Pouncer

I have never had PAWS symptoms this bad and I am having trouble coping with the flood and irregularity of emotions. I think the PAWS acronym should have different words:

Primarily Agitated While Sober
Persistent Anger With Sobbing
Panting After Wine Sightings
Punchy And Weary Simultaneously

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome sounds clinical and tidy. It belies the difficulty of experiencing it. I told my husband that I drank for probably 10 reasons: boredom, stress, insomnia, anger, low self-esteem, etc. Now I have to learn to deal with all of those reasons all at once.

Does anybody have suggestions for dealing with PAWS? Please add it on the list below. Many of us newbies would appreciate the advice.

I will start:
Good Nutrition

desertsweetpea

Ooh, I really like Persistent Anger With Sobbing. I would add exercise to the list. A good cardio workout helps calm me when my emotions are overwhelming.

doggonecarl

Two weeks sober? I'd doubt it's PAWS. I would say you are suffering through regular early withdrawal. Normal early recovery.

The solution? Keep on staying sober. And work on those ten things that you cite as reasons you drink.

Soberwolf

Heres a link on paws PAWS | Digital Dharma

Pouncer

Thanks, Carl. Now, I am no doctor and everyone is different, but PAWS is described as the period of emotional instability, depression, etc. after physical detox. I have read it starts a few weeks and as early as seven days after physical detox.

Just for clarification I am posting the below links because not only members read these posts. I lurked here for years before I got the courage to join. I don't want someone reading this at my stage of recovery who is experiencing similar symptoms feeling further confused when they are trying to figure out the clusterf**k of emotions that follow physical withdrawal.

"Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (also referred to as PAWS) is a cluster of symptoms that occur in recovering addicts and alcoholics. PAWS symptoms usually begin to occur between seven and 14 days after the acute period of withdrawal, and usually peak between three and six months after the start of abstinence."

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome ? What You Need to Know : Drug & Alcohol Addiction Recovery

Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms - Relapse Prevention Strategies

A Primer on Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome

anattaboy

Long before PAWS came into my vernacular (never heard of it till I joined this site) it was common to hear in AA that one doesn't feel somewhat "normal" til about a year, "sober" at about 5 and "recovered" at about 10. I have to respect that wisdom as it comes from many who have been around awhile. I don't hear AV or PAWS in meetings yet but maybe in 10 yrs. or so...The universal answer is still the same--DON'T DRINK EVEN IF YER ASS FALLS OFF AND THINGS WILL GET BETTER. Other than that I took thiamine and recently prescribed b12 shots and feel pretty dam good at 9+ months.

Mac1

PAWS... I experienced this occasionally during the fisrt few months of recovery. Very disorientating, I would be doing really well for a period of time, feeling optimistic and hopeful. Then things suddenly go bang... a sudden dip in mood apparently out of nowhere. Once I found out the cause it was a lot easier to cope with. The good news is its short lived and would generally vanish as quickly as it appeared.

sva777

I would have to agree with this statement. It took me a good 6 weeks after I quit drinking to feel the early recovery withdrawal stuff to begin to simmer down. I will say I have read many different definitions of the term PAWS so I do not think any rules are set in stone.

From what I hear the Paws starts showing up after that and believe me I am not looking forward to it. I do have some bad days now and then many that are just fine now so maybe that is it, I do not know.

I also would advise B1 pills.

TomTom75

I had depression before I became a drinker I wonder how long it will take me to figure out what is PAWS, what is me etc.

Pouncer

Sorry. I am still confused.

"Post-acute withdrawal is a group of symptoms of addictive disease that occur as a result of abstinence from addictive chemicals. In the alcoholic/addict these symptoms appear seven to fourteen days into abstinence, after stabilization from the acute withdrawal."
http://www.poppswebsite.com/post-acute-withdrawal-paw/

Everything I read about PAWS describes the symptoms I am having. It has to do with GABA-A receptor plasticity and neural repair.

I have been taking magnesium and I will start taking a b-complex vitamin.

Thanks

sva777

Sounds like your on the right path. After reading your linked article it seems from what they are writing you are indeed experiencing PAWS

It took me a good solid 6 weeks to stop feeling continually crappy after I stoped drinking. I did not start to have good days until after that but I will say there have been bad ones mixed in there. I figured this was the PAWS hitting me.

Everyone is different though I am sure someone else has a completely different timeline of what they went through.

sugarbear1

sounds like the normal progression of early detoxing to me. it's a process of recovery, if we stay abstinant.

don't drink, know your body is healing and keep moving forward

Pouncer

I have read people on this board who indicate that PAWS is something that happens out of the blue 3 to 6 months after physical detox. I always thought it is the same thing as 'protracted withdrawal.' I believe PAWS is just another name for protracted withdrawal.

In any case, I am glad to hear you feel better. My friend just told me that she has never seen me this agitated. I need to get off of this roller coaster.

Behan

Hi Pouncer,

I've been struggling with the concept of PAWS also, having only heard of it via this site. It has been over 80 days since I have drank, yet I do not feel like myself. I had been drinking heavily for years, so I am uncertain what this self is that I am meant to feel. I know things are changing, and this must be connected to underlying neurophysiological changes. Despite all of the difficulties I have experienced, things are slowly getting better.

Some find a diagnosis helpful, others not. I'm just taking each day as it comes, trying to live well, accept the bad days/feelings/fhoughts, and try not to be too hard on myself. And support from others is my oxygen.

My best wishes,

B

Dee74

Soberwolf posted my preferred link on PAWs.

http://digital-dharma.net/post-acute...r-immediately/

Based on my experience, I'm of the 'it's probably too early for PAWs' school too - but regardless of whether it's PAWs or not, there are some great suggestions in that link for health and happiness

D