By providing a stable and understanding support system, loved ones can play a crucial role in helping individuals navigate the challenges of PAWS and maintain their recovery. Individuals in recovery who understand the symptoms and timeline of PAWS are better equipped to stay committed to their recovery journey. Knowing that symptoms like mood swings, insomnia, and anxiety are a normal part of the recovery process can prevent feelings of discouragement or thoughts of relapse. When individuals recognize these challenges as temporary and expected, they are more likely to push through difficult periods and maintain their sobriety.
Conversely, people with heavy alcohol use for decades almost always experience PAWS. Recurrence of more intense symptoms is also possible during the first 1-2 years in recovery when going through major life stresses. Gillian Tietz is the host of the Sober Powered podcast and recently left her career as a biochemist to create Sober Powered Media, LLC.
Importance of understanding the PAWS timeline
Self-care is a crucial aspect of the recovery process for individuals experiencing post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS). While professional treatment plays a significant role in managing PAWS, incorporating self-care practices into daily life can greatly enhance the healing process and improve overall wellbeing. For example, if a patient is struggling with insomnia during PAWS, a healthcare provider may recommend cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) as part of their treatment plan.
After this period, you’ll start to feel acute withdrawal symptoms almost immediately. To our knowledge, this is the first scoping review to explore the treatment of PAWS, which ASAM defines as a syndrome with persistent, subacute symptoms of irritability, anxiety, and sleep disturbance (ASAM, 2020). There currently is a lack of controlled trials for nonpharmacological therapies for PAWS, so these cannot be recommended. The strength of evidence overall for pharmacologic treatments is low, with often only short-term results being reported, small treatment samples used, or inconsistent results found. However, for PAWS negative affect and sleep symptoms, more evidence supports using the gabapentinoids (gabapentin and pregabalin) and the anticonvulsants (carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine).
Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS): What Is PAWS?
Coping skills and a strong support system are crucial during this extended recovery phase. After the initial crash of detox, many experience lingering withdrawal – the Rolling Stones’ “Monkey on My Back.” Symptoms like depression, anxiety and brain fog haunt weeks or months after abstinence. Are you currently experiencing PAWS symptoms, or do you know someone who is?
Data collection process and data items
- People may forget appointments, struggle to recall information, or have difficulty retaining new knowledge.
- No one expects you to recover from an alcohol use disorder alone—nor should you.
- PAWS is a dangerous withdrawal period with a high potential to cause relapse.
- This “post-acute withdrawal syndrome” reflects addiction’s deep ruts worn in the brain, needing time to reroute around craving’s whirlpools.
One of the significant challenges individuals may face after detox is Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS). Understanding PAWS is essential for anyone looking to navigate the early recovery process successfully. This blog post will explore what PAWS is, its common symptoms, and how to manage these symptoms effectively.
The available research suggests that some symptoms of opioid-related PAWS can last for weeks, and in some cases, 6 to 9 months after last use. This, as well as impulse control disorders, can last up to 4 weeks after discontinuing use. The above-mentioned review states that there’s a lack of research on PAWS from benzodiazepines, but that it can persist for 6 to 12 months — in some cases, even years after stopping benzodiazepine use. A 2020 study looked at experiences of PAWS after stopping antidepressants based on self-reported symptoms on an internet forum. These experiences were recorded 5 to 13 years after stopping antidepressants.
Recovery Coaching
When she quit drinking in 2019, she dedicated herself to learning about alcohol’s influence on the brain How does alcohol affect blood pressure and how it can cause addiction. Today, she educates and empowers others to assess their relationship with alcohol. Gill is the owner of the Sober Powered Media Podcast Network, which is the first network of top sober podcasts. Engaging in enjoyable activities is an essential aspect of self-care during PAWS recovery. These activities can help boost self-esteem, provide a sense of accomplishment, and create positive experiences that replace the role substance use once played in an individual’s life. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors.