People with addiction issues should avoid going ‘cold turkey’ in January, according to national charity Change, Grow, Live (CGL).
‘New Year’s resolutions are great, but stopping alcohol or sedative drugs (like Valium or sleeping tablets) suddenly, if you use them most days, could land you in A&E or worse,’ said Ken Checinski, CGL’s lead consultant in the South East. ‘It’s better to seek advice for your addiction issues to understand the mental and general health risks of going “cold turkey”, and to get the right support to stop using drugs and alcohol, safely.’
The charity’s advice focuses on health checks, offering prescribing services rooted in harm reduction to help individuals recover at their own pace, and one-to-one support with a recovery professional.
Their ‘top tips for recovery in 2017’ include ‘Look after your mental health and wellbeing’, ‘Be inspired by connecting with peer mentors’ and ‘Know that there is light at the end of the tunnel – never give up.’