Methodology: how these timelines are built

Every milestone in Stop & Heal — and in the guides on this site — was written by reviewing published literature on the physical recovery process of that addiction, and each carries an evidence tag so you can see how solid the ground is.

Sources

For substance addictions (nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, cannabis), timelines lean primarily on official health bodies and clinical literature: WHO, the US Surgeon General, CDC, NHS, and peer-reviewed reviews. Nicotine milestones, for example, align with the CDC and Surgeon General cessation timelines.

For behavioral addictions (gambling, gaming, porn, phone, shopping, love), the clinical literature is younger. Where human evidence is thin, we say so — that's what the tags are for.

The three evidence levels

• Solid — repeatedly confirmed in human studies; official health bodies state it directly.
• Reasonable — supported by clinical research, with some variability between studies or populations.
• Indicative — early, observational, or commonly-reported findings; biologically plausible but not yet firmly established.

Honest limits

Timelines describe typical patterns. Your dose, duration, genetics and health shift every number. Milestones are motivation and education — not a diagnosis, not a schedule your body signed. When your experience and the timeline disagree, your body wins, and questions belong to a health professional.

This guide is general educational information compiled from public health literature. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Withdrawal from alcohol and some substances can be dangerous — talk to a health professional before quitting.