# Dr. Fernstrom: Are you drinking too much? Take this simple test to find out

- URL: https://theranews.net/blog/2026-01-16-dr-fernstrom-are-you-drinking-too-much-take-this-simple-test-to-find-out-ac1bcb/
- Published: 2026-01-16
- Type: Archive summary (AI-assisted summary of third-party reporting)
- Original outlet: msnow
- Original report: https://www.ms.now/know-your-value/dr-fernstrom-are-you-drinking-too-much-take-simple-test-n1006236
- Topics: mental-health
- Publisher: TheraNews, operated by AdvancedCare USA Inc.
- Notice: Educational content, not medical, legal, billing or financial advice. Cite the original outlet, not this summary.

> The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says 15.1 million adults in the U.S. have Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), including 5.3 million women.

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Alcohol consumption represents a tricky field to navigate when determining what constitutes too much, as drinking problems develop gradually and can sneak up unnoticed. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism estimates that about 15.1 million adults in the United States have alcohol use disorder, including about 5.3 million women. Sadly, only around 10 percent receive any treatment.

For those concerned about personal alcohol consumption, a simple self-assessment test called CAGE can provide initial guidance. Developed in 1970 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by Dr. John Ewing, the founding director of the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, the tool is widely used by physicians, licensed health professionals, and individuals to help recognize and address alcohol addiction.

The CAGE test consists of four yes-or-no questions: Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking? Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking? Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves?

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*This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: [https://www.ms.now/know-your-value/dr-fernstrom-are-you-drinking-too-much-take-simple-test-n1006236](https://www.ms.now/know-your-value/dr-fernstrom-are-you-drinking-too-much-take-simple-test-n1006236)*