Chy

I keep hearing referances to people that are termed dry drunks. What does that mean?

Chy

when I have seen it referenced it has such a negative conitation

The Jay Walker

CHY

Hi that expresion may mean different things, but here in my area it means, that a person is not drinking , but is not living on a spiritual basis, so still act as they did while drinking.

example if I stop working my program, or going to meetings for a while , my old self centered way of thinking comes back, and I will act and feel miserable like I did in my drinking days.

I don't want to go there but it's easy to do.

justaround

Yup, in other words, you are sober but putting no effort in your recovery.

If you attend AA or NA not goting to meetings, connecting with your sponsor, working your steps, and still sober, you are a dry drunk

A dry drunk is just as miserable as the user.

Teamfour

When I tried sobriety the first time a couple of years ago, I did it through willpower, not trying to be a better, more spiritual person. I was a dry drunk.

My wife's definition of a dry drunk during that period was "sober, but still an a$$hole".

This time is different because I am practicing AA, not merely going to meetings.

D_L

In my opinion, a dry drunk is someone that continues down the path of spiritual destruction but no longer has alcohol as a lubricating agent. I state that as my opinion because I do not believe that I have found an actual Webster's type definition to this phase in any of the literature I have read. Has anyone else?

I do disagree with the above opinions in one important aspect. I have met quite a few dry drunks in AA meetings and they attend meetings on a regular basis. I have also met a few with long term sobriety, 10+ years. Unfortunately one of them is a co-worker who I rely on daily for input as to the status of getting a common job accomplished.

Great thread, keep up the good work Chy.......

DeaconAA

Hi:

Not for sure, but a "dry drunk" in my opinion would have me suddenly thinking my life was completely manageable again, I would consider that my sanity had completely returned without question, I would have no need for a power greater than myself, I would believe that taking personal inventories would be unnecessary since I would seldom be wrong, and I would no longer submit myself to the embarrasment of repairing wrongs that I have done.

This kind of behavior would be chaotic, everyday living would be unrealistic, and verbal and physical behavior would be very unacceptable. I would be a pompous ass... a "bleeding deacon."

Hey..I'm gonna to a reality check..... Step 10!

Don A.
d.o.s. 11/19/70

Chy

LOL @ T4, I can relate to that one or rather my husband would!

Thanks for the input guys, various meanings and interpretations, I just know when I had heard or read the expression I didn't want to be one!

Thanks to my AA group I guess I know what I don't want to be! Your all great *hugs*


.......29 days yipee, *sings*" I'm gonna get a chip tomorrow"

Ya'll be good and behave!

MootPoint

I was a dry drunk for a month before my near fatal relapse. Went to the occasional meeting, mouthed the words, listened to none of it because I really wasn't an alcoholic. Went to the meetings to please other ppl.

One more day to your chip one more day to your chip one more day to your chip one more day to your chip........

justaround

DL, I wouldn't consider going to meetings everyday a means of justifying whether someone is a dry drunk or not. In my opinion this is important...of course they have to be ATTENDING the meeting, not just attending the meeting...sitting there but not really there. But there is much more to be done toward our effort to recovery. You mention spiritual destruction. That is why the steps must be worked EVERYDAY. You should be giving back to the community what you had taken, a service commitment. Not a service commitment like simple coffee cleanup or floorwork at a meeting but something much more. This is deffinitly spiritually enlightining for you are giving back for all the s*** you pulled while using. You are giving something to our community free of any charge. Keeping up with the big book and HP is also another part of recovery. If any of these are not being done, you just might be a dry drunk.

Peter

A "dry drunk" from my point of view is an alcoholic who has stopped drinking but continues to display symptoms of restlessness,irritability,impatience,grumpiness and continues to act out on his other character defects.

Cause: Reluctance to work The Steps and to practice Spiritual
Principles on a daily basis.

Solution:Find a sponsor and Work The Steps.

Peter.

vicki

Hello, I have to ad my two cents. From my own experiences, a person that is drinkng is "wet" with alcohol, when we get physically sober we are "dry" or "dried out'. I was dried out years ago and was miserable, scared to death , angry at everything and everybody,full of guilt and remorse, needless to say, I soon picked up a drink. I did that a few times and was completely bafled by my relationship with alcohol. If someone is on a dry drunk to me, the only thing misssing is the botle. All the defects are there and at least the person is restless, irritable and disconted. (fearful, angry, and not happy with life, people, circumstances or events). I see plenty of them in AA meetings, for fellowship, or using a meeting to puke up morbid garbage, and blaming everybody else. I have a few AA friends like that. They do some service work too, but do not or have not followed the p
ath. You may also hear "He/she is so dry, they are a fire hazard"
A simple fire won't take off if the materials are "wet" but if dry tit bursts into flames and I am referring to a fire that willk cause harm. God bless you on your journey of discovery and recoveryvicki