PAWS.

[Oxykicker]

  
How to Survive Post-Acute Withdrawal.



Be patient. Two years can feel like a long time if you're in a rush to get through it. You can't hurry recovery. But you can do it one day at a time.
If you try to rush your recovery, or resent post-acute withdrawal, or try to bulldoze your way through, you'll become exhausted. And when you're exhausted you'll think of using to escape.
Post-acute withdrawal symptoms are a sign that your brain is recovering. They are the result of your brain chemistry gradually going back to normal. Therefore don't resent them. But remember, even after one year, you are still only half way there.
Go with the flow. Withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable. But the more you resent them the worse they'll seem. You'll have lots of good days over the next two years. Enjoy them. You'll also have lots of bad days. On those days, don't try to do too much. Take care of yourself, focus on your recovery, and you'll get through this.
Practice self-care. Give yourself lots of little breaks over the next two years. Tell yourself "what I am doing is enough." Be good to yourself. That is what most addicts can't do, and that's what you must learn in recovery. Recovery is the opposite of addiction.
Sometimes you'll have little energy or enthusiasm for anything. Understand this and don't over book your life. Give yourself permission to focus on your recovery.
Post-acute withdrawal can be a trigger for relapse. You'll go for weeks without any withdrawal symptoms, and then one day you'll wake up and your withdrawal will hit you like a ton of bricks. You'll have slept badly. You'll be in a bad mood. Your energy will be low. And if you're not prepared for it, if you think that post-acute withdrawal only lasts for a few months, or if you think that you'll be different and it won't be as bad for you, then you'll get caught off guard. If you know what to expect you can do this.
Remember, every relapse, no matter how small undoes the gains your brain has made during recovery. Without abstinence everything will fall apart. With abstinence everything is possible.

[Ballyally32]

Hi I'm new to this so bear with my questions. I have now been addicted to oxycodone for two years now, doing them in the most addictive way you possibly can (won't go into detail) and I am just now getting sober. I have gone through one week of withdrawal so far cold turkey but the detox became too intense so I got 10 suboxone to last me until I run out. Once I run out I'll be done with everything and it will be out of my reach completely which helps...my questions are...how will I really know the difference between PAWS and my normal moody and depressed self. Before I became and addict I suffered from severe anxiety on and off and depression. Mood swings and for years before I started the drug I always had this sort of numb feeling. I want to say that I started feeling emotionless around age 17 and it lasted until age 21 when I started using. During that period I was already having all of the symptoms that come with PAWS....when I started doing the drug it made me happy but only temporarily of course, eventually my entire life spiraled out of control. I still sometime feel very anxious and moody and have random moment so numbness and depression right now but for the majority of the time I'm pretty happy. I'm happy because I'm starting a whole new life and I have a lot to look forward to with getting clean. I'm terrified however to experience PAWS and I am scared that I won't know the difference between PAWS and my old numb depressing self... I don't want to think that I just turned into the depressed person I used to be again because in afraid I'll turn to drugs to try and fix myself like last time....my question is...how do you know the difference if you were already clinically depressed/ stressed/ clumsy and uncoordinated before you were even an addict?

[duckandcover]

Well one thing that definately helps me get through (and I believe shorten) the negative effects of PAWS has been excercise and just plain old staying busy.  As long as I can keep my brain active (on work, hobbies or even a good book) the effects might still be there but I'm not really paying attention to them.

I realize that this sounds easier than it really is,  A week ago the anxiety built up to the point that I was afraid to excercise too strenously but I forced myself to do it anyway.  Well it really helped.  Probably just forcing the natural endorphins to kick in but so what.  The improvment was real and I functioned a lot better afterwards.

I think the importance of making yourself get off your duff and doing something is waaaaay underappreciated in the later stages of recovery.

2 cents..

2 cents..

[worried878]

sure thing....lol

[GoingToMakeIt]

When you figure it out, let us all know.

[worried878]

I often too have wondered about whether I may be blaming too much on the pills...I do think I am more tired tho than I was before I started using...was tired alot then too tho...one reason I used...was depressed at times too...another reason I used cuz it made it go away...like quick!..I do see the physical reasons tho that would account for having more of the depression and fatigue after relying on the pills for these things...the body is a fine turned machine...when it is getting endorphins from an outside source, it will eventually produce less and then you put yourself into endorphin shock when u quit the outside endorphins/the pills...makes sense the brain needs time for repair....I do know that some of it is getting used to feelings and feeling the stuff others have to feel every day...things I decided I did not want to feel anymore/like depression/fatigue..so maybe it is a mixture?   Right now I cycle...bad day yesterday and a good day today...I then try to figure out anything i did differently on the good day so I can keep doing it!...

[GoingToMakeIt]

mawmaw and papaws I am LMAO. I had to show my wife this.

I think I am going through MEN oh Pause!

[Mawmaw3]

"I guess I had PAPAWS"   Oh my gosh, I don't remember the last time  anything made me laugh as hard as I did when I read that!! ROFL   If you guys can hold on to your sense of humor while you are getting clean, you can do this!!  I love and pray for every last one of you!!

mawmaw (no kin to Papaw...LOL)

[flmagi]

Ok, Thank you Goingtomakeit, thats all I wanted to know.  WOW, thought I was going nuts there for a minute.
I will reread PAWS stuff. I know after I went cold turkey in Oct. and stayed clean for 2 months, I did go into a bad depression. Thats why I relapsed. THAT was PAWS.

[GoingToMakeIt]

Oh no, that's why I said acute. It is when things are way bad. LOL

[Victoria925]

I'm sorry - I'm new to this forum and I read duckandcover thinking it was you.  I didn't mean to offend you.

[flmagi]

Why do you think I have panic attacks?  LOL I am so far from the panic attack type person.
So, what your trying to tell me is that normal people NEVER EVER have a sleepless night?
Normal people NEVER EVER are in a bad mood or tired?
Before pills I would have a sleepless night maybe 6 times a year. Is that excessive?
Bad mood... not to often, but it would happen.
I've had 1 real panic attack before pills, prior to a surgery.  Is that excessive? Do I need to go on pills for that?

[GoingToMakeIt]

I say yes to normal people having bad days. PAWS is just that..Acute. How do you tell the difference? How would I know? LOL I didn't write the book.
   Seriously, magi (& all) have you read the PAWS in the Health Pages? When I hit 60 days I got hit with depression like a brick. Yes I have had depression but this was different. Almost suicidal and I totally lost all hope and motivation. That's when I reread PAWS.

[Victoria925]

I was diagnosed with panic attacks 11 years ago.  I had my first panic attack 31 years ago and then they became more frequent to the point I couldn't work, so I have to go to the doc just knowing they would lock me up in the mental ward.  But the doc just smiled and diagnosed me, what a relief.  I think that was why I was an alocholic.  I quit drinking 2 years before I went to doc.  It was a great relief to put a name to it.  I think I was self medicating with alcohol.  NOW I have a neck injury and take vics and am going to QUIT.   All that to say you probably have panic attacks and just tell the doc there are non addictive meds that control that.

[flmagi]

Well, this is my question;  Don't normal everyday people, who have never been addicted to drugs or drinking have bad days?  Doesn't everyone sometimes have a hard time sleeping, ya know, once in a while?  Doesn't everyone get in a bad mood sometimes? Feel tired every now and then? Or do normal people go thru life sleeping 8 hours every single night of their life? Never, ever in a bad mood? Never tired?
Don't get me wrong here, I am in no way doubting PAWS. I know its real. I'm just wondering if I would know the difference between PAWS and normal life stuff.
I got addicted to pills because of pain, then liked the fountain of youth effect they had.

[duckandcover]

You may want to consider the possibility that you were taking the drugs to "cope" or "mask" the problems you were having.  I'm starting to suspect that my anxiety existed (at least partially) in pre-addiction and that now that I'm clean that I have to deal with it as it's own issue.  

I'm not saying that it is this way for everyone but it's something to be considered.

2 cents..

[flmagi]

LOL yeah, meno- paws and before that pms-paws

[allaboutmary]

Magi,  You had MENA PAWS. LOL

[flmagi]

Good post. LOL  But how would I know the difference in normal life cycles to PAWS?   I remember before I ever did drugs haveing days like you just described. Wakeing up and feeling no energy or motivation, bad moods and haveing nights where I couldn't sleep.  I guess I had PAPAWS  Pre addiction PAWS. So Paws won't be anything really new for me. But thanks for the info.

[GoingToMakeIt]

I just read this. I too enjoyed these words of wisdom. I always tell people to be patient. That it takes time to rebuild your body. The main thing about PAWS is being armed with the truth of what can come along as bumps in the road to recovery. It is a new way of life. Stick to the clean path and it will repay you with a good life.

[worried878]

Enjoyed and need that post..thanx

[whathefu_k]

That was an excellent post. I agree whole heartedly. Thanks for taking the time to put your thoughts into text.

[toomanytimes]

i also believe that the amino acids should be taken for a looooooooooong time...

[toomanytimes]

what a wonderful post- its just what i needed right now. Thank you so much. : )

[MizDemeanor]

TWO YEARS? OMG...wow I had no idea that I'd have to spend as much time healing my brain as I did effing it up. I swear I have some things during the past year that people talk to me about (I was THERE) and I seriously do not remember, or at least not details. I stayed so pilled up after my injury (I had a good "excuse", I couldnt walk) that I really think I have fried some parts of my brain past repair. I guess 2 years to heal is better than never healing though. Thanks to you all, I DID stop, and am not sitting here wondering how to get the next bottle of pills. THAT I do NOT miss at all.
Bleh, what a ramble......
Peace~