Poast Acute Withdrawal Syndrome, Paws, Part 2
In part one of the article on post acute withdrawal syndrome we discussed the various stages of withdrawal. This article concerns itself with the actual symptoms and problems of PAWS.
Hear some symptoms of how PAWS affects the thinking process:
- Having a hard time learning and remembering new information.
- Both short-term and long-term memory can be affected.
- Inability to handle stress or uncertain situations.
- Fuzziness of thinking, an inability to think clearly or logically.
- Difficulty with solving problems and abstract reasoning.
- Difficulty concentrating for any length of time or blanking out.
- All or nothing, black or white thinking.
- Having a difficult time prioritizing goals and putting them into action.
There are some emotional symptoms of PAWS also:
An inability to sleep soundly.
- Having nightmares or dreams about using alcohol or drugs.
- Emotional symptoms are increase due to lack of sleep.
- A frequent occurrence of radical mood swings.
- Difficulty to relate to others.
- Disproportionate emotions for a situation, for example flying into a rage over a small incident.
- Having inappropriate emotions.
In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous the description that they used was feeling restless, irritable and discontent.” The length of time these symptoms can occur is usually thought to be up to three to six months into recovery. However, depending on the severity of the substance use and length of time of its use, Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome may last up to two years in extreme and rare cases.
Related posts in Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I am a 56 year old woman who came off a 7 mo. use of l.5 clonazapam daily. I was aided by a dr. and did a 6 mo. valuim taper. It went smoothly and I had four good month and now am experiencing horrible withdrawal symptoms with very little relief. Please help. Thanks
Treatment in homeopathy is individualized (tailored to each person or animal in the case of
veterinary homeopathy). Homeopathic practitioners select remedies according to a total picture of the patient, including not only symptoms but lifestyle, emotional and mental states, and other factors.
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kimrennin
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I used cocaine and alcohol excessively for about 20 yrs. I have been clean and sober for over 2 yrs. but I still have a hard time sleeping because I have involuntary shaking almost every night. Is this related to withdrawal?
Wow! This is some of the most useful info I’ve read get. Since compulsive gambling torques the same neurochemistry that speed, cocaine, etc affect, I suspect PAWS was the culprit in the year after I quit gambling. Thanks for this info. I couldn’t find anything about gambling withdrawal anywhere on the web, in 12-step literature or any of the book on quitting gambling. The mental effects were terrifying.
Hard time remembering?? I can name that tune – one of the unfortunate things that seems to go along with menopause. Thanks for the great info!
I personally know that when I got my menopause in my late 30s it was a great shock! There were only a few months of perimenopause before the full on menopause hit and I was trying for my second child! I was horrified and it took me a good couple of years to come to terms with my body saying “NO!”
But now years on, my life has never been better. I’m back to feeling sexy again, I’m happy with my one child and I’ve come through all of that.
.-= Paris@Menopause Signs´s last blog ..Fema Support – Review =-.
that sounds like something horrible to have
yes, this seems to be in fact horrible. So everyone should be lucky do not having this. Interesting post, thanks for this.
I am 5 and a half months into total abstinence after having a 20+ year drinking problem. I had felt fine for years and then I suddenly started getting unwell about 2 years ago with many of the symptoms above and then some. Got so bad that I was often bed-bound with the symptoms.
I saw several doctors and went on to thoroughly go through the mill with medical investigations in an attempt to diagnose me. Nothing came of any of them. I was open with all my doctors about my alcohol usage but none ever suggested a link other than say words to the effect of ‘well, you should cut down your drinking anyway as it might help your health in a general sense’.
I had found early on with my illness that drinking alcohol could temporarily hold off my symptoms; and from this it wasn’t difficult to infer that something was amiss regarding the drinking itself. I came to see my drink as the key to a symptom free day but I knew that I couldn’t continue with that tactic. I then found out about PAWS roughly a year ago and thought that the only way to really find out if that WAS what the problem was would be complete abstinence. I had a few false-starts in the last quarter of last year (2009) and eventually stopped completely for the new year.
For about 2 – 3 months the symptoms would continue to come and go but gradually what I have noticed is that a) their magnitude and duration reduced with each instance and b) their total number of instances gradually lessened.
Now, at 5.5 months and under certain circumstances such as high-stress situations, being in unfamiliar surroundings (pubs/bars sometimes trigger it!) or lack of sleep/food; I occasionally have the symptoms but I know they only last, at most , a few hours. It’s an absolute joy to be (almost) free of this terribly crippling condition.
I realize that recovery can take a lot longer for many other people and I am sure that I will have ‘aftershocks’ for possibly years to come – but it’s a world of difference than the situation I was in last year.
If my story can give one person some hope and some resolve then that can only be a good thing.
One final point though – It was a bit risky for me just stopping drinking suddenly and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else. The symptoms of initial withdrawal, I have learned, can be extremely dangerous and for severe drinking issues should be done under medical supervision. Perhaps it worked ok for me because I had cut down (tapered) a little in the preceding months or I was just lucky – but it’s worth talking to your doc if you have a severe alcohol problem and want to try abstinence.
Allison try benzo.org a fantastic British site for coming off benzos, some of the most evil drugs ever
I started drinking at the age of twelve and by the age of sixteen I was alcohol dependant, I never knew I was alcohol dependant until my twenties, until i admitted it.
Anyway, I drank heavily atleast 3 to 4 nights a week. I started feeling paws symptoms when ever I chucked the drink for awhile.
I even beleived I was mentally ill, suffering from anxiety and depression.etc
Well I gave up alcohol at age twenty eight, I am on day 106 of sobriety and I feel amazing. I just started a new job last week after years on sickness benefit.
I still get paws but its mild and i can easily manage it. my confidence is sky high now and i love my new life.
I still have stress but its easier to manage. I realy hav a future now.
My advise to anyone suffering from paws is to just hang in there, it might take months to feel better, or even years, but in the long run we get better..
I have been a drug addict for about 20 years. It started with weed, then crystal, coke, crack, and ultimatly injecting oxycontin for 3 years, and trying methadone programs. I’ve now been clean for about 7 months. I went to seek mental health services, and she told me about PAWS. She certainly knew what she was talking about. Upon further reading, I see that I suffer from this condition. I am looking foward to working a program, and going to groups with people who understand my pain.