• The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence fights the stigma and the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions.

Ask Dr. Bob

QUESTION
I quit drinking 8 years ago after 20 times in detox. I went to AA, but thought it was of little value. I hold a steady job and have not relapsed. Why do addiction specialists still advise me to go to meetings?


ANSWER
Good question and not infrequently asked or advised by addiction professionals. I guess my first question would be why do you still see these specialists if you are sober and doing well!? Is it a persisting legal requirement, a marriage issue, an employment contract, etc? It implies there are some "problems" out there yet!

If I'm correct about "problems," even though you are not drinking, professionals may believe that your behavior may improve by attending meetings. .Many alcoholics believe that AA has helped them with "problems of living" (marriage, friendships, handling conflicts) as much as with sobriety! At times sobriety is not accompanied by the improvement in relationships or candor that generally occurs and we wonder why. The answer is frequently found in the person's inability/unwillingness to reveal honestly his/her feelings and thoughts about drinking and its consequences and to come to an acceptance of the condition. This is at times called a "dry drunk," and the treatment for it is to become involved genuinely in the program or in counseling with a professional.

Another possible reason for your getting this advice may be the experience of the professional who may not have seen someone recover as you have stated and may believe that you must attend meetings to have quality sobriety.

So, there are some questions I have about your condition before we can be clear about an answer. No matter what, I hope you can maintain sobriety and work thru this problem.

Dr. Bob



Previous Questions

---

Do you have a question for Dr. Bob? Questions will be selected on the basis of general relevance and will be posted once a month. Click here to submit your question. If your question is selected, you will be notified.

---

Disclaimer

Dr. Bob does not provide specific medical advice or a medical diagnosis for any particular condition described, nor verify the authenticity of any information described in the questions presented. Patients should always consult their physician to discuss any specific symptoms, conditions, or modes of therapy for any particular mental or physical difficulties, diseases or conditions.

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.

244 East 58th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022 phone: 212/269-7797   fax: 212/269-7510 email: national@ncadd.org   http://www.ncadd.org HOPE LINE: 800/NCA-CALL (24-hour Affiliate referral)