If you have a substance addiction, there are a number of ways to detox from it. ‘Cold turkey’ is one of the most well-known strategies. Is it right for you? Read on to learn more:
What is Quitting Cold Turkey?
When you quit an addiction cold turkey, you abruptly stop taking the substance. This is often accompanied by, say, pouring out all the alcohol in the house and vowing never to touch it again. Like all detox strategies, this method has pros and cons.
Pros
It’s straightforward. There are no complex steps to remember, just: ‘Don’t do it.’
It’s very affordable. If you quit cold turkey at home, you won’t have to spend a cent.
It’s a popular strategy that shows up on the media all the time.
Some people swear by it, often with anecdotes of hitting rock bottom or having a health scare that fueled them to quit cold turkey.
Cons
Depending on the degree of your addiction, this could be a very radical lifestyle shift. Just like New Year’s resolutions to completely change your diet, cold turkey alone can be too radical a change to stick to.
This style of detox may be quite unpleasant or rough on your body. If you’re heavily addicted or have medical issues, quitting cold turkey could create serious health complications.
Quitting cold turkey means that you don’t get medical support or counseling as you go through this process.
Depending on your addiction, this strategy can have a high rate of relapse.
What Other Options Are There?
Does it sound like quitting cold turkey isn’t right for you? The good news is there are a number of other strategies offered by detox centers Orange County. Two popular options are tapering and rapid detox.
Tapering Off
Instead of quitting completely and all at once, you take baby steps to sobriety. This involves smaller and smaller doses taken less and less frequently until you’re down to zero. Tapering off is best overseen by professionals who can monitor your progress and reactions.
Rapid Detox
This strategy, originally developed to deal with opiate addictions, lets you detoxify within hours to a few days. What’s the difference between it and cold turkey? In this case, you’ll be under anesthesia and medications will be given to trigger withdrawals. You’ll get through the tough symptoms while sleeping as medical professionals keep an eye on you.
