(taken from reddit) One thing I learned in my partial hospitalization program is that people who have abused alcohol can suffer from what is known as Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome, and that it can last up to two years after you stop drinking. It has to do with our brains trying to heal from the neurotransmitter dance party we put ourselves through. So on TOP of trying to figure out how to live our lives sober, we may experience some of the following symptoms for UP TO TWO YEARS! Hostility or aggression Anxiety, panic, or fear Irritability and mood swings Depression Exhaustion or fatigue Inability to sleep Trouble concentrating or thinking Loss of interest in sex Anhedonia, or the inability to feel pleasure Trouble with memory Sensitivity to stressful situations THIS IS NOT BAD NEWS!! If you have any of these symptoms, remember, it's your brain healing. Life is not awful and there is nothing wrong with you. It's just a reminder that you're on the right path, and that you need to take extra special care of yourself. Don't beat yourself up, you are recovering! If you are suffering from any of it, remind yourself that PAWS is real, and that, in time, it will pass. Keep fighting the good fight, I will not drink with you today! Kenny EDIT: I'm so sorry if this has been distressing news to some, let me be clear by saying that not everybody experiences these things, but if they do it's not ALL the symptoms, also, let me be clear by saying that these symptoms can come and go for up to two years, they are not usually constant. Please do a google search for it to learn more.
Im not a fan of timelines like this, "taken from reddit" doesnt exactly give this scientific or medical legitimacy, lol. These are all symptoms of recovery, and recovery is different for different people. Expect these symptoms. But locking into a mindset of "X years till Im normal" I dont think is helpful. personally, I focus on just being a better me and taking things a day at a time. Healing is a fluid process and it is by no means a race to the finish.
