Pittsburgh, PA Alcohol Abuse

Positive Pathways provides individual and group counseling/therapy for substance abuse in the Pittsburgh, PA area. Our highly qualified counselors will help you recognize and provide a treatment strategy for you.

Alcoholism, what is it?

Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinker's normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. The resulting chronic use can result in many psychological and physiological disorders.

Symptoms and diagnosis:

Identification of alcoholism may be difficult because there is no detectable physiological difference between a person who drinks a lot and a person who can't control his or her drinking. As a result, identification involves an objective assessment regarding the damage that the consumption of alcohol does to the drinker's life compared to the perceived subjective benefits that the drinker perceives from that consumption. While there are many cases where an alcoholic's life has been significantly and obviously damaged, there are still a large number of borderline cases that can be difficult to classify.

Several tools may be used to detect the loss of control of alcohol use. The CAGE questionnaire, developed by Dr. John Ewing and named for its four questions, is one such example that may be used to screen patients quickly in a doctor's office. Two "yes" responses indicate that the respondent should be investigated further. The questionnaire asks the following questions:

•  Have you ever felt you needed to cut down on your drinking?
•  Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
•  Have you ever felt Guilty about drinking?
•  Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (Eye-opener) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

Positive Pathway's Treatment Services:

• CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
• We encourage 12 step programs - Alcoholics Anonymous
• We help you identify triggers, stressors and high risk situations that may lead to relapse
• We help you cope with emotions, thoughts and behaviors in healthier ways
• We assist you in making meaningful lifestyle changes

Contact Positive Pathways today at 412-894-8222 for all your Pittsburgh, PA substance abuse counseling needs.

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