edition of any standardized instrument; it is a screening tool for reference only.
The items in this test were written by Soundary with reference to published diagnostic criteria and academic literature. They are not a translation or adaptation of any standardized instrument, and the score bands are Soundary's own self-check thresholds.
Related tests
This is a self-screening tool, not a medical diagnosis. If the result concerns you, please consult a mental health professional.