What Does it Mean to Be a Dry Drunk?

Alcoholism is a chronic and progressive condition that affects millions of Americans. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 29.5 million people struggled with alcohol use disorder in the United States in 2022.[1]

One of the main reasons people develop an alcohol use disorder is because they have strong emotions that are difficult to cope with. Once you develop alcoholism, your emotional and psychological issues become amplified. You might even engage in behaviors that harm others around you, like manipulation, gaslighting, or being careless with other’s feelings in general.

While completing an alcohol rehab program is a huge accomplishment, your recovery journey does not end there. You will have to continue to work on learning how to manage your emotions healthily while changing negative patterns of behavior into positive actions. Unfortunately, sometimes this can be harder than it sounds.

If you continue to struggle with the emotional issues that led you to drink in the first place, you could be a dry drunk. Dry drunk syndrome is a term that describes continuing to experience negative emotions and behaviors even after you get sober. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to overcome this syndrome when you are in recovery from alcoholism.

In this article, you will learn:

• What the phrase “dry drunk” means
• Signs that you are a dry drunk
• How this condition can lead to a relapse
• How to overcome lasting emotional and behavioral issues from alcohol use disorder

What is a Dry Drunk?

If you struggle with alcoholism, you know how it can affect your mental well-being. You might have dealt with feelings of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and even negative patterns of behavior like manipulation or impulsivity. Once you stop drinking, you will have to make a conscious effort to overcome these emotional and behavioral problems.

While the therapy you engage in during an addiction treatment program can help you overcome mental health issues and emotional outbursts, you could continue to experience them well into your sobriety. If this sounds familiar, you could be struggling with dry drunk syndrome.

You might feel like you are white-knuckling sobriety, especially if you are constantly dealing with a host of negative emotions. You could also be struggling with something known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), a condition that causes long-term psychological symptoms of withdrawal.[2] No matter the cause, you should seek professional help.

Unfortunately, the symptoms of dry drunk syndrome can put you at risk of relapsing. Without treatment, emotions like anger, sadness, loneliness, guilt, or shame could cause you to begin craving alcohol or drugs.

Signs You Are Struggling With Dry Drunk Syndrome

The term dry drunk syndrome refers to experiencing persistent emotional and behavioral issues well into your sobriety journey. Not only can this affect your own sobriety, but it can harm your family and friends. For these reasons, you should always seek professional help, such as therapy and support from a group like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

If you are worried that you are a dry drunk, look out for the following symptoms:

• Having a pessimistic outlook on your life
• Being overly critical or judgemental
• Isolating yourself socially and experiencing feelings of loneliness
• Feeling uncomfortable or restless
• Dealing with mental health symptoms like depression, anxiety, or outbursts of anger
• Continuing to engage in negative behaviors that were common during your alcoholism
• Romanticizing or making excuses for past substance abuse
• Feeling resentment towards the people who encouraged you to get sober
• Being jealous of other people in sobriety who appear happier
• Wanting to drink alcohol to cope with the negative emotions you are experiencing

How Does Being a Dry Drunk Lead to Relapse?

When you are a dry drunk, that means you are experiencing a host of negative emotions, a pessimistic outlook on life, and even resentments towards other people or sobriety as a whole. Dealing with these feelings can be incredibly difficult and even make you feel like you are alone.

The longer you are dealing with negative emotions that are not being addressed by a mental health professional, the closer you will get to a relapse. The easiest way to understand how being a dry drunk will lead to a relapse is by looking at the stages of relapse.

The first stage of relapse is emotional. The warning signs of an emotional relapse include anxiety, isolation, anger, depression, and more. All of these signs are consistent with being a dry drunk.

Without addressing the emotional stage of relapse, you will slip into the mental stage. This is when you begin to romanticize substance abuse or think you can just have one drink or two. After the mental stage is physical relapse, when you actually engage in drinking or drug use.

How to Overcome Dry Drunk Syndrome

Since dry drunk syndrome can lead to a relapse, you must treat it. Your first order of business should be getting back into regular therapy if you are not already attending. A therapist will teach you how to cope with negative emotions, use healthy coping mechanisms, and live a happier life overall.

In addition to attending therapy, you should:

• Find healthier ways to express your emotions instead of bottling them up
• Use creative activities to process your emotions like journaling, painting, or listening to music
• Reach out to your support system when you are not feeling positive
• Maintain healthy sleeping and eating habits
• Stick to a daily schedule to avoid boredom
• Continue to attend support groups to combat isolation and foster a community
• Try coping mechanisms like yoga, mindfulness, or meditation
• Learn how to have fun in sobriety by going out with friends, engaging in activities like hiking, or playing board games
• Practice daily gratitude and learn to appreciate the little things in life

Find Help for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

If you or a loved one suffers from alcoholism, it’s time to seek professional help. Alcohol addiction treatment facilities like Mandala Healing Center are here to help. We offer evidence-based treatments with compassionate care, making you feel comfortable enough to trust the process and begin your recovery journey.

Contact us today to learn more about our alcohol rehab center.

References:

1. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in the United States: Age Groups and Demographic Characteristics
2. Journal of Addiction Medicine: Post-acute Withdrawal Syndrome