You’ve white-knuckled yourself into sobriety. One day, you quit drinking. But did you heal? Alternatively, are you merely a dry drunk?

When You Quit Drinking on Your Own

It’s not easy. You throw out all of your bottles. Similarly, you stop your partying habits. Friends are wondering what’s going on.

You face your withdrawal symptoms head on. It’s a miserable few days. However, you don’t give in. You’ll stop your alcohol addiction no matter what.

After about a week, you wake up without the shakes. After another week, your cravings are weaker. They continue to weaken. Then they come back. Are you a dry drunk?

What’s a Dry Drunk?

Those who provide addiction therapy services in Tacoma do recognize the presence of the dry drunk syndrome. It describes a person who no longer drinks. Maybe they’ve quit weeks or months ago. However, they never had the help that rehab provides.

Therefore, they still struggle with the same dysfunctional patterns they had before. Examples might include anger management problems, mental health issues, and relationship issues. There’s also the look back at their drinking life as a good period. They contemplate going back to it.

Some feel sorry for themselves. Others don’t know how to deal with situations and people now that they’re sober. They self-isolate even more than before. You need help, but you don’t know where to turn.

Rehab is the Way to Healing

It doesn’t matter if you had your last drink an hour ago or a month ago. Rehab can help with the dry drunk syndrome. You mainly succeeded in weaning yourself off the substance. However, you never underwent the therapy you need to overcome psychological addiction.

This is why therapists urge clients to come in after detox. Ending a drinking habit doesn’t mean you’re ending an addiction. Instead, it’s the beginning of recovery. The next step is the assistance of therapists who help you with overcoming dysfunctions.

Possible modalities include:

• Medication-assisted treatment as a tool for overcoming post-acute withdrawal symptoms such as cravings or pain
• Psychotherapy for underlying psychological problems that could include depression, anxiety, or personality disorders
• Men and women’s rehab that builds on your innate strengths to give you the help you need today
• Cognitive behavioral therapy that focuses on coping skills to replace negative trigger responses
• Meditation, which allows you to breathe through the stress and embrace emotions
• Yoga as an exercise opportunity that combines breathing exercises with light stretches as a healthy lifestyle option

Aftercare is Essential

Even though you quit drinking on your own, remember that recovery’s ongoing. After you had a chance to deal with stressors, there’s still relapse prevention to consider. Almost all clients benefit from attending outpatient treatment. It’s an excellent opportunity to connect with therapists after program graduation.

If you experience intrusive thoughts or overwhelming emotions, you can address them. A therapist’s right there when you need help. You don’t have to white-knuckle it any longer. Allow yourself the luxury of getting the help you need to have a fulfilling sobriety.

At Bayview Recovery, caring therapists frequently meet clients who fit the dry drunk definition. They’ve worked so hard at ending a deadly habit. Now’s the time that they continue healing. Call 855.478.3650 today to set up an appointment.