D
Daily Inventory:
Step
Ten says 'We continued to take a personal inventory...'. This is the
same kind of inventory we took in Step Four, except it deals with
recent events only. Our goal is to reduce the cumulative damage our
character defects cause; keeping us on an even keel. Some AA member's
feel that this is the only step that can be taken 'out of order', that
is, practiced on a daily basis as soon as you enter the program. The
thinking here is to stop adding to our problems and start practicing do
things differently.
Daily Reprieve:
The
word 'reprieve' means 'a temporary relief.' We have a daily reprieve
from the symptoms of our alcoholism contingent upon the maintenance of
our spiritual fitness. This phrase appears in chapter 6 of the Big
Book, 'We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily
reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.'
Defects of
Character:
See
'Character Defects'
Denial:
A
person's refusal to admit or accept that he or she is an alcoholic;
denial is one of the symptoms of the disease of alcoholism. It is this
symptom that makes recovery so difficult, because denial must be
overcome for recovery to take place. Denial is never completely
overcome, however, and must be guarded against during recovery. There
is a saying in AA, 'Alcoholism is a disease which convinces you that
you do not have it.'
Design for
Living:
The
phase comes from chapter 2 of the Big Book: 'A new life has been given
to us or, if you prefer, 'a design for living' that really works.' The
phrase refers to the AA program of recovery and to the new life that it
offers alcoholics.
Desire Chip (a.k.a.
Twenty-four Hour Chip):
A medallion given out at AA meetings to anyone who has a 'desire' to
stop drinking for the next 24 hours.
Detox:
Slang
for 'detoxification,' the process by which some alcoholics withdraw
from the use of alcohol. Also used in reference to a detoxification
center.
Discussion
Meeting:
An
AA meeting in which a topic is suggested and individuals discuss their
experience, strength and hope in relation to that topic.
Double Winner:
An
AA member who is also a member of Al-Anon.
Dr. Bob:
The
common nickname for Robert Holbrook Smith M.D., cofounder of AA.
Drinking Dream:
or Drunk Dream
A recovering alcoholic's sleeping dream in which he or she drinks
again. No one knows exactly what a drinking dream means, but it can be
very disturbing to the alcoholic in recovery.
Drunk-a-logue:
That
portion of an AA member's story that deals with the drinking period of
his or her life.
Dry:
Being
abstinent from alcohol. To those in AA, however, being 'dry' is just
one small part of being 'sober'. Sobriety is a way of life based on
spiritual principles. To remain dry without changing intellectually,
emotionally and spiritually, is to be dangerously close to the next
drink. The Big Book says, 'We feel that elimination of our drinking is
but a beginning.'
Dry Drunk
(a.k.a. Dry Bender):
A
condition of returning to one's old alcoholic thinking and behavior
without actually having taken a drink.
Dual Addiction:
See
'Cross-Addiction'
Dual Diagnosis:
An
AA member who has an emotional or psychiatric disorder in addition to
alcoholism. The other diagnosis may be major depression,
manic-depression (bipolar disorder), personality disorder, panic
disorder, and so on. Bill Wilson, AA's cofounder, was dually diagnosed
with depression. |