NHS list of nine questions determine if you could be high functioning alcoholic

Warning: This article contains discussion of alcoholism which some readers may find distressing.

If you've ever wondered if your relationship with alcohol is verging on the unhealthy, it might be useful to take a look at the nine questions the NHS has compiled to help determine what's 'normal'.

While many of us enjoy a drink socially, it can sometimes be difficult to determine if the amount of alcohol you're drinking is beyond what it considered a healthy amount.

For example, the NHS explains that to keep health risks from alcohol to a low level, men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis, which is the equivalent to six pints of beer or 10 small glasses of wine.

To help us understand what could be concerning, the NHS has listed nine questions to determine if you're drinking too much. Each question has multiple choice answers, and each answer correlates to a different score.

You can find the questions below:

The NHS has compiled nine questions to help determine what's 'normal' (Getty Stock Photo)

Are you drinking too much alcohol?

Here are the nine questions to ask:

1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?
2. How many drinks containing alcohol on a typical day when you are drinking?
3. How often do you have six or more drinks in one occasion?
4. How often during the last year have you found that you were not able to stop drinking once you had started?
5. How often during the last year have you failed to do what was normally expected of you because of drinking?
6. How often during the last year have you needed a drink in the morning to get yourself going after a heavy drinking session?
7. How often during the last year have you had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking?
8. How often during the last year have you been unable to remember what happened the night before because of your drinking?
9. Has a relative, friend, doctor or other health care woerker been concerned about you drinking or suggested you cut down?

The NHS advise that if you've scored over eight, to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss whether your alcohol intake is healthy.

You can find the questionnaire and more advice here.

The NHS advise that if you've scored over eight, to make an appointment with your doctor (Getty Stock Photo)

One entrepreneur, Ben Lowe, has previously spoken about some of the red flags that can go unnoticed when it comes to alcohol consumption, explaining that there are tons of people out there whose dependency on booze is flying under the radar because they don't look like a stereotypical alcoholic.

"The version most men picture when they hear the word addict, is the man who’s lost everything, can’t hold a job or keep a relationship together," Lowe said.

Lowe explained that many struggling with alcohol have become pretty good at masking their reliance, something known as 'high functioning alcoholic', which the Priory explains is a term to describe 'someone who's dependent on alcohol but is still able to function relatively effectively in their daily life'.

The Priory explains that there are some other common signs of being a high functioning alcoholic, including:

• Drinking alone, secretly or at unconventional times
• Justifying their drinking as a reward or celebration
• Claiming they drink expensive alcohol to ‘prove’ they don’t have an addiction
• Being unable to socialise without alcohol and avoiding social scenarios without alcohol
• Experiencing blackouts - struggling to remember previous nights or days as a result of heavy drinking
• Using alcohol to help deal with stress, anxiety, trauma, depression or loss
• Making jokes or having a flippant attitude about their heavy drinking, or getting defensive and angry if they're challenged about it
• Becoming aggressive, short-tempered and impulsive after drinking
• Storing alcohol in secret places, such as in their car, sheds, clothes or garage
• Becoming irritable and restless if they're unable to drink for a day or two
• An increasing tolerance to alcohol, meaning they need to drink more and more alcohol to feel any of the effects of alcohol
• They experience some withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking, such as nausea, headaches, fatigue, shaking, shivering and vivid dreams

Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.