A faster but unpleasant method of stopping an addictive habit, such as drugs or alcohol. It means that you just totally, completely stop, and never
do it again (or at least try to).
Going cold turkey is opposed to stopping it by
gradually doing it less and less, or stopping it with help like special gum or medicine. You don't get any help; you just stop.
Lydia tried to smoke only one cigarette a week, but she ended up going back to her old habits. She decided to try out
going cold turkey.
"
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 -- most notably, the cold sweats and
gooseflesh. It is often preceded by the word 'going', as 'going cold turkey'."--Wikipedia