Is this Addiction Assessment Right for YOU?
- You feel unable to fully control your use, even when you want to cut down or stop
- You notice withdrawal symptoms, cravings, or discomfort when you reduce or miss a dose
- Your use is affecting sleep, mood, relationships, work, or physical health
- You’ve tried to stop before, but patterns keep returning or escalating
- You want a confidential psychiatric assessment to understand dependence, risks, and safe next steps — not judgement or pressure
Addiction Assessment Process
(Psychiatric Evaluation for Alcohol & Substance Dependence)
The aim of an addiction assessment is to understand your relationship with alcohol or substances in clinical context, including patterns of use, physical dependence, psychological drivers, and the impact on your health and daily life. The assessment focuses on clarity, safety, and appropriate next steps — not judgement or pressure to stop before you are ready.
A consultant-led psychiatric assessment helps clarify whether your difficulties reflect harmful use, dependence, withdrawal risk, co-existing mental health conditions, or a combination of factors, and what that means for safe and effective support.
During the assessment, we will:
- • Explore your current substance use patterns - Including what you use, how often, how much, how long this has been ongoing, and whether use has changed over time.
- • Assess Dependence and Withdrawal Risk - Looking at tolerance, cravings, physical symptoms when you reduce or stop, and whether medical support is needed for safety.
- • Review Mental Health and Triggers - Exploring anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, sleep difficulties, or emotional states that may be linked to or worsened by substance use.
- • Understand Impact and Consequences - including How use is affecting relationships, work, finances, physical health, sleep, mood, and daily functioning.
- • Review Previous Attempts to Stop or Reduce - What has helped, what hasn’t, and what made change difficult to sustain.
- • Reach Clear Clinical Conclusions - With an explanation of findings and a discussion of safe next steps, which may include medical support, psychological treatment, monitoring, or referral to specialist services if needed.
The assessment is conducted at a pace that feels respectful and manageable, and you remain in control of what you share. Where physical dependence is identified, safety is prioritised and clear medical guidance is provided.
A Psychiatric Addiction Assessment — Not Just a Screening
This is a full psychiatric assessment for alcohol or substance dependence carried out by an experienced consultant psychiatrist.
It goes beyond questionnaires or brief checklists to explore patterns of use over time, including loss of control, tolerance, cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and the psychological and physical factors that maintain use. The assessment looks at how substances are affecting mood, sleep, thinking, behaviour, relationships, work, and overall functioning, in clinical depth.
The assessment also considers overlapping or contributing conditions such as anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, chronic stress, or sleep disorders, and applies formal diagnostic criteria where appropriate. This ensures that difficulties are understood in context, rather than reduced to a single label.
The focus is on understanding patterns over time and supporting safe change — not rushing to conclusions or forcing abstinence before you are ready.
Addiction Assessment and Ongoing Psychiatric Care Options
The options below outline available psychiatric assessments for Drug and Alcohol Dependence and follow-up appointments. Care is always guided by clinical need and discussed following an initial assessment.
Initial Assessment
£449
- 60 minute full tele-psychiatric assessment
- Diagnostic clarification and feedback
- Discussion of treatment options (if appropriate)
- Online consultation
Follow-up Review
£249
- 30-minute follow-up review
- Review of symptoms and response
- Progress discussion and next steps
- Online consultation
Take the First Step Toward Clarity and Understanding
If alcohol or substance use has gradually become harder to control, is affecting your mood, sleep, relationships, work, or health, or feels different from what you intended — a specialist psychiatric assessment can help clarify what’s happening and what support may help.
A consultant-led addiction assessment focuses on understanding your pattern of use over time, including triggers, cravings, loss of control, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and the emotional or situational factors that maintain use. This includes exploring whether substances are being used to cope with stress, trauma, anxiety, low mood, or exhaustion, and how this has affected your physical and mental wellbeing.
The assessment goes beyond checklists to look at the whole picture, including risks, physical dependence, mental health overlap, and readiness for change — without judgement, pressure, or assumptions.
The aim is to provide clear clinical understanding and safe, evidence-based guidance on next steps, whether that involves gradual reduction, medical support, psychological treatment, monitoring, or referral to specialist addiction services, at a pace that feels respectful, careful, and unhurried.
Common Questions About
Addiction Assessment UK
Addiction Assessment UK
How do I know if I’m dependent on alcohol or drugs?
Dependence is not defined by how much you use, but by how much control you have. Signs include needing more to get the same effect, difficulty cutting down, using to cope with stress or emotions, continuing despite harm, or experiencing physical or emotional withdrawal. A psychiatric assessment helps determine whether this is harmful use, dependence, or part of a broader mental health difficulty.
Is addiction a mental health condition?
Yes. Substance dependence is a recognised medical and psychiatric condition, often linked with anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, or neurobiological vulnerability. Many people use substances to manage symptoms before realising they’ve become dependent. Understanding this properly is essential for effective and safe treatment.
What happens during a private addiction assessment?
The psychiatrist will explore your substance use history, current patterns, triggers, physical health, mental health, medications, and risks. They will also assess for withdrawal risk, co-existing conditions, and your goals for change. You remain in control of what you share, and the consultation is conducted at a pace that feels respectful and unhurried.
Will I be told to stop drinking or using immediately?
No. Sudden cessation can be dangerous for some people. If physical dependence is present, stopping without medical guidance can cause serious complications. The psychiatrist’s role is to advise you safely, which may include gradual reduction, medical support, or referral to specialist services where appropriate.
Do I need to be ready to quit before booking an assessment?
Not at all. Many people book an assessment because they feel unsure, conflicted, or stuck. The purpose of the assessment is to help you understand what’s happening and what your options are, even if you’re not ready to make changes yet.
Can addiction be treated without inpatient rehab?
In many cases, yes. Treatment depends on the level of dependence, risks, and your circumstances. Options may include outpatient support, medication, psychological therapy, structured reduction plans, or referral to specialist services. The assessment helps identify what level of support is safest and most effective for you.
