Overcoming Dry Drunk Syndrome or PAWS

There are also a few steps you can take on your own to start enjoying your new sober life as you work toward lasting recovery. They may seem simple and unsurprising, but they do work for many people. Emotionally, a person dealing with PAWS may have mood swings and become depressed, making them tough to be around—maybe even as unpleasant as they might have been when they were drinking. Alcohol used to provide temporary relief from such feelings, but you can’t rely on that anymore.

• For many patients in recovery, drinking was a way of coping with the stresses in their lives.
• According to the Semel Institute, about 75% of all people who struggle with alcohol abuse will develop some form of post-acute withdrawal symptoms.
• Lastly, addressing dry drunk syndrome requires a combination of physical, emotional, and behavioral therapies to address the causes of addiction and cultivate healthy habits and coping mechanisms.
• Learning not to react impulsively to negative thoughts and feelings is an integral lesson of behavioral therapy.
• Take our free, 5-minute substance abuse self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with substance abuse or relapse.

What Is Dry Drunk Syndrome?

Outside of therapy, don’t forget to take care of yourself and your needs. Make sure you’re prioritizing your own self-care throughout their recovery process. You might want to participate in treatment with your loved one whenever possible, but it’s also wise to talk to a therapist on your own. This is especially the case if specific behaviors or mood symptoms affect your day-to-day life. Spending time with your loved one, especially on activities you both enjoy, may help them feel more positive and optimistic about life in general. Maybe they slipped up and had a drink after several months of sobriety.

Difficulty Concentrating

These symptoms can include mood swings, anxiety, and irritability, which may resemble those of dry drunk syndrome (a side effect of PAWS) and can complicate recovery efforts. Someone who’s not yet worked through these issues can be easily irritated or fast to get angry. They may become defensive and justify themselves quickly, and they may appear disengaged or like they lack motivation. Recovery from an alcohol use disorder means more than quitting alcohol. Even after you no longer crave alcohol, you need to deal with the psychological and behavioral issues that contributed to your addiction in order to prevent relapse. The dry alcoholic syndrome can be avoided by treating the core issues of alcoholism.

Dry Dry Drunk Symptoms include:

Be aware of and on the lookout for the symptoms that indicate slipping back into old ways of thinking. If one hasn’t undergone behavioral therapy or counseling that targets drug addiction people who abused alcohol, it is advised to enroll in such a program. It is generally admitted that alcohol abuse causes persistent structural brain changes, which are in the very definition of PAWS. The brain changes may affect various manifestations of this abstinence disorder and precipitate the onset of numerous mental health issues. Often a person who has PAWS or dry drunk syndrome hasn’t made behavioral or emotional changes or has started to regress to old ways of thinking.

Prioritize your health and wellness by getting the specialized care and attention you need and deserve. Untreated dry drunk syndrome can lead to a range of negative consequences, including emotional instability, relationship difficulties, increased risk of relapse, and challenges in maintaining sobriety. Individuals may also experience persistent cravings, unresolved psychological issues, and difficulty adjusting to a sober lifestyle, hindering their overall well-being and recovery progress. Learning the symptoms of the dry drunk syndrome and a few strategies to cope better can help you or someone you love to move past this stumbling block toward lasting recovery. Relapse can begin weeks or even months before someone drinks or uses drugs again.

What are the Signs of Substance Withdrawal?

AddictionResource aims to present the most accurate, trustworthy, and up-to-date medical content to our readers. Our team does their best for our readers to help them stay informed about vital healthcare decisions. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ People should not attempt to alleviate their symptoms of PAWS by self-medicating. Always consult a medical professional first to get the right treatment advice.

How To Help Your Loved One With Dry Drunk Syndrome

An editorial policy helps us ensure that any material our writing and clinical team create, both online and in print, meets or exceeds our standards of integrity and accuracy. You can’t be of much help to your loved one if you’re burned out and neglecting your own needs. Show support by asking about new skills they learn or milestones they reach, like creating a fancy dish or participating in a 5K. If you don’t enjoy or participate in the same types of activities or hobbies, you can still encourage them to seek out things they enjoy or find new interests. Even if they direct these emotions toward themselves, their emotional state can affect yours.

Strategies to Manage Triggers

• This part of recovery is pretty common, even if people don’t recognize it as such or talk about it much.
• Talking to loved ones about what you’re experiencing and sharing as much as you feel comfortable with can help them understand your distress.
• It is generally admitted that alcohol abuse causes persistent structural brain changes, which are in the very definition of PAWS.
• They may also be able to prescribe medications, such as acamprosate (Campral), to help with the symptoms.

If a person does relapse, they should remember that relapse can be a normal part of recovery. A person in recovery should also try to focus on the progress that they have made so far. Relapse is something to regard as dry drunk syndrome a temporary setback rather than a failure. PAWS is a series of psychological and mood-related symptoms that can occur after a person stops taking a substance. Alcohol addiction is a disease, but that doesn’t excuse abusive behavior. If your loved one behaves in toxic or aggressive ways, it’s best to talk this over with a therapist and develop a plan to keep yourself safe.

The Role of Therapy and Support Groups

Nova Recovery Center tailors individualized treatment which includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Our qualified staff dedicates themselves to a healthy and safe environment that fosters growth and lasting recovery. We have drug rehab facilities conveniently located in Wimberley, Houston, and Austin Texas. If you or someone you know are struggling with addiction and looking for options in treatment, Nova Recovery Center can provide support.