Welcome
Welcome to ColdTurkey.org, where you may be inspired to quit drinking, smoking, cursing, overeating, eating meat, or anything else you wish to "kick." Going "cold turkey" is not always the best way to give up a habit, but it could be the way for you.
This site was created when Jeff Pittman decided to quit drinking for good in April 2001.
This site is not about cold turkeys, but we should have a photo anyway. Appropriately, it was taken by Phil Musta, who quit smoking in 2001, and was the first person to follow the lead here:
Kick It!
Read the content on this site, and on the Wikipedia page linked above, and do some research about shortcomings of the "cold turkey" method. Then, if you would like to be added to the list below, email kickit@coldturkey.org with:
What you kicked (use an existing phrase, or add a new one),
When you kicked it, whether it was many moons ago, yesterday, or today,
Your ID -- real name, initials, some other id, or nothing (and the arbitrary number will be used).
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Name or ID
Jeff Pittman
Phil Musta
Scott Brown
Lisa Vosburgh
Carol Thompson
Terry Abshire
Terry Abshire
Darlene Bashor
Kathy Ann Valencia
Carrie Harrison
Jon Turner
M. K.
Bethco99
Jeff Pittman
Jonathon McClellan
#16
BP
LL
Rebekah Hazel
What Was Kicked
Drinking
Smoking
Smoking
Smoking
Smoking
Drinking
Smoking
Smoking
Smoking
Smoking
Smoking
Smoking
Smoking/Overeating
Gambling
Smoking
Drinking/Smoking
Casino Gambling
Drinking
Smoking
Date Kicked
April, 2001
December, 2001
April, 1991
October, 1984
January, 1991
July, 1991
January, 1999
November, 2003
November, 2003
December, 2003
December, 2003
October, 2004
May, 2008
October, 2008
October, 2008
February, 2009
November 26, 2009
March 24, 2010
August 17, 2010
A Word on Anonymity
You have the choice to be listed as just a number, or by an obscure or fake id. However, depending on your situation, if you think you can use your real name, as suggested in the "announce to the world" premise above, you might enjoy a psychological advantage. If you anonymously go cold turkey, the premise should be valid, because you would assert to the world, in a private, but still heartfelt statement.
And, whatever you do,
DO NOT RECIDIVATE!
(Don't break your promise)
Premise
The people in the list here have announced to the world that they are kicking a habit (or two). If a person does not tell anyone they are going to do something, or they tell just a few people, it is easier for them to balk, or to go back on the promise, or to fall to recidivism (Seen Raising Arizona? :) ).
So, announce to the world. And to avoid shame of all shame, don't go back on your word!
Going cold turkey is something you should do after much thinking and preparing, committing only when you are fully psyched to pull it off. If you don't think you can go cold turkey, get help in some way. It very much depends on your individual situation. You probably wouldn't go wrong if you sought help in going cold turkey anyway, certainly for something severe, or if you have been trying to quit something to no avail.
Strategy
You may think of tricks to use, or you may find them. For quitting drinking, I very much relied on "near beer," for example, so that in social settings I could effectively hang as I once did (suffering ridicule if someone grabbed a "near beer" in the refrigerator by mistake -- withstanding such pressure is a typical need, but if you go cold turkey, you should be psyched to handle it). After a year or so, "near beer" became unnecessary, although I did actually come to enjoy it for a refreshing beverage. Eventually, I developed other interests, such as birding, and changed behavior patterns substantially. Replace bad with good. Use the opportunity to rechannel your mind. Start something new.
Focus on benefits (e.g., for quitting alchohol), like:
