What is withdrawal?

Withdrawal is when something you really like goes away, and it makes you feel a little sad or uncomfortable until it comes back.

Imagine you have your favorite toy, let's say it's a super cool robot that plays music and dances. Every day after school, you press its button, and it makes you happy. One day, the robot stops working. You don’t know why, but you feel kind of lonely and upset because your favorite toy is gone.

That’s like withdrawal, when something good or exciting you’ve been used to suddenly isn’t there anymore, and it feels strange until it comes back.

Sometimes, withdrawal happens because you've gotten used to having something all the time. Like if you drink a big glass of juice every morning, and one day you skip it, you might feel a little grumpy or tired because your body is used to that happy start.

Or maybe you're playing with your best friend, and then they have to go home. You miss them until they come back the next day. That’s also like withdrawal, missing something until it returns.