What the hell is a dry drunk?????
Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 2,126
I 'gotta agtree with Peter, Zencat, and some others.....the term 'dry drunk' is usually used by folks when looking at others and deciding whether those others are sober, or in recovery/recovering/recovered, or just abstinent, or living a wholesome life, or or or or.....
I'm sort of in the camp of Patty O. (a great AA circuit speaker, and if you haven't heard her, check her out.....she spoke at Founder's Day 2005 and there's a three-disk set of her 'These are the Steps We took'..... Patty O. likes to say that there's no such thing as a dry drunk; a person is either sober or they're not, and if they're not drinking; they're sober.....
My feelings are that I don't get to define alcoholic, sober, recovery, wholesome life, or anything else for anybody except me; I don't get ao assume that if a person is just abstinent/just not drinking that they're white knuckling it or that they're still obsessing about alcohol, or that they're unhappy, or they're sick.....and that goes for everybody.....We only get to talk about ourselves.....if a person is happy, who am I do throw derogatory terms in their face..... )o:
Oftentimes in the past, and sometimes even to this day I've been called 'not sober' cause I wasn't living up to someone's expectations of a sober life. The phrase I liked most that was thrown at me was: "She's just a relapse waiting to happen." Unfortunately, most (actually all that I remember) of those folks did relapse, and, again, unfortunately, most died 'out there.' .....and me? I'll be celebrating 21 years clean/sober (I know, a redundancy.....lol) next month..... (o:
I try not to put folks into categories (either positive or negaive); if they're happy (again, they're decision, not mine), goodonthem; but if they're unhappy and ask for help I'm more than eager with suggestions..... (o:
NoelleR
DOS: 6/23/86
I'm sort of in the camp of Patty O. (a great AA circuit speaker, and if you haven't heard her, check her out.....she spoke at Founder's Day 2005 and there's a three-disk set of her 'These are the Steps We took'..... Patty O. likes to say that there's no such thing as a dry drunk; a person is either sober or they're not, and if they're not drinking; they're sober.....
My feelings are that I don't get to define alcoholic, sober, recovery, wholesome life, or anything else for anybody except me; I don't get ao assume that if a person is just abstinent/just not drinking that they're white knuckling it or that they're still obsessing about alcohol, or that they're unhappy, or they're sick.....and that goes for everybody.....We only get to talk about ourselves.....if a person is happy, who am I do throw derogatory terms in their face..... )o:
Oftentimes in the past, and sometimes even to this day I've been called 'not sober' cause I wasn't living up to someone's expectations of a sober life. The phrase I liked most that was thrown at me was: "She's just a relapse waiting to happen." Unfortunately, most (actually all that I remember) of those folks did relapse, and, again, unfortunately, most died 'out there.' .....and me? I'll be celebrating 21 years clean/sober (I know, a redundancy.....lol) next month..... (o:
I try not to put folks into categories (either positive or negaive); if they're happy (again, they're decision, not mine), goodonthem; but if they're unhappy and ask for help I'm more than eager with suggestions..... (o:
NoelleR
DOS: 6/23/86
Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Virginia
Posts: 111
Originally Posted by Peter 
I do not subscribe to the "dry drunk" philosophy simply because recovery is not a "measurable commodity".
I know what the expression means but we all do not recover at the same pace or time...... or even in the same manner.
Just because someone has stopped drinking and may be having a difficult time of it does not make him a "dry drunk".The term is a negatory one and I refrain from using it.
I know what the expression means but we all do not recover at the same pace or time...... or even in the same manner.
Just because someone has stopped drinking and may be having a difficult time of it does not make him a "dry drunk".The term is a negatory one and I refrain from using it.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: anomaly
Posts: 2,180
Most people term it as sober poeple still being a-holes.
But sometimes it is miss leading.
Sometimes it's just people going thru growning pains.
A dry drunk is a reminder that's it's still un-curable.
Just like having an alergy is it always there and sometimes
it's growning and didn't actaully go into remission or is still progessing
inside of me. I can feel it no matter how sober I've been.
I still get a rash of insanity even when I'm sober and feel like
I'm sick or dizzy even if i don't drink or use. The only differents
is by not actaully using..it passes... instead of me getting on a
runaway train wreack.
It is actaully more dangerous for me to relapsed today than
when i was younger. This how it's affecting me and i'm exaclly
sure how everyone body chemistry are.
For me..that's why it's always a continouse growth.
I still have to out grow the disease no matter what.
For me ...that why the spritual aspect of the program is very important.
I need to follow my heart and not my head sometimes.
becuase if i start judging myself too hard when these dry drunk episode
hits. I think I'm not doing right or recovery is not working and actaully go out and drink again.
yes, it's that cunning, baffling and powerful.
But sometimes it is miss leading.
Sometimes it's just people going thru growning pains.
A dry drunk is a reminder that's it's still un-curable.
Just like having an alergy is it always there and sometimes
it's growning and didn't actaully go into remission or is still progessing
inside of me. I can feel it no matter how sober I've been.
I still get a rash of insanity even when I'm sober and feel like
I'm sick or dizzy even if i don't drink or use. The only differents
is by not actaully using..it passes... instead of me getting on a
runaway train wreack.
It is actaully more dangerous for me to relapsed today than
when i was younger. This how it's affecting me and i'm exaclly
sure how everyone body chemistry are.
For me..that's why it's always a continouse growth.
I still have to out grow the disease no matter what.
For me ...that why the spritual aspect of the program is very important.
I need to follow my heart and not my head sometimes.
becuase if i start judging myself too hard when these dry drunk episode
hits. I think I'm not doing right or recovery is not working and actaully go out and drink again.
yes, it's that cunning, baffling and powerful.
not a greeter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: padmasana
Posts: 13,927
Who/ where did the term dry drunk originate? Does anyone know? I do know the various interpretations and definitions... just wondering who made it up in the first place. Too tired to google. Thanks!
Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Cumming, Ga
Posts: 665
labeling? good grief. I don't recall anyone telling me I was a dry drunk before or after I became a wet drunk again. I is a condition I have given myself when I'm in that mode. Another term used that I haven't heard in awhile is "relapse behavior" or "relapse thinking". Would that be considered labeling? I think it simply describes the condition. And the fact is, only I can determine that just as I determined I was an alcoholic. Oops, another label. If I hadn't been able to get real honest about what was going on when I was on my dry drunk, I'd still be flat out miserable, hating life and everyone around me. Attempting to recover from this disease is one thing, just not drinking is another. I have experienced it and know there is a difference.
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
http://www.doubletongued.org/index.p...ary/dry_drunk/
Check this out, any one else who thinks that AA is the inventor of the "Dry Drunk" There is a reference in this to a newspaper article dated 1891!!!! That is just a few years before AA was even thought about!
http://www.kenpeterscenter.com/dry.htm
http://www.squidoo.com/DryDrunk/
From the above links it sure looks as though "Dry Drunk" is not strictly limited to AA. Here is what the Ken Peters Center says about it:
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/...ract/112/6/460
Notice even The American Psychiatric Association recognized "THE PSYCHODYNAMICS OF THE "DRY DRUNK" " back in 1955
Funny thing they said even back then that one of the best ways for a dry drunk to gain recovery was in AA.
Check this out, any one else who thinks that AA is the inventor of the "Dry Drunk" There is a reference in this to a newspaper article dated 1891!!!! That is just a few years before AA was even thought about!
http://www.kenpeterscenter.com/dry.htm
http://www.squidoo.com/DryDrunk/
From the above links it sure looks as though "Dry Drunk" is not strictly limited to AA. Here is what the Ken Peters Center says about it:
WHAT'S A "DRY DRUNK"?
"Dry drunk" is a term describing the state of the alcoholic who is uncomfortable when he is not drinking. "Dry" simply refers to the fact that there is abstinence, while "drunk" signifies a deeply pathological condition resulting from the use of alcohol in the past.
The "dry drunk syndrome" is a group of symptoms that occur together and constitute an abnormality. Since the abnormality of the alcoholic's attitudes and behavior during his drinking career is generally recognized, the persistence of these traits after the alcoholic stops drinking might seem equally abnormal. Therefore, the term "dry-drunk" alludes to the absence of favorable change in the attitudes and behavior of the alcoholic who is not drinking.
"Dry Drunk" Traits:
Grandiose behavior
Pomposity
Exaggerated self-importance
A rigidly judgmental outlook
Impatience
Childish behavior
Irresponsible behavior
Irrational rationalization
Projection
Overreaction
"Dry drunk" is a term describing the state of the alcoholic who is uncomfortable when he is not drinking. "Dry" simply refers to the fact that there is abstinence, while "drunk" signifies a deeply pathological condition resulting from the use of alcohol in the past.
The "dry drunk syndrome" is a group of symptoms that occur together and constitute an abnormality. Since the abnormality of the alcoholic's attitudes and behavior during his drinking career is generally recognized, the persistence of these traits after the alcoholic stops drinking might seem equally abnormal. Therefore, the term "dry-drunk" alludes to the absence of favorable change in the attitudes and behavior of the alcoholic who is not drinking.
"Dry Drunk" Traits:
Grandiose behavior
Pomposity
Exaggerated self-importance
A rigidly judgmental outlook
Impatience
Childish behavior
Irresponsible behavior
Irrational rationalization
Projection
Overreaction
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/...ract/112/6/460
Notice even The American Psychiatric Association recognized "THE PSYCHODYNAMICS OF THE "DRY DRUNK" " back in 1955
Funny thing they said even back then that one of the best ways for a dry drunk to gain recovery was in AA.
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