Is it safe to stop drinking or using on my own?

If symptoms have already started

Call 911 for a seizure, confusion, hallucinations, chest pain, trouble breathing or someone who cannot be woken. Do not wait to see whether it passes.

If symptoms are milder but worrying, such as shaking, sweating, a racing heart, vomiting or being unable to sleep, contact a doctor, urgent care or a treatment service today. Tell them what you stopped, when and how much you had been using. This guide cannot tell you whether your symptoms are safe to manage at home.

Why the substance matters

NIAAA's treatment booklet warns that when someone who has been drinking heavily for a long time suddenly stops, the body can go into a painful or even life-threatening withdrawal. Symptoms can include nausea, a rapid heart rate and seizures. NIAAA's advice is to seek medical help to plan a safe way to stop.

Sedatives such as benzodiazepines also need medical advice before stopping. NIDA's Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment lists alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and other sedatives among the substances where medicines are used to help people through withdrawal. If a sedative is prescribed to you, do not stop or cut it without talking to the prescriber.

Opioid withdrawal is different. ASAM's patient guide on opioid treatment describes it as very uncomfortable but rarely life-threatening. It still recommends medicine-supported withdrawal over quitting “cold turkey”, which can lead to stronger cravings and continued use. NIDA adds a later danger: after a period without opioids, using the amount you once used can cause an overdose.

With other substances, NIDA's treatment overview notes that withdrawal can bring restlessness, sleeplessness, depression, anxiety and other mental health symptoms. Those deserve attention too, especially if you have thoughts of harming yourself; 988 is available by call, text or chat.

Other things that raise the risk

Some details can change the advice whatever the substance. Tell a clinician if you have had withdrawal symptoms before, especially seizures or confusion, if you use more than one substance, if you have heart, liver or other health conditions, if you take other medicines, or if you are pregnant.

During pregnancy, NIDA advises asking for medical help to stop, because withdrawing suddenly without medical help can put the pregnancy at risk. That applies even if you are frightened about what telling a doctor might mean.

What medical help with stopping involves

Asking for help does not automatically mean a hospital stay. Withdrawal can be managed in different settings depending on the assessment. Some people are seen as outpatients and checked regularly. Others need an overnight or hospital setting where they can be monitored.

Doctors can prescribe medicines that make withdrawal safer and less distressing, according to NIAAA. The choice of medicine and setting is a clinical decision based on what you use and your health. Do not use someone else's prescription or follow a schedule you found online.

When you call, you can say: “I want to stop drinking. I drink every day and I'm worried about withdrawal. What should I do first?” If the person answering cannot give medical advice, ask to speak to someone who can.

Stopping is the start, not the whole treatment

Getting through withdrawal safely is important, but it is not the same as treatment. NIDA explains that withdrawal care by itself does little to change long-term use. If you are stopping because you want things to change for good, ask what help is available after the first days, such as counseling, medication or peer support.

You do not need to have that part planned before you ask for help with stopping. Safety comes first.