Alcohol Dependence: Sample Questions for Assessment Based on Diagnostic Criteria. A diagnosis of alcohol dependence requires that the patient meet three or moreof the following criteria, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period. All questions are prefaced by “In the past 12 months…” 1) Drinking more or longer than intended:. Have you had times when you ended up drinking more than you meant to?or kept on drinking for longer than you intended? 2) Impaired control:. Have you more than once wanted to stop or cut down on yourdrinking? or tried more than once to stop or cut down but foundyou couldn’t? 3) Tolerance:. Have you found that you have to drink much more than you once did toget the effect you want? or that your usual number of drinks has much lesseffect on you than it once did? 4) Withdrawal syndrome or drinking to relieve withdrawal:. When the effects of alcohol are wearing off, have you had troublesleeping? Found yourself shaking? Nervous? Nauseous? Restless? Sweatingor with your heart beating fast? Have you sensed things that aren’t reallythere? Had seizures?. Have you taken a drink or used any drug or medicine (other thanover-the-counter pain relievers) to keep from having bad aftereffects ofdrinking? or to get over them? 5) Continued use despite recurrent psychological or physical problems:. Have you continued to drink even though you knew it was making you feeldepressed or anxious? or causing a health problem or making one worse? Or after having had a blackout? 6) Time spent related to drinking or recovering:. Have you had a period when you spent a lot of time drinking? or being sick or getting over the bad aftereffects of drinking? 7) Neglect of activities:. In order to drink, have you given up or cut down on activities that wereimportant or interesting to you or gave you pleasure?