How much is too much alcohol? Dietary guidelines recommend that if you drink, men limit daily drinking to two drinks or less per day and women limit their drinking to one drink or less per day. Consuming more than that can lead to liver damage and heart disease, and increase your risk for some cancers.
Making the decision to stop drinking alcohol can lead to improvements in your short- and long-term health. But alcohol is an addictive substance that can cause chemical changes in the brain and body when used consistently over time. As you get used to the drug and develop a tolerance, the changes in your body make you physically dependent on alcohol.
Sometimes, when people who drink alcohol heavily quit suddenly and go âcold turkey,â they can experience alcohol withdrawal syndrome. As the body readjusts to life without alcohol, you may experience symptoms such as:
These symptoms may start a few hours or a few days after your last drink of alcohol. Sometimes, symptoms may be severe enough to require medical treatment at a hospital or rehabilitation facility. But some people choose to manage alcohol withdrawal themselves. Here are suggestions for how to get through alcohol withdrawal at home.
1. Have a support system. Talk to your doctor or a drug treatment specialist about what to expect as you experience alcohol withdrawal. Ask your doctor whether any medications may help in the process. Identify a family member or friend who you can call on to provide emotional support.
Keep a list of emergency phone numbers on hand that includes contact info for your doctor, the police, a nearby hospital, and someone you trust. And consider joining a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
Having a support person is important for many reasons, including having someone you trust to challenge negative thoughts. For example, if your symptoms make you so uncomfortable that you want to give up, a support person can help you think in a positive way about negative symptoms: Your body is getting rid of toxins, or your body is changing back to how itâs supposed to function.
2. Take care of yourself. Eating nutritious food, exercising, and getting enough sleep can help reduce some withdrawal symptoms, such as mood swings. If donât have much of an appetite, you may want to take a multivitamin or drink a beverage high in electrolytes, such as a sports drink. If you take prescription medication, continue to take it as directed.
3. Manage your stress. While itâs easier said than done, keeping stress down can help reduce withdrawal symptoms and help you control cravings. Try to make your environment more soothing with soft lights and comfortable areas for resting. You also could try these relaxation activities:
4. Keep yourself distracted. You may find it hard to concentrate for long periods. Try to occupy yourself with short activities, such as television shows, walks, video games, or trips to a store.
5. Remove temptation. Remove all alcohol from your home or ask a friend or family member to do it for you. This includes beer, wine, and liquor, as well as products that contain alcohol such as rubbing alcohol and vanilla extract.
Avoid people who may encourage you to drink alcohol or may not support your decision to stop. It may be easier on your rehabilitation to skip visits with âdrinking buddiesâ or avoid gatherings with a focus on drinking.
6. Stay hydrated and snack smart. Drink plenty of fluids, but you donât have to drink just water. Keep it interesting and varied with sparkling water, virgin cocktails (also known as mocktails), fruit juices, low-fat milk, or kombucha. Keep in mind that fruit juice and kombucha may be high in sugar.
For snacks, choose foods that are high in carbohydrates, such as pretzels, crackers, or apples, which can help satisfy cravings.
7. Make a plan in case you relapse. The experience of withdrawing from alcohol can be uncomfortable and difficult. Some people may relapse, or drink alcohol again, to relieve the symptoms.
Relapses happen during rehabilitation, but whatâs important is how you move forward from it. You may want to talk with a loved one or therapist about why it happened and what you can do differently next time.
It can be helpful to make a plan ahead of time for how to handle a relapse. For example, some people choose to write a list of reasons why they want to stop drinking alcohol, and revisit the list to remind themselves after a relapse. You may want to speak with a loved one or therapist about a strategy to prevent relapses from happening.
Going cold turkey from alcohol refers to stopping drinking suddenly without any medical assistance or tapering. While it may seem like an easy and quick way to quit drinking, going cold turkey can be very dangerous and potentially life-threatening. Here’s what you need to know about the risks of quitting alcohol cold turkey and how to stop drinking safely.
What Does Going Cold Turkey from Alcohol Mean?
Going cold turkey means quitting the use of a substance abruptly and completely without any help or stepping down of dosage. When it comes to alcohol, going cold turkey involves stopping all alcohol consumption at once rather than gradually decreasing intake over time.
For example, someone who drinks 5 glasses of wine every night would go cold turkey by having zero alcohol starting the next day. They would not taper down to 4 glasses first, then 3, then 2, etc.
Cold turkey is an informal term, while the medical name for this rapid discontinuation of alcohol is “abrupt cessation.”
Why People Choose to Quit Drinking Cold Turkey
There are a few different reasons why people decide to quit alcohol cold turkey
-
Impulsivity – They decide to stop drinking on a whim or in an emotional state, without planning it out.
-
Lack of awareness of risks – They do not realize how dangerous abruptly stopping alcohol can be.
-
Desire for quick change – They want the quickest path to being sober and mistakenly think cold turkey is the fastest and easiest method.
-
Avoidance of medical care – They want to avoid seeing a doctor for supervised detox or taking medications to stop drinking safely.
However, despite the appeal of rapid change or avoiding medical help, quitting alcohol cold turkey carries significant risks.
Dangers of Stopping Drinking Cold Turkey
Quitting alcohol cold turkey is very dangerous due to the high likelihood of experiencing severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant. With long-term heavy alcohol use, the brain compensates by overactivating neurons and producing more excitatory neurotransmitters.
When alcohol is removed, the brain is still overstimulated – causing the hyperactive state of withdrawal. The longer and heavier someone drank, the worse their withdrawal is likely to be.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Stopping alcohol use cold turkey can lead to a constellation of unpleasant and potentially deadly alcohol withdrawal symptoms:
Less severe:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Tremors or shakiness
- Insomnia
- Sweating
- Rapid heart rate
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
More severe:
- Hallucinations (auditory or visual)
- Confusion
- Fever
- High blood pressure
- Agitation
- Tactile hallucinations (feeling things that aren’t there)
Most severe:
- Seizures
- Delirium tremens (DTs)
DTs involve profound confusion, hallucinations, uncontrolled shaking, spikes in heart rate and blood pressure, and fever. DTs can be fatal if left untreated. Up to 5% of people who abruptly stop heavy alcohol use can experience deadly DTs.
Seizures can also be deadly if they lead to accidents, breathing problems, brain damage from low oxygen, and other complications.
Other Repercussions
Aside from withdrawal, rapidly quitting alcohol cold turkey can also lead to:
- Relapse back into problem drinking
- Severe cravings for alcohol
- Acute panic attacks
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts
The painful physical and psychological effects make cold turkey alcohol cessation extremely challenging. Only 3-5% of people who attempt to quit drinking on their own are able to achieve and maintain sobriety.
Medical Detox – The Safest Way to Stop Drinking
Because of the high likelihood of severe, even fatal, withdrawal symptoms, it is never recommended to go cold turkey off alcohol.
Instead, medical detox provides the safest setting to quit alcohol and prevents dangerous complications. Key aspects of alcohol detox include:
- Evaluation by an addiction specialist
- Stabilization on medications to ease withdrawal (e.g. benzodiazepines)
- Medical monitoring 24/7
- IV fluids and nutritional support
- Management of psychological symptoms
Detox usually lasts 4-7 days inpatient, with the option of outpatient detox for mild-moderate alcohol use disorders.
Medically-assisted taper schedules are also safer than cold turkey. Anti-craving medications can further help manage alcohol dependence.
Talk to your doctor or visit an addiction treatment center to discuss medical detox, pharmaceutical tapers, and ongoing recovery treatment. Many evidence-based options exist to help you quit drinking safely.
FAQs: Stopping Drinking Cold Turkey
Can you die from quitting alcohol cold turkey?
Yes, you can die if you abruptly stop drinking after prolonged heavy alcohol use. Up to 5% of those who go cold turkey can experience fatal seizures or delirium tremens (DTs).
When is it safe to quit drinking cold turkey?
Quitting cold turkey is only considered safe for people with mild alcohol use disorder who were drinking lightly for under 6 months. Heavy, long-term drinkers must undergo medical detox and taper to quit safely.
What happens after 3 days of no alcohol?
The peak of alcohol withdrawal occurs 24-72 hours after the last drink. So days 3-4 without alcohol are when the highest risk of severe, even deadly, symptoms like seizures and DTs occur. Medical care is crucial.
Can I quit drinking on my own safely?
Attempting to quit drinking without medical help is extremely dangerous for anyone physically dependent on alcohol. Only 3-5% of people who try to quit on their own can maintain sobriety long-term. Medical detox and ongoing treatment offer the best chances for recovery.
The Takeaway
Quitting alcohol cold turkey has potentially lethal risks including seizures, stroke, heart attack, and delirium tremens (DTs). It is not a safe way to stop drinking. Seeking professional medical detox and following tapering protocols provide the safest method to become alcohol-free with minimal withdrawal discomfort. With medical assistance and ongoing recovery treatment, you can quit alcohol successfully as well as safely.
More on Substance Abuse and Addiction
