# Discontinuation syndrome, you mean withdrawal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 7, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449 "2015-05-07T04:57:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/1 "2015-05-07T04:57:12Z")
I’m kind of amused how pharmaceutical companies by pass stigma loaded words by inventing new ones. So if you stop taking heroin or alcohol or nicotine you go through withdrawal, if you stop taking a SSRI or benzo though you go through discontinuation syndrome. Nothing like that nasty stigma loaded word, no sir! 🙂 So basically if something has stigma attached, just invent a new term! Hello I work in sanitation engineering. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/2 "2015-05-07T06:41:35Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Hello I work in sanitation engineering. Janitors, street sweepers and cleaning ladies have been re-dubbed “surface technicians” here in France, quite a while ago. 15-20 years at least. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/3 "2015-05-07T11:22:17Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I’m kind of amused how pharmaceutical companies by pass stigma loaded words by inventing new ones. > > So if you stop taking heroin or alcohol or nicotine you go through withdrawal, if you stop taking a SSRI or benzo though you go through discontinuation syndrome. Nothing like that nasty stigma loaded word, no sir! There actually are some differences between going off heroin/alcohol/etc. and the SSRI’s. Getting over the effects of SSRI’s can take months and months whereas getting off heroin or alcohol results in more acute symptoms but over a much shorter time period. There is a difference. Whether or not that justifies a new name is debatable, but the effects of stopping the drugs are somewhat different ---
**Author:** ![Gothic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gothic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gothic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/4 "2015-05-07T12:22:55Z")
I wonder how many people are working on a new term for side effect. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/5 "2015-05-07T12:32:06Z")
> [@Gothic](#): > > I wonder how many people are working on a new term for side effect. Unexpected presents include suicidal thoughts, incontinence, slurred speech and irritability. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/6 "2015-05-07T12:36:19Z")
Will my Discontinuation Syndrome pop up while I’m driving my certified pre-owned car? ---
**Author:** ![Gothic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gothic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gothic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/7 "2015-05-07T12:41:18Z")
Features include spontaneous human combustion, rash, and headaches. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/8 "2015-05-07T20:08:14Z")
In Atlanta, to get rid of the criminal association to a particular set of addresses, they renamed the street. Really. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/9 "2015-05-07T20:14:46Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Unexpected presents include suicidal thoughts, incontinence, slurred speech and irritability. Bonus features include solutions to the overpopulation problem, automated urination, enhanced phonetic range and a new set of emotional responses for dealing with daily challenges. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/10 "2015-05-07T22:05:42Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Will my Discontinuation Syndrome pop up while I’m driving my certified pre-owned car? You mean your pre-owned all-wheel drive car to work from your efficiency apartment? ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/11 "2015-05-07T22:21:22Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Hello I work in sanitation engineering. I had a friend in high school who worked as a hydroceramic engineer. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/12 "2015-05-07T22:28:35Z")
Today I overheard somebody use the term “thought leader”. I had to look it up. If I had to reenter the workforce, I’m afraid I wouldn’t understand what was being said. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/13 "2015-05-07T22:40:31Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > In Atlanta, to get rid of the criminal association to a particular set of addresses, they renamed the street. Really. A huge apartment complex was renamed in my town for the same reason. :rolleyes: Unfortunately, the “situation” didn’t change. And yes, “discontinuation syndrome” for SSRIs or (even worse) SNRIs is NOT the same as withdrawal. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/14 "2015-05-07T22:43:27Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Today I overheard somebody use the term “thought leader”. I had to look it up. If I had to reenter the workforce, I’m afraid I wouldn’t understand what was being said. That almost sounds cultish. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/15 "2015-05-08T11:44:29Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Unexpected presents include suicidal thoughts, incontinence, slurred speech and irritability. If death occurs, discontinue use of product immediately… ---
**Author:** ![Teach-me-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a4c791/32.png) [@Teach-me-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teach-me-not)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/16 "2015-05-08T13:26:44Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > If death occurs, discontinue use of product immediately… What do I do if that triggers any discontinuation symptoms? 😕 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/17 "2015-05-08T16:45:03Z")
> [@Teach-me-not](#): > > What do I do if that triggers any discontinuation symptoms? 😕 > > 😃 Is “antidiscontinuation” the new “relapse”? ---
**Author:** ![Gothic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gothic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gothic)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/18 "2015-05-08T17:16:24Z")
The Long Goodbye ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discontinuation-syndrome-you-mean-withdrawal/719449/19 "2015-05-08T17:37:57Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > That almost sounds cultish. I think it definitely sounds cultish. I’ve seen that listed as a requirement on a few job advertisements, generally management positions of course but even the rare business analyst. The kind of all-in-one job ad where they want you to do three full time jobs in one 80-hour workweek. Thought Leader is one of those keywords that I pick up to mean "run like the wind AWAY from this company, because they’re full of bullshit policies and silly “idea men” who throw out wild things and expect the underlings to execute them all yesterday. Another one is “rapidly changing priorities”.