Is it hard to stop drinking?
Yes, parts of it. Not all of it, and not all at once. Here's which parts, when, and what makes them easier.
Yes, some of it is hard. I’m not going to tell you it’s easy, because you’d stop trusting me by Thursday. But “hard” isn’t one thing. It changes shape, and each shape has its own answer.
The short answer
The hardest part is different for different people and at different times. Physically it’s usually the first days. Then it’s the evenings, the sleep and the mood. Then it’s the unexpected craving. Setbacks are common, and they aren’t a failure (NIAAA). Most of what’s hard has something that makes it easier.
If you drink heavily every day, stopping suddenly can be dangerous. This is the one place I’d ask you to slow down. If you’re dependent, it can be very dangerous to stop suddenly, and that’s the NHS saying it plainly. Read the safety note at the end of this page first.
What is hard, and when
| Phase | What’s usually hard | What makes it easier |
|---|---|---|
| First days | Physical withdrawal: shaking, sweating, poor sleep, anxiety. Dangerous for some | Safety check, a set-up house, one person who knows |
| First weeks | Evenings, poor sleep, low mood, tiredness | A plan for the evening, a plain routine, knowing what’s normal |
| First months | Cravings in waves, boredom, being around alcohol, saying no | A craving plan, planned exits, an answer ready |
| Later | A surprise craving, a bad week, complacency | Staying sober long term, a slip plan |
The part that can be dangerous
Not everyone has a physically hard withdrawal. For people who drink heavily and daily, it can include seizures and confusion. The emergency signs (from MedlinePlus) are in the safety note at the end of this page. This is the one part where “hard” can mean “unsafe,” and the one part where checking first is worth it.
The part that is just uncomfortable
For many people, the first days are a mix of anxiety, shakiness, poor sleep and a headache. It’s unpleasant. It usually settles in 3 to 7 days (NHS). Food, water, rest and company help.
The part nobody warns you about
The weeks after. Among 1,005 people in treatment, anxiety and depression generally fell by week 2, but about a quarter started high and improved more slowly, and about 5 percent stayed high. If your mood is slow, it may be the normal slow one. If it’s heavy or persistent, that’s worth telling someone about.
And the evenings. The hour you used to drink doesn’t forget. A plan for that hour matters more than willpower.
Does it get easier
For most people, yes. People get through this, in very different ways. In a large U.S. survey (NESARC, 2001 to 2002), 35.9 percent of adults whose alcohol dependence began more than a year earlier were in full recovery, about half abstinent and half drinking at low risk. It’s one survey with a particular definition of recovery, so hold it loosely.
“Gets easier” isn’t a straight line. Cravings can come back after quiet months. That’s a feature of how the brain learns cues, not a sign you’ve lost your progress.
When you slip
Setbacks are common. One doesn’t mean it failed, and the NIAAA says the same. The useful question isn’t “why am I weak?” but “what happened in the hour before?” Change that, and go again.
My failed attempts taught me more than any advice did. For a long time I thought I was the problem. What I needed to change was the plan.
Where to go from here
If the hard part is cravings, Ease has a way through the next twenty minutes. If you are wondering whether you need to stop at all, should I stop drinking? has a self-check.
Keep reading in this guide
- Am I an alcoholic is the honest first answer, without a quiz.
- Why you can’t stop explains what is going on when you try and it does not hold.
How hard is it to stop drinking cold turkey?
If you drink heavily every day, it can be dangerous as well as hard, because withdrawal can include seizures. If you're dependent, stopping suddenly can be very dangerous, and the NHS says so plainly. If you drink less, it is usually uncomfortable rather than dangerous.
What is the hardest part of quitting drinking?
It differs. For many people it's the first few days physically, then the evenings and the weeks of poor sleep and low mood, then the unexpected craving months later.
What if I relapse?
Setbacks are common. One doesn't mean it failed, and the NIAAA says the same. Look at what led up to it and change the plan.
Sources
- Understanding alcohol use disorder · National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Alcohol-use disorder (NHS) · NHS, last reviewed April 2026
- Alcohol withdrawal (MedlinePlus) · U.S. National Library of Medicine, reviewed January 2025
- Subgroups of anxiety and depression trajectories during early abstinence in alcohol use disorder · Gopaldas, Flook, Hayes, Benningfield and Blackford, Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, 2025 (summary page)
We check these when we update a page. See how we write and check on the editorial policy.
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The First Hour isn't medical advice, and we're not doctors. This is writing grounded in research by people who got sober and wanted to share what helped. It's not treatment, diagnosis, or a substitute for a doctor, therapist, or recovery program. Alcohol withdrawal can be medically dangerous. If you're detoxing, struggling, or in crisis, please reach out to a medical professional or a helpline.