Dry January, on the whole, is a positive thing, according to K. Luan Phan, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. However, those who participate and reflect during that time on their normal drinking habits may want to consider if their drinking has become a problem. While he said all assessments for alcohol dependency and addiction must be done on a case-by-case basis, the CAGE questionnaire is used by mental health professionals to give an indication that alcohol use may be a problem.
C: According to Phan, the first question is if the patient has tried to cut down on his or her drinking in the past and has been unsuccessful.
A: Does the patient become annoyed or agitated when others ask or suggest he or she cuts down on drinking?
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G: Are there feelings of guilt involved when a patient drinks or thinks about past drinking?
E: Has the patient ever used an “eye opener,” or a drink early in the day to get himself or herself going?