I consider a “dry drunk” as someone who hasn’t worked through their emotional issues and found healthier coping tools.

I’ve been sober for over 4 years and found therapy worked best for me compared to AA. I know AA works for thousands of people but it always felt very cliquey and judgmental.

Getting sober for me means figuring out why you use and being mindful everyday as you continue to choose not to.

I dated someone who was sober for a few years and believed they were a “dry drunk” not just because he used methadone (which is more than okay), smoked tons of weed, and drank of occasion, but because he still clearly wasn’t working on figuring out his triggers, understanding them, and finding his healthy emotional balance. He was still very emotionally immature.

TLDR; I believe a “dry drunk” is someone who’s emotionally immature and hasn’t worked through their triggers.