UNDERSTANDING
WITHDRAWAL
*A Note on Language
We honor the experiences of participants with lived/living experience by not changing the language people used in these videos. However, some of the videos contain language that can perpetuate stigma toward people with substance use disorders. As healthcare workers, we should use person-first language to reduce stigma and bias. Not doing so leads to worse outcomes and experiences. Please review this NIDA page on person-first language for preferred terms to use when communicating both verbally and in charts.
What withdrawal feels like and how best to treat it.
Going through withdrawal is often the cost of being admitted to the hospital for people who use substances. Withdrawal can cause excruciating physical and psychological pain, but it is often under recognized and under treated in hospital settings. Recognizing the symptoms of withdrawal and appropriately treating withdrawal can be a matter of life and death, allowing people who use substances to remain in the hospital and get the care they need.
