Can You Stop Drinking Cold Turkey?

Stopping cold turkey means that you wake up one morning and decide that you’re just not going to drink anymore.

Sometimes with addictions, especially ones that affect your body like alcohol, people will choose to slowly cut back on how much they’re using.

Someone who smokes a pack a day might cut back to half a pack, then a quarter pack, then one smoke a day, until they’ve completely quit. This method can help to reduce the withdrawals and can feel a bit easier for some people, but for other people – they just need the vice out of their life as quickly as possible.

For some alcoholics, quitting cold turkey can be a good idea. This is especially true in the earlier stages, once they start to feel there could be an issue here, but they still feel like they have some control over it.

But that’s not always the case…

Who Shouldn’t Stop Drinking Cold Turkey?

Someone who is a heavy drinker, for example if they get withdrawal feelings and symptoms if they stop drinking for a day or two, should consult with a medical professional before quitting cold turkey.

For most drinkers, when it comes to any health concerns, it’s okay to just stop drinking but once the body has become dependent on alcohol, the withdrawals can be dangerous, so it’s a good idea to take a quick visit to a doctor and explain your plans and make sure you’re in good shape to quit cold turkey.

There’s also the mental aspect. If you or someone you live suffers from mental health issues, especially if alcohol is being used as a way to self-medicate that, the huge change of stopping drinking abruptly can make things challenging for some people.

None of these are reasons to keep drinking. If you’re here, wondering if it’s safe to quit, that’s a sure-fire sign that you need to figure out a plan to stop drinking. You can do it, and there’s help out there for you so you don’t have to do it alone.

How to Stop Drinking Cold Turkey

Quitting something cold turkey is an action that takes place mentally, in the mind. There’s the physical aspect of just not doing the thing, whatever the addiction is. If you don’t pour a drink and the glass up to your mouth, you won’t drink. But it’s not that easy…

Something has to click in your mind where you have a perspective that you’re simply not going to drink anymore.

It sounds simple on the surface, but it can take a lot of introspection and thought to get to that point.

There will be a day where you decide you’re just not going to drink anymore, and you’re going to stick to it, so the challenge is getting to that day and making this happen.

It could be today, it could be tomorrow.

You might have already taken your last drink ever.

Is that what you want?

Imagine your life if you never drank again. That’s possible!

Don’t be shy to reach out for help. Call the phone number on this page and speak to an alcohol treatment center specialist who can help guide you through the process.

Category: Articles
Martijn van Eijk
Martijn is a passionate creator and the driving force behind StopDrinking.com. He created this website to assist individuals and their families in conquering alcohol addiction and finding a joyful, fulfilling life after alcohol. With a deep understanding of the challenges they face, he empowers readers with valuable insights and practical guidance on their journey towards recovery. Author of the Stop Shaking Book.