Originally Posted by
Tommy0311 
Hi all, i'm experiencing what i hope is the result of PAWS. I quit drinking towards the beginning of Dec 2017. When i did, i had all kinds of weird physical oddities (all of which were cleared by my doc and Neurologist). In the past five months i've relapsed three times.
While most of the physical symptoms have subsided, my mental state has been a wreck. The worst of those symptoms is derealization/depersonalization. Along with that, i also have terrible bouts of anxiety, obsessive thoughts, and hypochondria. At times i really feel like i'm going crazy. I'm currently seeking mental health treatment and they have me on an SSRI, but they don't seem to know much about PAWS.
Can relapse start the brain healing process all over again? Have any of you experienced this condition and how long did it take for you to heal from the mental side effects?
Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
Thanks you for this thought provoking, introspective post.
I assume by PAWS you are using an acronym for Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome. Epictetus the Greek slave and philosopher said, "No man is truly free until he understands himself."
In my view, the main navigational tools in life are values and purpose. People overcome addictions based on purpose-based motivation (based on values) -- they better themselves when they recognize how their habits, violate who they were, what they want to be, where they want to go in life. Emotions are the primary drivers of our behavior. All addictions, serve an emotional purpose. Addictions are not just substance abuses (drugs, alcohol), but also behaviors. You can’t get addicted to a substance or behavior that doesn’t do something for you. Keep thinking and praying. When your values trump your addiction, you may find PAWS a thing of the past.