All people are different. We react in different ways to different situations and events. We come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are each unique in our own right. Having said this, although we are are all different, biologically, we are essentilly the same. If we drink alcohol, it’s carried round the body via our bloodstream, reaches every cell in our bodies and is metabolised and excreted by a common pathway.
The effects, and more importantly the long term physical and psychological effects of excessive drinking are well documented. There is overwhelming medical data to suggest that excessive drinking is detrimental to health.
But is there a test or screening tool we can take to say, yes or no, that we are drinking too much? There answer to that is yes, there are screening tools availble that can serve as an early warning and to give an indication as to whether people are potentially starting to put themselves at risk, in the long term, of alcohol related harm.
The tool, widely recognised as the most effective, is called the AUDIT(C). This was developed by the World Health Organisation as a simple screening tool to pick up the early signs of hazardous and harmful drinking and identify mild dependence. It is routinely used by health professional and related professionals when assessing a persons alcohol consuption.
If you would like to use the screening tool please follow the link below to the NHS website. Please note, the tool should not be used for self-diagnosis. apas adviose that is conducted by a health care professional or a trained advice worker.
The NHS choice website has some useful tools, including AUDIT(C), that give people a chance to gauge the amount of alcohol they are drinking and tto make an informed choice as to whether they should seek further advice. Click here to follow the link.
