There is a reason why you struggle to relinquish unhealthy habits

 

Whether you are giving up alcohol, drugs or sugar – this is one of the biggest challenges to overcome.

 

It might feel as if you are going crazy – one minute you are fine and feeling light-hearted and calm, but a minute later you feel queasy and anxious, and you might face difficulties managing your mood swings, irritability and fatigue, and be experiencing vivid dreams.

You might feel that you can’t think straight, or notice that your memory and concentration have been affected. People often experience these and other symptoms within the first month of giving up their old addictive habits (some of them even report the symptoms for up to two years afterwards). Don’t worry: you are not going crazy and these symptoms are only temporary. Experiencing these psychological, emotional and physical symptoms is known as Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS), which means that you are going through a phase of readjusting to your new lifestyle.

In the late 1980s T.Gorsky considered the issue of PAWS in his work on relapse prevention, with an initial focus on alcoholism and cocaine addiction. This approach received a lot of attention, although not all scientists agree on the robustness of the theory. However, what is important for us to know is that we are at risk of a lapse or relapse when we experience several physiological, psychological and emotional symptoms that make it difficult for us to keep abstaining.

Some of the reported PAWS symptoms are:

• Tiredness
• Feeling spaced out
• Memory and concentration might be affected
• Clumsiness
• Irritability
• Headaches
• Mood swings
• Disturbed sleep
• Vivid dreams or nightmares.

 

Some people report that it is almost unbearable for them to deal with this rollercoaster and so the temptation to go back to old ways is extremely strong. Often lapses occur during this period, especially if there is no plan for how to deal with the symptoms.

We need to be prepared to manage the symptoms of PAWS because if we are not prepared then the temptation to follow old, unwelcome patterns could be overwhelming. You need to deal with these symptoms well:

 

1. Manage your negative emotional states

You must recognise and acknowledge changes in your mood, increased irritability and sudden anger. This is not a free pass to lash out at people, but a way to cope with your mood swings and negative emotional states. You need to ensure that you decrease your stress or manage it well, and that you don’t begin major projects (renovations at home or starting a new job) while you are going through an adjustment period. Learn how to relax, start exercising and try to do something that is fun and enjoyable. Learn to engage in activities that are incompatible with the old addictions. For example, if you want to give up smoking then you can go to the local pool for a swim (you really can’t swim and smoke at the same time).

 

2. Prioritise new habits

You should make new habits a priority for the first couple of months. Focus on new behaviours and learning to support them better, rather than reminiscing about your old ones. Consider what this might require, such as staying away from people who enable your old behaviours. People might seem to understand your struggle and tell you that everything will be okay, but they might also be telling you that just one glass of wine is not a big deal. Certainly a glass of wine may be occasional or ‘once in a blue moon’ but be honest if you struggle with drinking. Is it binge drinking or a dependency on alcohol, where every night as soon as you come home you open a bottle of Shiraz ‘to relax’? You simply can’t do it.

So, recognise enablers and surround yourself with people who can help you to get through this period by trying out new things rather than leaning on your old habits. Yes, headaches, mood swings, flu-like symptoms and irritability are hard to handle, but you don’t cure them by going back to drinking.

 

3. Plan to succeed

You need to ensure that you are planning to succeed in your recovery. When you plan how to manage your triggers and vulnerabilities ensure that you are planning for all contingencies. For example, if you have a problem with gambling you might be at risk when you are bored, when you are stressed, when you feel especially happy, or when you have just had a win. While gambling you can’t simply rely on your willpower because your old habits can be very strong. Plan to catch up with friends in places where there are no poker machines. Learn to celebrate and enhance your mood in other ways that do not require spending money. Instead of dwelling on how restricted you feel by not gambling, focus on what you gain when you don?t gamble.

So the solution might not be simple, and there might not be a magic pill, but if you prepare well, and learn to deal with some of the symptoms that might be present during the post acute period, you will succeed.

PS: You definitely don’t have to deal with it on your own: you can see your GP, Nutritionist, Therapist or Psychologist.

Medical and Allied Health Professionals are there to help you to succeed in your endeavours. Plan to succeed by dealing with the symptoms of withdrawal and continuously looking for new (healthy ways) to live your life.