ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews prior studies and theories of relapse, including those offered by social scientists and Al-Anon, and Alateen. It presents Al-Anon, and Alateen’s distinction between being dry, “dry drunks,” “white knuckle sobriety,” and “sobriety.” The chapter examines alcoholic drinking dreams as they relate to the alcoholic’s attempts to remain sober. It also examines the dreams alcoholics report around the Al-Anon, and Alateen tables, suggesting that in those dreams lies a merger of personal and collective consciousness. The chapter offers a situational interpretation of slips and relapses. Slips, relapses, or the return to controlled and uncontrolled drinking are commonplace occurrences for alcoholics. Consistent with Earl Rubington’s predictions, newcomers who were regular guys in treatment and who maintain friendships with other regular guys tend to slip, or relapse more than loners, company men, and mixers. The chapter concludes with a fully stated, grounded interpretation of slips and relapses.
