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Have you heard of the term “dry drunk syndrome” before? Maybe you were wondering what it meant, or are you currently on the journey of removing alcohol from your life altogether and you have started to experience certain negative mood or behavioural symptoms that are similar to when you were drinking?

Many of the people I work with through my sobriety coaching have experienced the challenges that come with dry drunk syndrome. This phrase originates back to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and whilst not a favoured term, with a negative word such as, ‘drunk’, the issues people experience are very real.

Dry drunk syndrome is a slang term that refers to traits and behaviours that drinkers have that they continue to exhibit after they have quit alcohol. In other words, someone who has become sober might still behave like a drunk by acting in the same way they did when they were drinking.

A dry drunk will behave in a similar way to the way they did when they were activley drinking, despite being sober. This means they will often carry out self-destructive behaviour and may even have physical symptoms such as slurred speech and issues with balance. In addition, they might become angry, irrational or argumentative with people around the, exactly as they used to when they were using alcohol heavily.

Recommended Article – Sobriety Sleep Problems – Trouble sleeping when you stop drinking alcohol

Let me first say, that this syndrome, whilst not suffered by all in recovery, is experienced by some and it can seriously negatively impact your journey to recovery, but you must not let it. I have been through this and it is extremely tough, however, this does not last forever. If I was to try and put it into perspective for you what this syndrome is like, think of the film ‘CastAway’, where Tom Hanks is trying to get past the huge breaking waves to make it to the ocean beyond, but it is impossible.

Dry drunk syndrome can be a challenge for anyone who experiences it – I won’t try to sugar-coat it for you. But it is something that you can get past without going back to drinking.

So, let’s get straight into it and look at the most common symptoms and behaviours of dry drunk syndrome, which are as follows:

• Feelings of frustration or anger.
• A difficulty to focus or feeling impatient.
• Anxiety levels increased.
• Resentment, both toward yourself and to others – those who can still drink and those who want you to stop drinking for good.
• Difficulty sleeping.
• Being overly harsh on yourself and self-critical.
• Replacing alcohol addiction with another addiction such as work, gambling, exercise, TV or food.

The above is not an exhaustive list, but just some of the most common symptoms that can be experienced with dry drunk syndrome. You’ll notice that a lot of the above are the same as if you were still drinking. It can often be a case that loved ones and others close to you may believe that you are still drinking if you are displaying any of these symptoms or behaviours. This can be an extremely difficult time and can prose real harm to your successful recovery.

Giving up the drink, is not always an easy task. It can take real dedication and you need to have a true desire to change. I know it is cliché to say it, but you have to really want to do it for yourself and not just be motivated because others want you to do it. If you are quitting because of the latter, then whilst you have the best of intentions, your probability of going back to drinking is greatly increased. This is when you need to look at working on your motivation and your reasons for wanting to become sober.

How to get through dry drunk syndrome

If what I have described above strikes a chord with what you are experiencing at the moment, then dry drunk syndrome could be the cause. The good news is, from my research and own personal experience, this is for most people just a part of the recovery process. However, there are things you can do to help get you through this unpleasant phase of removing drink from your life.

• Reach out – If you are struggling then you are far better off talking to people you trust openly about how you are feeling and what you are experiencing. Letting the people you care about know what you are going through helps them better support you on your road to recovery and helps you share what you are going through.
• Self-care – Very much like when you first started to remove alcohol from your life, self-care is extremely important to get through dry drunk syndrome. From making healthy food and drink choices through to exercise and getting enough sleep will do wonders for coping with the symptoms of dry drunk syndrome.
• Professional advice – Don’t shy away from seeking professional help if you are struggling. You don’t need to suffer in silence and getting help sooner rather than later will help to keep you on the right track and focused on recovery.

How I can help

Whether you have found this blog from searching on Google or you have visited my website directly for the first time – Hi! My name is Simon Chapple, the creator of Be Sober. Having spent a number of years as a self-confessed lover of alcohol, from a series of wake-up moments I realised that I had an issue with alcohol and my daily consumption. This realisation put me on my journey to recovery and starting Be Sober, which has been one of the most positive experiences of my life.

I created my site as a ‘go to’ self-help guide for anyone who wants to quit alcohol and are researching how best to be successful with this. Along with a wealth of information on my site, I also have an interactive YouTube channel, Instagram page and I have published a number of books. This has led me on to starting my own programme which you can join and be part of our family. You will get direct support from me and access to a group of amazing supportive people who are in the same or similar situation to yourself.

I hope you find this blog useful with understanding more about dry drunk syndrome and realising that this is a very real condition and part of the recovery process. If you have any questions about how I can help you with my recovery programme, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. You can contact me on via my website and I am here to help.

One thing I can promise you is that, if like me, when you reach the place of being able to quit alcohol from your life, you will experience a level of calm and control you will likely never have experienced before. The journey is tough but you must remember that alcohol is a drug and it wants you to fall back into your old ways, which will do no good for you in the long-term. Help is out there and I would love for you to make Be Sober part of your recovery journey.

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