Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAW, 1), sobriety-based symptoms, make sobriety challenging. Research documents that in 75-95% of recovering alcoholics tested, the presence of brain dysfunction. PAW, a bio-psycho-social syndrome, evolves from by alcohol or drugs damage to an addicted person's nervous system, along with the psycho-social stress of coping with life without using drugs or alcohol. Two things contribute to the severity of PAW:
The severity of the brain dysfunction caused by the addiction and the amount of psycho-social stress experienced in recovery. (PAW, 1)
Symptoms of PAW
Inability to think clearly Memory problems
Emotional overreactions or numbness
Sleep disturbances
Physical coordination problems
Stress sensitivity
The following stabilization techniques reportedly help a person remain drug free and retain sobriety,
Stabilization
Verbalization
Ventilation
Reality testing
Problem solving and goal setting
Backtracking (PAW, 7)
Managing PAWS
The following components contribute to managing PAWS:
Stabilization
Education and retraining
Self-protective behavior
Nutrition
Relaxation
Spirituality
Balanced living (PAW, 8)
Relapse
Relapse, reportedly the end result of an unconscious, albeit, progressive, sequence of warning signals "is not a single event (i.e. returning to abuse), rather it is a process," according to Gorski and Miller. The following list depicts numerous symptoms which may lead to a relapse: or what the 12 Step programs commonly call "stinking thinking."
Exhaustion person may permit him/her self to become overly tired and/or not care for his/her health. "Good health and enough rest are essential to recovery." (Crews)
Dishonesty -- a pattern of unnecessary "little" [?] lies and deceits initiate this pattern. Lies to oneself, rationalizing, creating excuses for doing what one knows he/she should not do follows.
Impatience
Argumentativeness.
Depression: Not dealing with negative feelings may lead to depression.
Frustration
Self-Pity
Cockiness
Complacency:
One needs to resolve...
"More relapses occur when things are going well than when things are going badly." (Crews)
Expecting Too Much From Other People
Letting Up on Disciplines: "Prayer, meditation, daily inventory..." (Crews)
Use of Mood Altering Chemicals
Wanting Too Much
Forgetting Gratitude: One needs to make a point to remember where he/she started how his/her life improved when clean/sober.
It Can't Happen to Me": Dangerous perception. Omnipotence: A combination of numerous above components contribute to this feeling when one perceives he/she possesses all the answers, for him/her self and others. Unless radical change occurs during this time, relapse will likely occur.
Crews)
Relapse costs a recovering addict more than he/she would ever want to pay. Recovery, on the other hand, which comes with change, takes time, and even though as Hooker notes at this start of this paper, may be inconvenient, is an investment in/for life.
Bibliography
Begley, Sharon. "How it All Starts Inside Your Brain: Science: New research on how cocaine, heroin, alcohol and amphetamines target neuronal circuits is revealing the biological basis of addiction, tolerance, withdrawal and relapse." Newsweek, February 12, 2001.
July 2008 http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-71120292.html?.
The Columbia World of Quotations. (1996). New York: Columbia University Press.
July 2008 http://www.bartleby.com/66/28/28828.html.
Crews, Charles W. Modified from "A Look at Relapse"
Nordqvist, Christian. "French ban on Red Bull (drink) upheld by European Court," 08 Feb 2004. Medical News Today. 8 July 2008 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/5753.php.
PAW
Shaffer, Howard J. Ph.D., C.A.S. "What is Addiction?: A Perspective." Harvard Medical School
Division on Addictions. July 03, 2007, last update. 8 July 2008 http://www.divisiononaddictions.org/html/whatisaddiction.htm.
Shepherd, Ken. Business & Media Institute, 23, Nov. 2005. "A Load of Red Bull - New York Times hits energy drink makers as profiting from 'addiction.'" 8 July 2008 http://www.businessandmedia.org/news/2005/news20051123b.asp.
Stages of Change." (N.d.) 8 July 2008 http://www.uri.edu/research/cprc/TTM/StagesOfChange.htm.
