Dry Drunk Syndrome
For this meeting I have chosen the topic: Dry Drunk Syndrome. I didn’t get here a drink short or a day late. My SD is 9/22/87. By God’s grace today is my 29th year sober. Thank you all for sharing in my AA recovery. I chose this topic because I had experience as a dry drunk. Most AA’s don’t like this name, but I feel it is an important one. AA is truly the best thing that ever happened to me. One alcoholic helping another. A safe place for all of us.
Willingness was key for me. At first, I came here to get my daughter Andrea back. For my first two years, I was a dry drunk. I was full of resentments, anger. Instead of finding joy, peace, and spiritual happiness away from alcohol, I felt like AA was a prison sentence. Lonely. I had a very understanding sponsor. She had everything I wanted. Love for God, love for others, and love for herself. And unconditional love for me. At first the meetings were my Higher Power. I had hope. The only thing I did was not take that first drink. After all, I didn’t touch a drop for two years.
Another term we use is “white knuckling” it, holding on until one day we could drink again. If you are an alcoholic like me. Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. A pickle will never be turned back into a cucumber. If nothing changes, nothing changes. I was unconscious, I needed a Higher Power. I was not alone anymore. I became open-minded as only the dying could be.
What makes a dry drunk? Here is a list of the Dry drunk syndrome:
(1) impulsive actions. Denial there is a problem
(2) Judgmental, Blaming others, low self-esteem
(3) Complacent, lazy, disinterested in spiritual things, selfish
At two years sober, my life did a 180 turn for the better. Step Two was (page 33, 12&12) the rallying point for me. I was willing to accept a Higher Power. It took work and more work. Getting honest with myself and my sponsor and you. I had humility. God restored my sanity. Thanks for celebrating my birthday with me.
Sobriety is good. By God’s grace, I have no desire to drink again. Only a few times in my sobriety have I wanted to drink – when I lost my mother to cancer, and the second time was a situation with my daughter, Carol. What I learned to do when I felt like drinking was to call my sponsor. Newcomers, it does get better. God has blessed me with wonderful sponsees, a good relationship with Him, friends & family ties improved. Keep coming back. It works if we work it, and it don’t if we don’t.
Please share your experience, strength, and hope with us.