Cold Turkey or Gradual Slowdown

The problem with discussing cold turkey vs. gradual slowdown is that in both cases you're looking at the future instead of the present. And you can't predict your circumstances or feelings in the future.

How do you know you can hold out another day/week/month/year?

Also, if you look at the future, that can stress you out because you see the tall mountain instead of the hair you must overcome.

Try the "one day at a time" approach, then the whole discussion becomes irrelevant.

On any given day we're either capable of surrendering or we're not. If we're capable, that means we have G-d's help to succeed, and that help will probably come in the form the 12 Step Program.