Disclaimer: This is not my writing but it is interesting and as an Alcoholic I can identify with it.
Larry, -------------------
The Dry Drunk Syndrome
A "dry-drunk" is a person who was physically dependent on alcohol, or addicted to alcohol, but now, for one reason or another, they are no longer drinking. But in their case, they never properly addressed the "root issues" of their problem. So even though the dry drunk is no longer drinking, the dry drunk will tend to display most of the character traits of the alcoholic that we listed here. The only other trait you could add is that they're also extremely bitter that they can no longer drink. Many "dry drunks" are the result of people who have quit drinking on their own, without going through any type of treatment to understand why they drank. (Note: There are tons of people like this - a huge percentage of people stop drinking on their own without the use of an alcohol treatment program.)
If you'd like to see how a dry drunk acts, attend a few "open" meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous, because you're bound to see a few. Just look for someone who appears to be totally miserable and is incredibly negative. That's your dry drunk. On more than one occasion we've heard someone remark about someone else at an AA meeting and wonder if they wouldn't be better off if they were still drinking!
yeeks.... that is when I was at my WORST with character defects, not drunk but with NO program. At least while I was intoxicated, I was not interacting or "thinking" as much (although I was on train going 200mph headed straight for a brick wall with no brakes)... but dry drunk (or even the "day after" a bender) opens up all kinds of avenues for self pity, anger, self-righteousness and PINING over alcohol.... ew, no thank you. What a terrible place to be at. There may be some on this board or who are just reading who have not become ready to take the steps to get away from this... I know I wasn't for a time.... being on the other side of the first few steps is a much better place to be. Dive in! You are WORTH the happiness!
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~Your Higher Power has not given you a longing to do that which you have no ability to do.
This description is a bit lacking, and I disagree with the statement "a huge percentage of alcoholics quit drinking on their own". For every one person, that I've met outside of meetings, that quit on their own, I've met 20 friends of Bill W's. And as far as the reference to "dry drunks" that you might see in an open meeting, isn't this the taking of other's inventory?
I was a dry drunk for several months when I first came into the program. I was more miserable dry then when I was drinking, at least I passed out when I was drunk and got some relief. The only things I did right is I didn't drink and I attended meetings. When I finally got a sponsor he told that UPS or the mailman wouldn't deliver a better life to me I had to get off my butt and go get it myself by working the steps, this is after all a program of action without action the steps are just meaningless words. When I did this I changed from dry to sober and my life changed dramatically.
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Tell me and I'll forget. Teach me and I'll remember. Involve me and I'll learn.
This description is a bit lacking, and I disagree with the statement "a huge percentage of alcoholics quit drinking on their own". For every one person, that I've met outside of meetings, that quit on their own, I've met 20 friends of Bill W's. And as far as the reference to "dry drunks" that you might see in an open meeting, isn't this the taking of other's inventory?
Dean I agree with you.
What I think the author ment was when he said "a huge percentage of alcoholics quit drinking on their own" is the quitting that we alcoholics do prior to AA do for temporary periods of time. During my active alcoholism I used to say for instance that stopping drinking was easy I have done it a thousand times. However in the periods when I was not drinking I was a miserable person.
The reference to "dry drunks" that you might see in an open meeting, is taking anothers inventory? But the author was writing this to a Non Alcoholic audience. Normies of course have no idea what "taking anothers inventory" is.
Larry, ------------------- Active alcoholics don't have relationships; they take hostages
I don't see taking another's inventory as always wrong.
I need to sometimes take another's inventory for instance if I am looking for a sponsor or if I wish to emulate those who have the kind of sobriety I want.
I feel the ability to discern (which does involve me taking an inventory of a person in my mind) is a necessity.
As in any walk of life, some people can 'talk' a good program.
I think some people are miserable sober or drunk. Look around your workplace----is everybody as happy dappy as they can be?! So as far as the dry drunk goes, maybe he/she is just one of those miserable people!! At least they got the dry part of their life right!! By the by----I am pretty happy dappy!! Peace, love & health......
I can recognize myself getting that way now and I step things up accordingly. I hate being hateful and hate that I get that way when not working the program....hate hate hate...then I work the program and I feel bettter. Funny how that works.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
