There are those who can give up drinking and then lead a relatively normal, balanced life without any further assistance. These individuals, however, seem to be in the minority.
Many recovering alcoholics need additional help. This can be in the form of support groups, medication, behavioral therapy and the like.
For those who give up drinking and remain (or return to) behaviorally, emotionally and psychologically a drunk, we have a term, "Dry Drunk".
This term is obviously an oxymoron as it implies that a person is drunk without ingesting alcohol.
Dry Drunk Syndrome is a condition where an alcoholic retains mental and behavioral traits associated with drunkenness even when he or she is not drinking alcohol.
Surely, one would think that the “dry” state is a critical objective for alcoholism treatment regimen. Unfortunately, the presence of this syndrome is actually an indication that an individual is in danger of alcohol relapse. He or she remains emotionally disturbed, mentally unstable and spiritually skewed despite quitting alcohol.
Thus, as an alcoholic, nothing significant has been achieved under a dry drunk condition aside from stopping the habit of drinking alcohol. In fact, the manifestation of typical signs of dry drunk syndrome is a red flag that should concern a recovering alcoholic.
Are you concerned about the drinking of a family member? Would you like to learn how to help your loved one stop drinking? If so, follow this link to learn about Living With an Alcoholic.
This syndrome (the existence of which is by no means universally accepted) is used by some in the addiction field to justify the need for comprehensive alcohol dependence treatment programs. It is not enough just to stop drinking.
Beyond the physiological concerns, you need to undergo parallel therapy to address the destructive behavioral, emotional and mental variables of the medical condition.
Persons suffering from the syndrome fail to attain the level of sobriety or resist the necessary conditions associated with sober living.
Their daily routine is detached from reality, relationships remained strained, and their alcoholic behavior remains volatile and undesirable.
A recovering alcoholic needs to be aware of the typical signs of Dry Drunk Syndrome in order to prevent falling into relapse. You need to undertake timely and appropriate action if you observe the following signs:
If you suspect that you might be returning to 'drinking mode', then there are a number of courses of action you can take:
If you found this page helpful, then the following may be of interest to you:
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![]() Deborah Morrow, M.S. Addiction Psychology, is the director of treatment programs for The Alcoholism Guide website. In her practice Deborah provides on-line coaching and support for those dependent on alcohol or who require other services such as relapse prevention or court mandated services. (Read More) |
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