Alcohol use disorders (AUD) often occur together with other psychiatric disorders such as affective disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, drug use disorders, attention deficit and hyperkinetic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis. This psychiatric comorbidity is a global health problem and often not recognised and successfully treated. Increased awareness of possible AUD among psychiatric patients is needed, e.g. by use of the screening tool The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, which is described in this review.