Updated: 22 August 2026
Have alcohol or cigarettes felt different since you started Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro or another GLP-1-related medicine? This short, private questionnaire helps you organise what you have noticed and points you towards an appropriate next step in England or Wales.
GLP-1 Cravings and Habits Check-In
Answer 10 questions. Your result will focus on safety, monitoring or support—not a score or diagnosis.
What is the GLP-1 cravings questionnaire?
The GLP-1 cravings questionnaire is a short educational check-in for adults who have noticed—or are wondering about—changes in drinking or nicotine use while taking medicines such as semaglutide. It does not calculate an addiction score. Instead, it separates four questions that are easily muddled together: has craving changed, has behaviour changed, could alcohol withdrawal be a danger, and what kind of help would be useful now?
That separation matters. A person in Cardiff may report that wine no longer tastes appealing after starting Wegovy, yet have no history of heavy drinking or withdrawal. Their sensible next step may be to record the change and mention it at a routine review. Someone in Manchester may also report a sharp fall in drinking, but wake with tremor and sweating. For them, the urgent issue is not whether semaglutide altered a reward pathway; it is arranging a safe medical assessment before alcohol intake drops further.
The questionnaire deliberately avoids telling users that a particular pattern proves a GLP-1 effect. Cravings fluctuate with stress, mood, routine, illness, relationships and expectations. Nausea or early fullness may also make alcohol temporarily unattractive. Only controlled research can establish average treatment effects, while an individual prescriber considers what is happening for one patient.
How are the results decided?
The tool does not add up points. Point systems can give a misleading sense of precision, particularly when a safety warning should override everything else. Instead, the answers are placed into a priority pathway.
| Result pathway | What triggers it | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency help now | Current seizure, hallucinations, severe confusion, collapse, severe shaking or severe persistent abdominal pain. | The questionnaire stops being relevant; urgent medical assessment takes priority. |
| Arrange prompt medical advice | Possible alcohol withdrawal, previous severe withdrawal, sharp reduction with dependence concerns, severe dehydration or an unregulated product. | Do not adjust medication or attempt abrupt alcohol withdrawal without professional advice. |
| Book a medication or support review | Concerning side effects, stronger cravings, a wish to reduce or stop, or a notable unexplained change. | A prescriber, GP, pharmacist or specialist service can help interpret the pattern and plan next steps. |
| Monitor and discuss routinely | Mild or no concerns, no withdrawal warnings and no immediate wish for treatment. | Keep a simple record and mention meaningful changes at the next suitable review. |
This hierarchy is intentionally cautious. It will sometimes advise a conversation with a clinician when everything turns out to be fine. That is more appropriate than allowing an online result to reassure somebody who might be entering alcohol withdrawal or experiencing a significant medicine side effect.
Why ask about alcohol withdrawal?
GLP-1 discussions tend to focus on reduced desire: “I simply forgot to drink.” For somebody without dependence, that may be little more than an interesting change. Physical alcohol dependence is different. The nervous system adapts to the repeated presence of alcohol, and a sudden reduction can produce dangerous overactivity.
Warning signs include morning anxiety, sweating, shaking, nausea or retching, particularly when symptoms improve after drinking. Severe withdrawal can cause hallucinations, seizures and delirium. NHS advice is clear that a person who is dependent should not stop overnight without medical guidance.
A medicine-associated loss of interest in alcohol does not protect against withdrawal. This is why the questionnaire asks about symptoms and past events rather than relying only on how many drinks somebody reports. Previous withdrawal seizures or hallucinations are important even if the person feels well today.
What do craving changes mean?
Early clinical research suggests that semaglutide may reduce alcohol craving and some measures of consumption. A small randomised trial reported lower weekly craving, fewer drinks per drinking day and reductions in heavy-drinking days, although not every drinking outcome improved. Nicotine evidence is less developed: a small trial reported reduced cigarette craving without a significant reduction in cigarettes smoked per day.
This means a change in craving is plausible but not diagnostic. If a pint feels less rewarding in a Bristol pub or the after-dinner cigarette is left unfinished in Swansea, several explanations are possible:
- the medicine may be influencing reward or satiety;
- nausea, reflux or early fullness may make the substance unpleasant;
- expecting a change after reading about GLP-1 medicines may affect attention;
- weight loss, exercise or a changed routine may alter old cues; or
- the timing may be coincidental.
A brief diary is often more useful than trying to settle the cause immediately. Record the weekly injection or dose, cravings, alcohol units or cigarettes, side effects, sleep and any unusually stressful days. Do not change the prescribed dose to test a theory.
Why the tool does not diagnose addiction
Alcohol use disorder and nicotine dependence require more context than a web questionnaire can safely gather. A clinician may explore loss of control, tolerance, withdrawal, unsuccessful attempts to stop, time spent obtaining or using a substance, health consequences and the effect on work or relationships.
People also use the word “addiction” differently. One person may mean a strong habit; another may be drinking to prevent withdrawal. Giving both the same coloured score would conceal the most important difference. The result therefore tells users what type of conversation may be appropriate rather than attaching a label.
What support is available in England?
In England, a GP can assess alcohol-related health concerns and withdrawal risk, and local community alcohol services often accept self-referrals. The NHS alcohol-support page provides a service finder. Treatment may include medically supported withdrawal, psychological support and established relapse-prevention medicines when appropriate.
For smoking, NHS stop-smoking services provide behavioural support and help with evidence-based treatments such as nicotine replacement and suitable nicotine-free medicines. Local arrangements vary: support may be offered through a pharmacy in Birmingham, a council service in Leeds, a GP practice or a telephone appointment. The Smokefree National Helpline for England is 0300 123 1044.
What support is available in Wales?
Wales has two useful national routes. DAN 24/7 provides confidential alcohol and drug information at any time on 0808 808 2234. It can help people, relatives and carers find an appropriate local service. It is not necessary to wait until drinking has caused a crisis.
Help Me Quit is the national NHS smoking-cessation service for Wales. Call 0800 085 2219 or use the Help Me Quit website to request support. A trained adviser can help plan a quit attempt and discuss available treatment. Support is available whether someone lives near a large centre such as Cardiff or in a rural Welsh community.
Should you tell your GLP-1 prescriber?
Tell the prescriber if drinking or smoking changes markedly, if cravings become stronger, or if gastrointestinal symptoms interfere with eating and hydration. Alcohol can worsen nausea and vomiting associated with semaglutide. A clinician may also need to consider diabetes treatment, blood-glucose risk, liver health and other medicines.
Seek prompt advice for persistent vomiting, signs of dehydration or severe ongoing abdominal pain. Do not buy replacement injections from informal sellers or use somebody else’s pen. NHS medicines guidance advises obtaining private semaglutide only through a registered pharmacy because falsified products exist.
Frequently asked questions
Is this an alcohol-dependence test?
No. It is an educational triage and reflection tool. It highlights possible withdrawal warnings and suitable sources of support but cannot diagnose dependence.
Does a low-risk result mean it is safe to stop drinking?
No online result can guarantee that. If you drink heavily, have withdrawal symptoms, need alcohol to feel normal or have had severe withdrawal before, obtain medical advice before reducing or stopping.
Can the questionnaire tell whether Wegovy changed my cravings?
No. It can organise the timing and nature of the change, but it cannot prove causation. Keep a record and discuss a meaningful change with your prescriber.
Are my answers stored?
No. The calculation runs locally in the web browser. The form does not send or save answers.
Can I use the result to request Ozempic for addiction?
No. Ozempic and Wegovy are not routinely commissioned NHS treatments for alcohol or nicotine addiction. The result is not a prescription recommendation or evidence of eligibility.
What if I only use nicotine?
The alcohol-withdrawal questions can be marked “I do not drink”. Your result can then direct you towards stop-smoking support if that is your goal.
What if I live outside England or Wales?
The safety guidance still applies, but service details differ. Contact a local doctor, pharmacist or addiction service, and use your country’s emergency number if severe symptoms are present.
The useful result is the next action
The most valuable outcome of a GLP-1 cravings questionnaire is not a percentage. It is recognising whether a change can be watched, should be discussed or needs urgent attention. Early research into GLP-1 medicines and addiction is genuinely encouraging, but it does not make self-treatment safe.
If cravings have quietly diminished and there are no warning signs, a simple diary and routine review may be enough. If you want to change your drinking or smoking, established NHS support is available now. If alcohol withdrawal may be present, seek advice before cutting down. And if severe symptoms are happening, put the questionnaire aside and call for urgent help.
References and official support
- NHS: alcohol support and withdrawal warnings.
- NHS: semaglutide uses, precautions and side effects.
- NHS stop-smoking services.
- DAN 24/7 Wales Drug and Alcohol Helpline.
- Help Me Quit Wales.
- Hendershot CS et al. Semaglutide in adults with alcohol use disorder. JAMA Psychiatry, 2025.
- Hendershot CS et al. Semaglutide in adults with daily cigarette use. JAMA Network Open, 2026.
This page offers general information for adults and is not a substitute for medical assessment or emergency care.