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Self-checks

Alcohol habits self-check

A short, original self-check on your drinking pattern over the past year, the social contexts around it, and any consequences you may have noticed.

3-5 minutes15 questions

Think back over the past year rather than a single event, and answer as honestly as you can about your typical drinking, not your most restrained week. This tool describes a pattern; it does not tell you whether that pattern is a problem for you specifically.

Drinking patternSocial contextConsequences

This is an original set of questions written for self-reflection. It is not the AUDIT or AUDIT-C, which are licensed screening tools with restrictions on commercial use, and this check does not reproduce their items or scoring. It does not diagnose alcohol use disorder. If drinking is affecting your health, relationships or safety, or if you experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop, speak with a doctor.

Pattern over a single night

One heavy night says less than a repeated weekly pattern. This check asks about the shape of a typical year, not an exception.

Context matters

Drinking that only happens at work dinners looks different from drinking that fills quiet evenings alone, even at similar amounts.

Consequences, not just quantity

Missed mornings, arguments or health effects can matter more than the number of drinks on any given night.

Business culture here runs on toasts

In Vietnam, beer and rice spirits are woven into business dinners and celebrations, often with rounds of toasting that carry real social weight. Declining a toast can feel more awkward than declining a single drink elsewhere, and many residents and expats find themselves drinking more at these events than they intended, simply because pace is set by the table rather than by them.

Beer culture is visible and inexpensive

Draft beer sold by the glass on street corners is a well known part of daily life in many Vietnamese cities, and its low price and constant availability can make an evening habit feel unremarkable even when it adds up over a week. Noticing how often you end up at one of these spots, rather than judging any single glass, is a more useful way to read your own pattern.

Travel insurance often has fine print here

Many travel and expat health insurance policies exclude or limit cover for injuries or emergencies where alcohol was a contributing factor, and the details vary a great deal between insurers. Checking your own policy wording before you need it, rather than assuming standard cover applies, avoids an unpleasant surprise after an incident.

Before you start

Does this test diagnose alcohol use disorder?

No. It only summarizes your own answers about pattern, context and consequences over the past year. A diagnosis requires a clinical conversation with a doctor or addiction specialist who can ask follow-up questions and consider your full health history.

Is this the same as the AUDIT questionnaire?

No. The AUDIT and AUDIT-C are licensed clinical screening tools that this site does not reproduce. This check uses entirely original questions and does not generate the same kind of clinical score or cutoff.

What if I only drink heavily at work events?

That pattern is worth naming honestly rather than dismissing because it is social rather than solitary. If those events happen weekly and leave you feeling unwell or regretful, it is reasonable to think about how you would set a limit before the next one.