Why It’s So Hard To Quit Drugs Cold Turkey?

Published on: 13 April 2021 Last Updated on: 26 December 2025

The endurings of life in modern society have made it common for people to develop addictions to drugs and alcohol. It all starts with one drink, one puff, or one sniff to get over a bad mood or event. Before you know it, several months down the line, you’ve lost everything.

Fortunately, some people get to a point where they feel they’ve simply had enough of drug or alcohol abuse. Now, they are ready to make the changes to get over the addiction.

However, some people choose to cold turkey. But, there are several side effects of going cold turkey on drugs.

In this article, we look into the cold turkey approach of quitting, what it means, why it’s so hard, and the risks it poses to the addict. If you want to find a rehab center to help you quit using drugs, you can learn more here.

Quit Cold Turkey To Get Over Addiction

Some people choose to go cold turkey. They feel that it’s easier to stop using their substance of choice rather than to get off it gradually. While ambition and dedication to recovery are powerful on their own, they are simply not enough to overcome withdrawal symptoms.

Quitting substance abuse cold turkey is very difficult and can impose significant risks. It becomes extremely difficult when your body develops a certain level of dependence on the drug; it’s difficult to quit.

What Does It Mean To Quit Cold Turkey?

The term ‘cold turkey’ comes from one of the withdrawal symptoms of quitting substance use. Sometimes, a person may get goosebumps that look like the skin of a plucked turkey after they cut themselves off their drug of choice.

As such, quitting drugs ‘cold turkey’ means putting an abrupt stop to drugs and alcohol use.

Most approaches are done at home without medical assistance or intervention.

People who use this technique do so in the belief that it will be easier to stop using the substance immediately. Some believe that if they disassociate themselves from the drug entirely, they will feel less compelled to start using it again.

For others, detoxing at home is the most convenient method because they don’t have medical insurance and are unable to afford treatment services.

As painful and uncomfortable the experience might be, they believe they can do it on their own without the need for specialized drug addiction treatment. Another reason for going cold turkey is that the addict prefers to do it in a familiar environment where they can feel safer and supported by friends and family.

However, quitting cold turkey should not be mistaken for detoxification. Detox is a slow process of clearing drugs from the body in a safe and controlled setting.

Detoxing allows the body enough time to purge physical cravings and the freedom to go through several uncomfortable feelings and changes brought about by the body breaking free of the drug.

Why Quitting Cold Turkey Is So Hard?

If you’re trying to quit drugs, cold turkey may seem like a fast and easy option at first. You get to go through the process privately at home without subjecting yourself to judgment or scrutiny from people.

However, the technique is very difficult to do. Factors that make it hard include:

Withdrawal symptoms.
Intense cravings.
The drug of choice.
The level of addiction.
Co-occurring mental health conditions.

The Addicted Phase

If you’re addicted to alcohol or a particular drug, your body has likely developed an undesirable mental and physical dependency on the substance. At this point, both your brain and body need those chemicals to sustain a level of equilibrium.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Once you go cold turkey, your body begins to try and go back to its non-addicted state by purging itself of the drug or alcohol substances. This purging process produces intense withdrawal symptoms and physical cravings that can affect you emotionally, physically, and psychologically.

Examples of highly common physical and mental withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, nausea, depression, seizures, hallucinations, vomiting, mood imbalances, agitation, mental fog, insomnia, irregular heart rate, and changes in blood pressure.

Drug of Choice

The type of drug involved also makes it hard for the addict to recover from their addiction through the technique. The drug your body is dependent on will determine the withdrawal symptoms you experience and the degree of severity.

Level of Addiction

Drugs such as heroin and benzos are highly addictive, and experts recommend that addicts of these drugs refrain from using the approach since they can lead to highly dangerous withdrawal symptoms.

Co-occurring Mental Health Condition

The co-occurring mental health condition of the addict can also complicate drug withdrawal and can lead to a highly unpredictable behavioral response from the addict.

The severity of the addiction also makes it difficult for addicts to achieve success from the method. The degree of dependence on a drug, as well as the amount of time you use the drug, will determine how your body and brain will respond to being cut off.

Simply put, the more severe the addiction, the more intense the withdrawal symptoms will be.

Is It Safe To Quit Cold Turkey?

Quitting cold turkey may not be the safest or most effective approach to staying sober, especially for people who have developed a dependency on a particular substance. Quitting too soon can cause uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and a strong urge to resume substance abuse.

In certain cases, the withdrawal symptoms can be so severe that they cause life-threatening medical conditions such as seizures and heart problems, as explained earlier in this article. Even substances that pose a low risk of addiction, such as nicotine, can cause highly unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

This is not to say that quitting cold turkey cannot be successful. The technique can be highly effective with the right support system and the rate at which the addict can overcome the withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms last for varying lengths, and some people can get past the withdrawal period faster than those who decide to quit gradually. But if a person is addicted to potentially harmful drugs such as meth or heroin, cold turkey may not be the best idea.

Risks You May Face If You Go Cold Turkey

There are addiction-specific risks you should be aware of if you are going cold turkey. The common ones would include –

Smoking

Smoking cold turkey doesn’t have any direct and significant withdrawal symptoms. When someone abruptly decides to quit smoking cold turkey, they won’t face any life-threatening symptoms.

However, people quitting smoking cold turkey have a lower success rate than people quitting with external support. But, the nicotine withdrawal symptoms you get from quitting smoking cold turkey are difficult to cope with.

Alcohol & Cold Turkey

Alcohol cold turkey can be really difficult. It leads the person who’s quitting alcohol to serious health risks under certain conditions. Sometimes, the effects can be life-threatening. The most serious form of alcohol cold turkey is delirium tremens.

This is something that leads the person who’s quitting alcohol into rapid onsets of extreme levels of confusion. It also meddles with how their brain regulates blood circulation and breathing.

It is common for people to do cold turkey on alcohol to get DTs within 48 hours of quitting the drink. Also, this can last for 5 days straight. They can experience severe levels of confusion and extreme levels of hyperactivity. Loss of consciousness, hallucination, fever, issues with sleeping, etc.

Drugs & Cold Turkey

Similar to quitting severe alcohol addictions, drug cold turkey can also have severe onsets of drug addiction withdrawal symptoms. It’s common for someone with a drug addiction to use more than one substance. Typically, these people use opioids, heroin, cocaine, and other stimulants.

But, if someone stops taking drugs abruptly, it’ll seem extremely serious life-threatening medical condition. These conditions include seizures, heart disease, dehydration, etc.

Drug Addiction Treatment:

Recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction is not an easy thing to do. But this doesn’t deter people from going cold turkey without any external help or medical intervention.

While it may seem like a fast and easy solution, a medically managed drug addiction treatment approach is highly recommended, drug addiction treatment centers is equipped with professionally trained staff who are committed to helping addicts recover and live a life of sobriety.

If you or someone you care about needs help with their addiction, get in touch with a professional drug addiction treatment facility to help you achieve a successful recovery altogether.

Soumava Goswami

A passionate writer and an avid reader, Soumava is academically inclined and loves writing on topics requiring deep research. Having 3+ years of experience, Soumava also loves writing blogs in other domains, including digital marketing, business, technology, travel, and sports.

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Water: To mix everything together. Silicone molds: These will help shape your gummies. A saucepan and a whisk: To heat and mix your ingredients. A dropper or syringe: For precise dosing. Step 2: Calculate Your Dosage Getting the dosage right is crucial. We want those gummies to provide a blissful experience, not send us to the moon! Start by determining how much THC or CBD is in your tincture or oil and calculate the dosage per gummy. For beginners, I recommend starting with a lower dose (around 5-10mg) and gradually increasing it as needed. Step 3: Prepare Your Molds Before you dive into the cooking process, prepare your silicone molds. Lightly coat them with cooking spray to prevent sticking later on. This step will ensure your gummies pop out effortlessly once they're set. Step 4: Mix Your Ingredients Now, let's get cooking! In your saucepan, combine the flavored gelatin packets, unflavored gelatin, sugar, and water. Stir everything together until it forms a smooth mixture. 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Allow your cannabis gummies to set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. You can speed up the process by placing them in the refrigerator, but be careful not to freeze them. Step 9: Pop And Enjoy! The moment you've been waiting for has arrived! Carefully pop your gummies out of the molds and behold your homemade cannabis-infused creations. Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark place to maintain their freshness. The Beauty Of Homemade Cannabis Gummies There's something truly special about crafting your own cannabis gummies. You have full control over the ingredients, flavors, and dosages, ensuring a personalized experience every time. Plus, it's a fun and rewarding process that allows you to experiment with different strains and flavors until you find your perfect match. Now that you've learned the art of making cannabis gummies, the possibilities are endless. Whether you're treating yourself or sharing with friends, these homemade delights are a delightful way to enjoy the benefits of cannabis in a delicious and discreet form. So, go ahead, put on your apron, and let your culinary creativity shine in the world of cannabis-infused treats! Benefits Of Making Cannabis Gummies At Home! Making cannabis gummies at home offers several benefits, which contribute to their popularity among cannabis enthusiasts. Here are some key advantages: 1. Control Over Ingredients: When you make cannabis gummies at home, you have full control over the quality of ingredients. You can choose organic, non-GMO, and natural products, ensuring that your gummies are free from undesirable additives or artificial flavors. 2. Customizable Dosage: One of the most significant advantages is the ability to customize the dosage. You can precisely measure the amount of cannabis you want in each gummy, allowing for consistent and accurate dosing. This is particularly important for medical cannabis users who require specific doses for their conditions. 3. Choice Of Strain: Homemade gummies let you select the cannabis strain that suits your preferences and desired effects. Whether you want a relaxing Indica or an energizing sativa, you can tailor your gummies to your specific needs. 4. Variety Of Flavors: You can experiment with an array of flavors, creating gummies that cater to your taste preferences. Whether you prefer fruity, sour, or herbal flavors, you have the freedom to get creative and craft gummies that delight your palate. 5. Cost-Effective: Making your own cannabis gummies can be more cost-effective than purchasing pre-made edibles. You can buy cannabis flowers or extracts in bulk, which often offers better value for money, and create a substantial quantity of gummies. 6. Quality Control: Home preparation allows for better quality control. You can ensure the cleanliness of your equipment and environment, reducing the risk of contamination. This is particularly crucial for individuals with allergies or dietary restrictions. 7. Privacy And Discretion: Crafting your cannabis gummies at home offers privacy and discretion. You can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of cannabis without drawing attention to yourself or your cannabis consumption. 8. Fun And Educational: The process of making cannabis gummies can be enjoyable and educational. It provides an opportunity to learn about the science of cannabis infusion and cooking techniques. It can be a fun activity to share with friends or loved ones. 9. Experimentation: Homemade gummies encourage experimentation. You can try different recipes, ratios, and infusion methods until you find the perfect formula that suits your preferences and needs. 10. Longer Shelf Life: Keep With proper storage, homemade cannabis gummies can have a longer shelf life compared to store-bought edibles. You can keep them fresh for an extended period, allowing you to enjoy them at your own pace. Wrapping It Up! In case you were searching about how to make cannabis gummies at home, I hope that this blog has been of help to you. If there are any other queries related to the same, feel free to let me know. All that you need to do is scroll down till you reach the bottom of the page, Then leave your comments and queries in the box below. And I will be there to answer them all for you! Learn More About: Why Cannabis Is Good For Health? How To Make Your Own Cannabis Topicals? Things To Consider While Buying CBD Gummies Online Cannabis Can Help In The Fight Against Drug Addiction

Why It’s So Hard To Quit Drugs Cold Turkey?

Quit Cold Turkey To Get Over Addiction

What Does It Mean To Quit Cold Turkey?