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Who Is A Dry Drunk? Quit Drinking, AA Attendee, Thinks Of Herself As Healer. Suggest?
Hi, I have a friend of a friend, who used to be an alcoholic. She has quit drinking many years ago. She is in her early 50ies. Now she goes to AA meetings nearly every day. When there is no AA meeting available, she goes and spends hours and hours doing things at her church. She had no seminary degree, but she fancies herself to be some sort of healer/priestess. Would her actions be like a person who is what is referred to as a dry drunk ?
posted on
Thu, 17 Jan 2013
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Tue, 22 Jan 2013
Answered on
Wed, 23 Jan 2013
Last reviewed on
Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.
"Dry Drunk" has been described as "a condition of returning to one's old alcoholic thinking and behavior without actually having taken a drink." Now, it is to be remembered that this is just a very common belief which is prevalent in the society, but is not a legitimate psychiatric diagnosis. It has not been listed as a clinical condition or psychiatric entity in any official psychiatric literature. Doctors and psychiatrists do not consider this to have any particular clinical significance.
I think that it is not appropriate or necessary to make such judgements about others, based on some of their behaviours, since it is not going to be helpful to you or the person involved. Each person has a personal choice and right to lead the life he or she wants to live as long as it doesn''t cause harm or inconvenience to others. So, this right has to be respected.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
"Dry Drunk" has been described as "a condition of returning to one's old alcoholic thinking and behavior without actually having taken a drink." Now, it is to be remembered that this is just a very common belief which is prevalent in the society, but is not a legitimate psychiatric diagnosis. It has not been listed as a clinical condition or psychiatric entity in any official psychiatric literature. Doctors and psychiatrists do not consider this to have any particular clinical significance.
I think that it is not appropriate or necessary to make such judgements about others, based on some of their behaviours, since it is not going to be helpful to you or the person involved. Each person has a personal choice and right to lead the life he or she wants to live as long as it doesn''t cause harm or inconvenience to others. So, this right has to be respected.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
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