Citations & Excerpts

WBAL
Baltimore, MD
September 14, 2002
"Dr. Jim Dassinger and Bruce Cotter"

Dr: Jim: What is a dry drunk?

Cotter: I describe a dry drunk as a person who cannot drink, desperately wants to drink, but doesn't drink. So, he takes it out on the world, and everyone in it.

Dr. Jim: That's the part I see in my practice.

Cotter: Some people undertake the entire process; they are intervened on, go to detox and treatment and participate in a 12 Step Program - learning the tools to live by. On the other hand, Dr. Jim, if your boss says, "One more drink, Jim, and you're fired, or your wife says, "One more drink, Jim and I'm going back to Seattle to mother." You cannot drink. You're forced to make the decision not to drink. You white knuckle it. You're mad at him, her, at everybody you drive by, everybody you walk by and everybody you come in contact with. You're a very unhappy man and you make others pay for it. You're mad because you're "not allowed" to drink. Unfortunately, your mind and body are demanding that you drink.

Dr. Jim: I guess the symptom I recognize is anger.

Cotter : Big time anger. "I resent the fact that I can't drink and it's your
fault."

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