So I would have totally agreed with you at one time. I now see it is all how you see being sober that is the important part. I was angry and bitter at first. It becomes different after a while. It's what they call white knuckling it! You really want to drink but you aren't doing it! Dry drunk! When you don't want it or care- at least most days- you aren't a dry drunk....Or that's how I define it anyhow. I know others have more spiritual ideas! T

Dry drunk is simply a term used so you don't have to handle the situation.

It is not a dry drunk. It is simply when a stressful situation occurs in your life where you desire to avoid it as you did when you were drinking. Its tough to face difficulties when you have a pattern of escape with booze.

After years of sobriety one is merely getting stressed out like normal people get stressed out.

Sometimes a person as a comorbid mental problem. Calling his actions a dry drunk only prevents him from seeking treatment for his condition. The twelve steps will not help him. I have seen too many old timers who desperately need psychiatric help.

Amen, brother. It was always easier to deal with problems by just blotting out. Now that I'm sober, it can be more stressful without the ol crutch, but easier solved with a clear mind.

I was a dry drunk for years. I am glad I found how to ease my disease, because I would become like a pressure cooker, mad , pent up like a powder keg, unable to cope. And eventually all I could do was drink... I

Dry drunk is a term, like white knuckling it, and they usually go together.

Alcohol is but a symptom, at least for this drunk, anyways.

1is2many

Thanks Impermanence for your replies #2 & 3. I share yours thoughts on the topic. I would also add that the term dry drunk is thrown at others as a slur...

I know many dry drunks
1is2many

Here's a article that highlights how and why I needed to heed the warnings(symptoms) my sooooobriety was helping me to undercover ......

http://www.discoveryplace.info/dry-drunk-depth-explanation-dry-drunk-recovery

I need to heed those warnings(symptoms) in the above article as it means my comorbid no fault mental illness is flaring. No, I'm not on a dry drunk just too high or too low. I know that now. AARGHH...Bite thy tongue...Thanks again #3.... .

Here Zach for yurn tongue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTSUCDHLZXo

I'm with you fuzzy. A person is either drinking, or they're sober. All the terms like dry drunk are just criticisms.

i believe im a dry drunk because i am angry alot and i dont consider other peoples feellings and theres alot of days i would love a drink and i have been sober 8yrs it is still very hard

Hello grasshopper01,

Dry drunk is not a term that I would like to apply to anyone but it is a description that is in common use. The Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous) uses a kinder description where it refers to some people who have stopped drinking but who have not addressed other issues as being restless, irritable and discontented.

There are people in AA who have many years of sobriety but who are far from happy with their lot. Although they were not drinking, some of these people were so hard to be around that, by their own admission, their families actually asked them to go and drink. I have seen a remarkable transformation in the lives of some of these same individuals and not only are they still sober but they are dealing well with life and making the most of what it has to offer. There is no secret to the seemingly magical turnaround it was simply that they decided to look at their lives and make changes through the Twelve Step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I know a few who went to AA meetings for years but would have scoffed at any mention of steps or the Big Book and made fun of those who followed a programme of recovery. Yet, these same individuals have come to see the benefits of using the programme (and the consequences of doing nothing) and have become completely sold on the idea.

There is no shame in admitting that after eight years of not drinking that you are angry, not considerate of others and would like to drink. What you are doing is fighting against alcoholism instead of treating the causes. You can turn that around completely to where you not only dont think about drinking but can actually enjoy life. The people I know did it through the Twelve Step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous.