Asking Eric: Friend acting as a ‘dry drunk’, tell me about this news in (https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/15/asking-eric-friend-acting-as-a-dry-drunk/)

In the September 15, 2026 “Asking Eric” advice column (syndicated across publications including the Chicago Tribune and The Washington Post), a letter writer reached out regarding a close friend who recently achieved sobriety but continues to behave poorly.The letter writer explained that while their friend stopped drinking, sobriety did not automatically lead to better treatment of those around them. Instead of making amends or showing accountability for past hurtful behavior, the friend continues to display the same negative, irritable, and toxic behavioral patterns they had while actively drinking.Eric Thomas addresses this dynamic as being a “dry drunk”a term used when an individual stops consuming alcohol or substances but has not yet engaged in the deeper emotional, psychological, or behavioral recovery work required to change harmful habits. Eric advises that while achieving physical sobriety is an important milestone, it does not obligate the letter writer to tolerate mistreatment or neglect of their own boundaries. He emphasizes that recovery is an ongoing process involving self-reflection and accountability, and suggests that the writer establish clear personal boundaries, recognizing that they cannot force someone else to do the inner work or make amends until that person is truly ready.