Post Acute Withdrawal Services for Women (PAWS)
The PAWS program, at Athena House, which is located next door to the Clearview Detox facility, offers a 6 bed residential program for women experiencing Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms.
What is Post Acute Withdrawal?
Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) is a set of impairments that occur immediately after withdrawal from alcohol and/or other substances. The condition may last from several weeks to several months months after the last use and is marked by a fluctuating but incrementally improving course. It affects the recovering person's ability to benefit from recovery, treatment, function effectively on the job, interact with family and friends, and regain emotional health.
Symptoms include:
- anxiety
- depression
- sleeplessness
- poor impulse control
- drug cravings and dreams
- difficulty in thinking clearly
- poor memory
- difficulty making healthy decisions
- difficulty in managing feelings and emotions
- difficulty with problem solving and making decisions
This program provides time for clients to physically heal and to gain the cognitive abilities required to move forward with their lives, while beginning to introduce them to the very basics of self care and recovery, and assist them re-entry into the community, with a greater likelihood of recovery maintenance.
Admission Critieria
- Clients must have completed the acute phase of detoxification
- Clients must require Post Acute Withdrawal Service
- Clients must live in Nanaimo or Ladysmith, BC
- Only referrals from Clearview Detox Centre, Nanaimo Adult Addiction
Services Counsellors or the Nanaimo Crisis Response Team will be accepted
SPECIAL NOTE: Women who are pregnant, may be referred to the PAWS Program, from all of Central and Upper Vancouver Island.
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