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Amy Winehouse's family believe she died as a result of alcohol withdrawal after she stopped drinking cold turkey.

"Abstinence gave her body such a fright they thought it was eventually the cause of her death," a source close to family told Britain's The Sun.

Known as a heavy drinker, Winehouse had reportedly been advised by her doctor to quit drinking gradually, but she ignored the advice.

Her father, Mitch Winehouse, denied reports that his daughter had been binge drinking in the 72 hours leading up to her death.

"He said doctors had told Amy to gradually reduce her intake of alcohol and to avoid binging at all costs. Amy told him she couldn't do that. It was all or nothing and she gave up completely," the source told The Sun. "Mitch said the shock of giving up, after everything she had been through over a bad few years, was just too much for her to take."

The 27-year old Winehouse was found dead at her London home on Saturday (July 23).

Toxicology tests are being performed, but the results won't be known for weeks.