The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Recovery Library
Don’t Panic: The First 72 Hours
A free guide for adults who are stopping drinking or using and need a clear next step.
If you need help now
If you or someone else may be in immediate danger, call 911. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988. For free help finding treatment, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
The guide
Don’t Panic: The First 72 Hours is general information for adults. It does not replace medical care, crisis care, or a treatment program.
The guide covers immediate safety, withdrawal risk, overdose risk, free and low-cost help, and a practical plan for getting through the next hours.
Download the free PDFFree to download, print, and share. Not medical advice.
If you are in danger, call 911. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.
Stopping alcohol or some other drugs suddenly can be dangerous. Talk to a doctor or call 1-800-662-4357 for free help finding care.
Also available in Kindle and paperback editions on Amazon.
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This book is general information for adults. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and it does not replace care from a doctor, nurse, counselor, or treatment program. Reading it does not create a doctor-patient or counselor-client relationship with the author or the publisher.
Withdrawal from alcohol, benzodiazepines, and some other drugs can be life-threatening. Talk with a medical professional before you stop. If you are pregnant, get medical care before stopping alcohol or opioids.
In an emergency, call 911. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988. For free, confidential help finding treatment, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
The phone numbers, websites, and programs in this book were checked in September 2026 and can change. Alder Creek Editions is not connected to any organization named in it and is not responsible for the content of outside websites or the services of any program.
This book is offered as is, without warranties of any kind. To the extent the law allows, the author and Alder Creek Editions are not liable for any loss or harm arising from its use.
You may print this book for your own use and give printed or digital copies away free to anyone who needs it. You may not sell it, charge for it, or change its contents. Copyright © 2026 Stephen Deason. All rights reserved.
Published by Alder Creek Editions
Recovery resources
This guide is part of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Recovery Library, a growing collection of practical books and tools for people beginning recovery.
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