(Squirrel) P.A.W.S…

“Don’t blame me – I’m just a cute baby squirrel!”

As I’ve been doing some reading on-line, I came across some information about people (and squirrels) who relapse in the time-period I did, between three and six months.  What often happens is a result of what is known as PAWS, or Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome.  We’re not talking cute little squirrel paws here, like my friend above.  For me, it was acute cravings that wouldn’t go away for very long.

What is happening in our brains, whether squirrel or human, is that the brain chemistry that we had been modifying by using nuts tries to return to normal once usage stops.  It can take around six months for your brain chemistry to become fully normalized.  Once you get past the first, severe feelings of withdraw (the acute part), then you are left with this second, less acute but no less dangerous, feeling of withdrawal.

I suppose my mistake, besides not knowing about PAWS, was thinking that after I’d made it a few months the worst was over and the battle was won.  I didn’t know about the secondary battle; but now I do.  I’m going to use this new information to help me past 6 months this time, and hopefully for good, a life without nuts! =)

P. Squirrel out!