What does quitting cold turkey mean? No-one seems to know where the actual phrase 'cold turkey' comes from. Maybe something to do with have goose bumps* But then it would be cold goose?
Originally the term 'cold turkey' was used in connection with some kind of substance abuse like using drugs. Then it started being used for quitting bad habits, like stopping smoking. So when we talk about quitting smoking cold turkey that it taken to mean that a smoker puts out a cigarette and then makes a decision not to smoke another cigarette ever again. Cold turkey method is to use the force of your willpower not to smoke again, even when want to very much.
Now, if you check Google search, then you will find that quitting 'cold turkey' is the method to quit smoking, that most smokers would prefer to use. This is because cold turkey seems like the be the easiest way to quit smoking. Decide to stop smoking and then do it!
I remember how my mother, a lifelong non-smoker, telling me all the the time, how she wished that all three of her chain-smoking children - and her heavy smoking husband, my father, would STOP! “Why don’t you just stop smoking?”
We knew she meant well but still, it got a very annoying sometimes because she didn’t understand that it was not that simple. I remember often replying sarcastically and saying, “Thanks for the tip Mum, what a great idea! I never thought of that! I will stop after this one!”
Of course I didn’t stop because I couldn’t quit just like that. I was addicted to nicotine and the smoking habit was ingrained in all aspects of my life and my siblings and father. My mother meant well but she just didn’t know how hard it was to stop. not being addicted herself. Like many others, she thought it was an easy personal choice to decide to smoke or not. She thought we could all easily stop cold turkey.
I agree that quitting cold turkey is the best way to quit smoking, but it’s just not that easy. Most smokers already know this. If it was that easy, and if you could just decide to stop smoking from one moment to the next, then everyone would do it. We make cold turkey decisions every day about many other things in life. You might a couple of Woody Allen movies and then decide that you don’t really like them and so you just decide not to spend time on his movies anymore.
It’s easy to quit Woody Allen movies cold turkey. When someone asks if you want to go see the new Woody Allen movie, you stick to your decision and just say 'No Way!'. You don’t need Woody Allen patches, Woody Allen gum, Woody hypnosis, Woody acupuncture or e-Woody movies. I guess that would be the same movie without Woody Allen? Who knows, because these things don’t exist because Woody Allen is not addictive or habit forming. You can quit Woody Allen cold turkey anytime.
Many things in life are not addictive or habit forming and can easily be quit cold turkey. You buy a pair of red shoes and decide red shoes don’t suit you. So you decide not to buy or wear red shoes again and quit red shoes cold turkey. Easy! Again.. No red shoe gum, patches, therapy, hypnosis is needed.
But just deciding to quit smoking cold turkey is not that easy because of the nicotine addiction and the habits and cravings formed by the addiction. But, and this is the good news, there is a way.
Quitting cold turkey is still the best way to quit smoking and when you know how to do it, then of course it can be done and is the best way because you quit using information and willpower.
The Stepbac® method in our book “Stepbac® from Smoking”, describes in a clear and simple way with 40 illustrations exactly how to quit cold turkey using Stepbac®. The idea is that you take a Stepbac® to the day before you lit your first (probably stolen from your parents) cigarette and become a non-smoker again.
We explain the four things that make you want to keep smoking and then we teach you one thing to help you to quit cold turkey. So if you want to quit smoking cold turkey, and buy “Stepbac® from Smoking” book on Amazon, read it on any tablet, e-reader, smartphone or Kindle, and now in Paperback and you will know how. When you have read the book, then you will know how to quit cold turkey. Try it. The book is an easy read, lots of pictures and costs less than a couple of packs of smokes!
Good luck and I sincerely hope you enjoy your new non-smoking life.
DISCLAIMER. Individual quit smoking results may vary
