Benefits of PAWS
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 591
Benefits of PAWS
AT 64 days I’m realizing PAWS is setting in, big time. I have all the symptoms. Unfortunately to get into a psychiatrist will take over two months thanks to my horrible affordable healthcare. I am cold turkey from alcohol and antidepressants, which did nothing for me but killed my libido for years. Now I’m mad and irritated at everything. I’ve read PAWS is part of my brain rewiring after years of abuse. This is good news right? On set of PAWS is when many relapse, I don’t want to go through this hell again. So I’m looking for any positives of PAWS, anyone read exactly how my brain will heal? How will my thinking improve and emotions stabilize? With my free time it is also really time to find a meeting to go to. Thanks for all responses.
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,424
I'm not sure PAWs is big on positives unless it stops you drinking again maybe?
Not sure if you've seen this link but there's some suggestions in it about how to lessen PAWs effects.
https://digital-dharma.net/post-acut...r-immediately/
Don't freak out if you read something like 'can last up to 2 years'. That wasn't my experience or the experience of most of the PAWs stories I read here
D
Not sure if you've seen this link but there's some suggestions in it about how to lessen PAWs effects.
https://digital-dharma.net/post-acut...r-immediately/
Don't freak out if you read something like 'can last up to 2 years'. That wasn't my experience or the experience of most of the PAWs stories I read here
D
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: W Washington
Posts: 11,589
back in the day we just called it early recovery.....not to diminish what you are going thru, but only to point out that simply because something has a NAME (or acronym) doesn't mean it never existed before it was "discovered".
recovery is anything but linear. it's bumpy and choppy and full of stops and starts. good days, lousy days. just keep making 'em SOBER days and ride it out.
recovery is anything but linear. it's bumpy and choppy and full of stops and starts. good days, lousy days. just keep making 'em SOBER days and ride it out.
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 446
It’s great that you are putting a positive spin on your PAWS experience. Unpleasant as it is, see it as proof that your brain is starting to heal. How long will it take? Hard to say, because it varies from person to person. For me it took about 3 months until the brain fog lifted. After that my thinking really cleared up and what’s more, I saw a steady increase in energy. Such a difference from when I was married to the bottle and I hardly cared about anything.
Just keep on trucking, it’s so worth it!
Just keep on trucking, it’s so worth it!
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Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 405
You can read my old posts in regards to PAWS. It took me 21 months before I finally got over it.
There was most definitely a benefit to going through it because I am never ever EVER going to go through that hell again. This side is much better.
There was most definitely a benefit to going through it because I am never ever EVER going to go through that hell again. This side is much better.
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,870
Early recovery was full of emotional ups and downs. A very foggy brain and feelings of exhaustion and lethargy plagued me, also. Things began to gradually improve around the six month mark.
Continuing to take positive steps in recovery is our only really good choice despite the feelings and symptoms of PAWS. It may not be easy but it is the way to the beauty of lasting sobriety and recovery. The really good stuff lies ahead, mariposa. Stick with it.
Continuing to take positive steps in recovery is our only really good choice despite the feelings and symptoms of PAWS. It may not be easy but it is the way to the beauty of lasting sobriety and recovery. The really good stuff lies ahead, mariposa. Stick with it.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 591
Thank you all for responding, I feel as I look at it as my brain and emotions are out of whack because my brain is rewiring and repairing it makes it more bearable. I’m researching timelines for neurological repair after withdrawal. Keeps me going, also knowing it will pass. My damaged wiring will sort itself out?
No Dogma Please
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: SoCal
Posts: 2,562
I'm with you on the antidepressant libido killing thing...SSRIs will do that.
However, I'm not sure that stopping them at the same time as booze was such a great idea. Water under the bridge I know. I'm on Wellbutrin which gives my libido a huge BOOST. Just in case you feel depression symptoms coming on there is an out if your doc thinks you can handle it.
PAWS just sucks. I had it terribly when I stopped benzos about 12 years ago.
Hoping you can get back to a doctor who can really address all this as soon as possible.
However, I'm not sure that stopping them at the same time as booze was such a great idea. Water under the bridge I know. I'm on Wellbutrin which gives my libido a huge BOOST. Just in case you feel depression symptoms coming on there is an out if your doc thinks you can handle it.
PAWS just sucks. I had it terribly when I stopped benzos about 12 years ago.
Hoping you can get back to a doctor who can really address all this as soon as possible.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 591
Thank you all for holding my hand during this PAWS, or part of recovery. It is a very real issue and this is probably my first serious awareness of what was happening. It started early Friday and Tuesday morning here, it’s gone. I took Wellbutrin years ago to try to quit smoking, my skin started crawling and I got hyper paranoid. I do have a check with my female doctor so I’m going to mention my moods and weight gain, slowwwww weight loss issues. Then I have the chiropractor, who will be doing xrays 😳 but at least I’ll get an understanding of my internal issues of arthritis and hip unevenness. Paws seems to have gone, the emotions I was feeling the last few days caused me to consider relapsing more than I have felt in the last 2 months.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
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Originally Posted by mariposa 
Thank you all for responding, I feel as I look at it as my brain and emotions are out of whack because my brain is rewiring and repairing it makes it more bearable. I’m researching timelines for neurological repair after withdrawal. Keeps me going, also knowing it will pass. My damaged wiring will sort itself out?
I also share that I was indeed a dire case who experience most everything on this PAWS "list" and it did take a couple yrs to even out to where I believe my healthiest life is...I'm 3 yrs and 3 mo sober (and a couple wks
) and at 42 consider myself having gotten off easy with just the perspective you mentioned:A positive "spin." Whether we call it "PAWS" or not, there are so many things that alcohol did to every part of us, that have to heal. Having a "condition" in early sobriety that helped me define and explain and categorize symptoms and feelings and brain condition gave me some peace- and ability to both cut myself slack as I healed, and reset my expectations to remain hopeful that I'd get thru it.
Glad you are sharing stuff on both these recent threads you began.
The mind whirling is an intricate process for me, and sure was as the first months and yr and second evolved.
You are thoughtful and seeking greater awareness of what's going on and I find those things important - and instructive for our progress.
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Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 405
I'd like to add that this is the main reason I don't have a blasé attitude in regards to "slips".
I was doing everything I was supposed to be doing in sobriety: fellowship, gratitude, forgiveness, mindfulness, prayer, meditation, exercise, drinking water, getting good sleep, eating well and it STILL took me nearly two years before I felt right. It just goes to show how much damage this crap does to our system. Had I slipped even one day and drank who knows how much longer it would have taken my body to recalibrate.
But I don't want to paint this as a doom and gloom scenario. The most pleasant surprise after going through PAWS is that being happy, grateful, and content is my default setting. Continuous sobriety is the only way.
I was doing everything I was supposed to be doing in sobriety: fellowship, gratitude, forgiveness, mindfulness, prayer, meditation, exercise, drinking water, getting good sleep, eating well and it STILL took me nearly two years before I felt right. It just goes to show how much damage this crap does to our system. Had I slipped even one day and drank who knows how much longer it would have taken my body to recalibrate.
But I don't want to paint this as a doom and gloom scenario. The most pleasant surprise after going through PAWS is that being happy, grateful, and content is my default setting. Continuous sobriety is the only way.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: US
Posts: 5,095
I'm kind of an emotional basket case just at my baseline I think what I've experienced was just me learning how to deal with life, my feelings, physical pain etc etc etc without interrupting things with booze. And then the hangover would replace any other feelings so I could just label everything as that.
I don't want to minimize PAWs however because I have known a few people who really really suffered. So it's real for sure.
Frankly, I'll take a down turn, or anhedonia to the pink cloud any day. I have had periods of sobriety where I was so 'high' on being sober, farting sparkles and all happy joyous and free that it was just not normal. And then when reality hits (like around 5-9 months) I'd fall off my rainbow and hit the cement so hard that I'd relapse. I'd relapse because I still hadn't totally accepted that being 'high' is just not a thing for me anymore. Low and behold, no more pink clouds for me.
I mean, it was kind of amazing to me when I realized, hey I can feel like he!! and not drink. Not that feeling like he!! isn't a sign that something needs to be addressed, but I found it kind of comforting. That's probably weird.
What goes up must come down. But I've found what goes down generally goes back up. Then equilibrium and contentment.
I think what I've experienced was just me learning how to deal with life, my feelings, physical pain etc etc etc without interrupting things with booze. And then the hangover would replace any other feelings so I could just label everything as that.I don't want to minimize PAWs however because I have known a few people who really really suffered. So it's real for sure.
Frankly, I'll take a down turn, or anhedonia to the pink cloud any day. I have had periods of sobriety where I was so 'high' on being sober, farting sparkles and all happy joyous and free that it was just not normal. And then when reality hits (like around 5-9 months) I'd fall off my rainbow and hit the cement so hard that I'd relapse. I'd relapse because I still hadn't totally accepted that being 'high' is just not a thing for me anymore. Low and behold, no more pink clouds for me.
I mean, it was kind of amazing to me when I realized, hey I can feel like he!! and not drink. Not that feeling like he!! isn't a sign that something needs to be addressed, but I found it kind of comforting. That's probably weird.
What goes up must come down. But I've found what goes down generally goes back up. Then equilibrium and contentment.
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Lakeside, Arizona
Posts: 1,138
Originally Posted by WeThinkNot
You can read my old posts in regards to PAWS. It took me 21 months before I finally got over it.
There was most definitely a benefit to going through it because I am never ever EVER going to go through that hell again. This side is much better.
There was most definitely a benefit to going through it because I am never ever EVER going to go through that hell again. This side is much better.
It can come and go in waves so don't get discouraged if it eases and comes back.
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