FLA

I just learned that supposedly in a few months I am going to experience more Withdrawl symptoms "paws"which will include anxiety, depression, anger etc.. Is this true? Does everyone experience paws? And is it possible to get on medication now so I don't experience these feelings down the road? I was planning on getting prescribed zoloft this week idk if anyone here has experience with it, if you do let me know. This new informations makes me even less confident in myself to stay sober.

jrsmama11

I always found that the emotions I had coming off were similar to the emotions that I had using... up and down. Part of you, the part that still wants to drink, may be looking for reasons to not stop. Addiction is a cunning enemy. I PROMISE what ever you feel coming off is better than a long (or short as it has been for a LOT) life filled with using drugs and/or alcohol.

FLA

Very true, the only reason I would want to relapse is out of fear of these symptoms. Does everyone who stops using experience paws? I thought I was in the clear after the first 5 days of Withdrawling. This new information sucks!

Dee74

Try not to worry FLA...not everyone experiences PAWs

This link gives you a good idea of what it is and ways you can limit, or even avoid, its effects

PAWS | Digital Dharma

D

camedown

The PAWS period can last anywhere from three to six months. For me, memory lapses and coordination were the big ones, but there is a huge list of different symptoms. There is more detailed info somewhere around here. Keep in mind how much time you spent in your addiction. There is no easy way out if you want to have a clean and healthy recovery, it requires a lot of work. I attend therapy, at least seven AA meetings a week, do sponsor work, do my daily readings, make AA calls, and my daily routine of readings, on top of SR. I feel I have finally gotten out of most of the PAWS period after eight months, but I still see the symptoms creep back in here and there. Complete recovery takes years, we have done a lot of damage to our brains, and it takes time to heal. I would rather work hard at that than die an alcoholic death while destroying every thing I care about in the process though, it's a no brainer for me.

midgetcop

Just speaking about my own personal experiences: my worst PAWS symptoms are far more tolerable than the blackouts, hangovers, guilt, shame, etc.

I'd choose PAWS over drinking any day.

michelle01

I had PAWS on and off, don't want to give medical advice here but found that anti craving medication helped (I took it for a year), if you research on the web you can find those medications used in the treatment of PAWS, but it is up to a doctor to prescribe the right kind for you. Anti craving medication helped me, but it isn't for everyone and isn't a fix all, it is best combined with a treatment program and/or therapy for long term sobriety.

I was also recommended Vitamin B to help with nerve repair. PAWS symptoms can be exacerbated by stress, stress of course is impossible to avoid sometimes but you can learn management techniques to deal with it.

Otherwise, people often find that some light to moderate exercise helps, eating properly, not overdoing caffeine (which can make you more agitated).

Involving yourself in a recovery program/method and having someone you can talk to for support I think is also crucial.

I myself take Zoloft and it seems to work fine for me with minimal side effects, but everyone is different and sometimes it takes awhile to find the right meds for someone.

MentalLoop

Hey Fla - slow your roll. Worry about PAWS if and when it hits. I'm in the 80 day range, and I haven't felt a thing. I am active, a father, a husband, and everything for me is coming up roses while sober. It takes a very hard effort to not stress the inevitable or things we have no control over - but sadly, it is the only thing that works. The only thing you can and should do is worry about today. You are five days in and feeling great. Celebrate that sobriety with a bike ride, or a really cool flavored coffee. But don't worry about tomorrow.

Purplecatlover

Ditto what midgetcop said. Withdrawal isn't any worse, even less than the hang overs & immediate ( next few days) withdrawal. Once I got through the first couple of weeks. I felt great.
Have ups & downs but that's life.
Plus you're young, you'll probably rebound quicker than the older folks.
FLA, don't worry about tomorrow or next week. Stay sober just for today.
The future can overwhelm you. Live in the here& now. It's all you've got to worry about.

flutter

Get distracted, get some counseling, go to meetings, get some exercise. While it's been difficult, my recovery process has been one of the most profoundly beautiful experiences in my life.

Anna

Yeah, try to focus on the positive aspects of your recovery and you'll be fine.

toomanyideas

I am currently 3 days sober after relapsing again, and going through some withdrawal. The withdrawal feels less intense than the usual hangover every morning, so I'm thinking that it's much better in the long run to go through this while it's still in a semi-early stage. The symptoms are shakiness, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and itching. The usual morning hangover was a multiple of ten on those, plus intense depression and guilt/shame about the night beforehand. I wish the best of luck to you. From my experiences with detox before, after the first week there is a dramatic change in symptoms. A good diet, positive thinking, tons of water, B-Vitamins, and sometimes a prescription for the anxiety are all good aids in recovery. I'm lucky enough to have been given a prescription for "clonazepam" for the anxiety. Personally, anxiety is always the major cause of my self medicating with alcohol. Good luck to you, and I'd like to know how the zoloft works out, since I may be put on that as well within the month. About PAWS, when I was sober for 1 1/2 years, I did not experience much after the initial withdrawal. I was keeping busy and filling my life with rewarding activities to keep me going. Then, it was the return of anxiety that helped lead me back into drinking. This may be a symptom of PAWS that proved to be quite difficult to work through. At the time I was not in meetings, and was too complacent in my recovery. I did not expect the anxiety to creep up on me like that. That's just my own experience though. It's always good to have a loved one to talk you down from taking a drink too. That can ease the craving a ton.

IndaMiricale

Well you read the most. Just focus on the good stuff. And dont let your mind go off worring about things that havent even come about.

As for PAWS its so different for everyone. Also it takes up to a year for our brains to truly detox and function in a normal state. So really it get so over used , as we are just learning to adjust to real life.

Live healthier , eat better , and excersise you mind and body.

jocata

My symptoms have eased quite a bit. I'm approaching 3 months. The first 2 months were hell, quite honestly. I just hung on and dove into AA meetings, reading, exercising, trying to eat healthier, therapy for my anxiety and depression.

Some will get it worse than others. Don't let it derail your sobriety. Just knowing what it is while you are going through it(if you do get it), will help.

Just hang in there.

God bless.

neferkamichael

FLA the words are a lot more scary than the withdrawals.

LadyNoBinge

FLA! Let's stay in today! Please do not let fear of the unknown compromise your self confidence. You can do this! Recovery is different for everyone but the one thing we all have in common is that it happens one day at a time. Take good care of yourself and hang in there. xo