If you experience any of the symptoms of physical dependence on alcohol such as withdrawal symptoms, you should see a doctor or therapist and talk about ways to help you deal with the problem. However, it is far better to stop drinking before the situation reaches this point. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, then you may have an alcohol problem:

• Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
• Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
• Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
• Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

Since denial is so prevalent among alcoholics, it may take the help of friends and family members to convince someone that they have a problem.

There is no lab test to determine if someone is an alcoholic. Instead the diagnosis is made based on criteria set forth by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). If a person has three or more of the following symptoms at any one time in one year then they are considered to have alcohol dependence:

• Tolerance, as defined by a need for increased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication.
• Withdrawal symptoms such as tremors, insomnia, nausea, and anxiety when you cut down or stop using alcohol.
• Drinking more alcohol or for a longer period than you originally intended.
• Inability to reduce your alcohol intake despite the desire to do so. 
• Spending a lot of time obtaining alcohol, drinking it, or recovering from its effects.
• Neglecting important social, professional, or recreational activities due to drinking.
• Continued use of alcohol despite the knowledge that it is causing physical or psychological problems.