"Cold turkey" is a term describing the actions of a person who gives up his habit or addiction at a single moment, rather than through gradually easing the process through tapering off or supplemental medication. The term allegedly derives from the comparison of a cold turkey carcass and the state of a withdrawing addict. It is often preceded by the word 'going', as 'going cold turkey'.
Going cold turkey can cause life-threatening delirium tremens in long-time alcoholics and thus is not an appropriate method for breaking an alcohol addiction. Users with a physical dependence on barbiturates can also be endangering themselves by going cold turkey. In the case of most other drugs it is extremely unpleasant, but not actually dangerous.
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