Hey guys, I am going to PAWS and I really feel like shit with occasional leg and feet pain. I am always down in the dumps at work. Is there any way to cheer yourself up or is there anything that can make me feel little better? I feel like I have no emotions left in me. Feels like shithouse all the time
Thanks for reading guys
First off in answering this, I'm afraid I have to admit I get a rash whenever I hear somebody talk about so-called PAWS. (fuck, even the acronym just sounds ridiculous.)
They also use this meaningless term to describe the emotional state of ex-drinkers who feel serially self - deprived in abstinence (because they never managed to fundamentally change their relationship to alcohol, or the belief in the wonderful things that alcohol could do for them), where it basically amounts to nothing more than
'I feel cranky and pissed off and miserable because I cannot drink.'
Oh yeah mate.... that'll be PAWS. Some fictional everlasting metabolite of alcohol is still stored somewhere in your fatty tissues etc etc.
I've read any amount of unscientific nonsense on this subject.
OK, strictly speaking, the physiological process of ACTUAL wd begins once the accustomed level of the drug starts dropping, and ends once the drug is entirely eliminated from your system.
Whatever happens AFTER that, is your system re-adjusting.
With opiates depression is extremely common following full physical withdrawal, because you have been artificially over - saturating your receptors all this time. Your brain therefore now makes less dopamine than it would in its normal state. It takes several months at minimum, and often up to a year and a half, to re - set back to normal dopamine production. (Same goes for heavy stimulant users.)
During this period, a prescription of an anti - depressant, anxiolytic or medicinal use of cannabis has helped some people. Otherwise you'll just have to wait it out; but the thing you're experiencing right now is entirely predictable.
.. You do not suffer from some mysterious special 'syndrome'. You're suffering the effects of dopamine depletion, which will eventually correct itself. I had to contend with the exact same when I made the decision to leave physically dependent heroin use behind.
I went through a prolonged period of horribly depressed and listless / flat feelings. Trust me this WILL get better if you stick it out, but you might well consider some medication along the way.
All the best to your efforts. Just please don't make this shit more daunting and complicated for yourself than it needs to be.