Concerned about your drinking?

Are you concerned about your drinking behaviors? Answering the following questions may help you determine if you have a problem with alcohol.

In the past year, have you:

1. Had times when you ended up drinking more, or longer, than you intended?
2. More than once wanted to cut down or stop drinking, or tried to, but couldn’t?
3. Spent a lot of time drinking, being sick from drinking, or getting over other after effects?
4. Wanted a drink so badly you couldn’t think of anything else?
5. Found that drinking—or being sick from drinking—often interfered with your life at home? Or caused job troubles? Or school problems?
6. Continued to drink even though it was causing trouble with your family or friends?
7. Given up or cut back on activities you found important, interesting, or pleasurable so you could drink?
8. More than once gotten into situations while or after drinking that increased your chances of getting hurt (such as driving, swimming, using machinery, walking in a dangerous area, or unsafe sexual behavior)?
9. Continued to drink even though it was making you feel depressed or anxious or adding to another health problem? Or after having had an alcohol-related memory blackout?
10. Had to drink much more than you once did to get the effect you want? Or found that your usual number of drinks had much less effect than before?
11. Found that when the effects of alcohol were wearing off, you had withdrawal symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, shakiness, restlessness, nausea, sweating, a racing heart, dysphoria (feeling uneasy or unhappy), malaise (general sense of being unwell), feeling low, or a seizure? Or sensed things that were not there?

These questions are used to assess the severity of an Alcohol Use Disorder. Severity is based on the number of “yes” responses: 2 to 3 is mild, 4 to 5 is moderate, and 6 or more is severe.

Commonwealth Campuses:

Every Penn State campus has health and counseling services. Check the resource section for information about how to set up a confidential appointment at your campus.

University Park:

At University Park, you have three confidential options for getting help:

1. Health Promotion & Wellness (free)
2. Counseling and Psychological Services (free)
3. Penn State’s University Health Services

Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC) at University Park

The CRC was founded to help students in recovery from alcohol and other substance use disorders. The CRC provides:

1. ongoing support for major lifestyle changes
2. a commitment to help students in recovery succeed
3. a community that reinforces healthy and sustainable choices

If you'll be attending the University Park campus, check out the CRC website to learn about how you can connect with other students who are in recovery.