Can i quit drinking cold turkey

Tips for Cutting Back Safely: Meet with a physician: Get advice from a medical profession about your unique situation, and the best way to stay safe and reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Have someone keep an eye on you: Either find friends who are willing to help, or join an accredited treatment program.

Consider medication: There are several medications that can help reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms. However, you should consult with a doctor before taking these. Make a daily drink schedule, with an end date Many treatment programs suggest making a set schedule of how much you will reduce your drinking each day, and choosing a definite finish date. Take medication for alcohol cravings One way to make things easier on yourself is to take one of several anti-craving medications.

Get a support team Not only is it safer to have others around, it can also give you much needed psychological support. But here are some key tips for controlling how much you consume, day in and day out: Measure, count, and space your drinks. A journal or drink-tracking app can make this easier. Know the standard drink definition 2 : Roughly 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.

Choose specific times of day when you will drink or not drink. Switch to a drink you like less. Start drinking wine if you prefer cocktails, for example. Learn more about Ria Health. Are You a High-Functioning Alcoholic? Related Posts. Medically reviewed by: Dr.

Linde, MD. When you quit drinking cold turkey, your system is flooded with abnormally high levels of these chemicals. This imbalance in your central nervous system can cause dangerous alcohol withdrawal symptoms like:. These severe symptoms that can put your life in danger. Some people are at higher risk for dangerous complications from alcohol withdrawal because of health conditions or age.

These include :. One study followed people who had stopped drinking for several years and found that after three years, over half of the people who did not receive treatment had relapsed. Quitting alcohol cold turkey without medical detox puts you at risk of relapse because of withdrawal symptoms. Severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be painful, and many people cannot resist the urge to drink to stop the discomfort.

Additionally, many people relapse in early recovery because they want to self-medicate depression, anxiety, and uncomfortable feelings that come with PAWS. After you detox from alcohol, attend a substance use treatment program to help you stay sober.

When you have a drug addiction , your brain has gotten used to having substances to help it function. Quitting cold turkey can send your body into withdrawal. Going through this process in a detox center is the safest way. Only a medical professional knows the appropriate medications and taper schedules that are safe for your physical make-up and history of drug abuse. Medical detox is especially important for people with heroin addiction , painkiller addiction , benzo addiction , and alcohol addiction.

Without the help of medical professionals, alcohol withdrawal can be painful, and even fatal. The first step in medical detox is an assessment. This helps determine the best medications and approaches to use during alcohol detox.

A medical team will monitor you throughout the detox process. Research-backed treatment medications can lessen the severity of symptoms. Medical detox is just the first step in alcohol addiction treatment. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome: Benzodiazepines and beyond. J Clin Diagn Res. Kattimani S, Bharadwaj B. Clinical management of alcohol withdrawal: A systematic review. Ind Psychiatry J. Soravia L, Allemann P. Ther Umsch. National Library of Medicine. Alcohol withdrawal.

Updated August 4, Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Some people need to stop drinking as a result of developing an alcohol related medical condition such as liver disease, or because they start taking medication which reacts badly with alcohol.

Others choose to do so for religious reasons, or simply as a move towards a healthier lifestyle. Whatever your reasons, this page gives lots of tips on how to stop drinking alcohol, details of the potential benefits of not drinking, as well as information on the potential alcohol withdrawal symptoms you could experience if you move from drinking heavily, to drinking no alcohol at all.

Firstly, if you think you have a serious drinking problem and are experiencing any of the associated symptoms of alcohol dependence , you should consult your doctor or another medical professional about it as soon as possible. There are also a number of national alcohol support services that you can go to for advice. The following tips and techniques can make it that little bit easier. Frequently reminding yourself and the people close to you why you want to stop drinking can help keep you on track, and may even encourage someone else to give up or cut down with you.

Similarly, try to identify the times when you would usually drink and fill the gap with something else. Try to identify why you were unsuccessful — did you still go to the pub most evenings? Did you explain your reasons for not drinking to your partner? Was alcohol still readily available at home? If you want to stop drinking alcohol as part of a move towards a healthier lifestyle, cutting down on the amount of alcohol you drink as opposed to giving up alcohol completely can help bring lots of health benefits, and can be easier to stick to.