CTY Withdrawal

CTY Withdrawal or Post-CTY Depression is a wave of intense sadness felt after leaving CTY, during which many CTYers miss their CTY friends and experiences. Sometimes, this can last for a few days, a few weeks until school starts again, or until one returns to CTY the next year. Cases of CTY Withdrawal are worse for nomores and nevermores. Due to the incident-based nature of CTY Withdrawal, it is likely to be medically accepted as a form of minor depression. It can be contrasted with Pre-CTY Euphoria, or CTY Tail Whip, the intense feeling of anticipation of a CTY session soon to begin.

Symptoms

CTY Withdrawal can lead to crying when hearing American Pie or other Canon songs, talking obsessively about CTY to friends from home (who have no idea what you mean and couldn't care less), and hastily organized end-of-summer reunions. It is also characterized by the feeling that you should have a lanyard around your neck (or waist, or hip, or body part of choice)--in December. It may involve mass-emailing everyone you knew at CTY, fearing that you will lose touch, and planning reunions throughout the year that no one is able to attend. CTY Withdrawal might also cause you to imagine that you see your CTY friends everywhere you go (when actually you're just seeing random people you've never met in stores and on the street) and having dreams involving only CTY people and having them morph into your non-CTY friends (and being incredibly disappointed).

In many cases, one's heart will be slightly broken from the pain they have been put through due to the end of CTY. They will probably regret certain things they did or didn't do, and they won't leave their room for hours on end. Furthermore, Post-CTY Depression (commonly referred to as PCTYD) takes a {very long} time to diminish, as the CTYer is still thinking things over. In many cases, this person will excessively miss their "special someone" from CTY and will be lamenting over the fact that they will either have to wait another year to see this person, or that they'll never meet again. Parents, it is normal if your child is acting withdrawn from "family time" and texts or visits Facebook nonstop. Also, please DON'T blast American Pie in the car as it leads to excessive weeping upon hearing the first note of the song. One should give the CTYer at least four months to heal (depending on the sensitivity of the CTYer, it may take more/less time to heal) completely and be able to listen to CTY songs without sobbing as soon as they hear it.

Other symptoms include:

• Excessive crying (noticeable as one is leaving campus)
• Constant re-checking of text messages
• Joining all CTY-affiliated Facebook groups
• Excessive Facebooking in general
• Spending way too much time on Facebook chats
• Over-playing canon songs including American Pie, Don't Stop Believing, and other canon.
• Constant posting on said friends' walls
• Gushing over photos five months after CTY ended (or excessive commenting)
• Hugging yourself or wishing you had someone to hug
• Randomly wearing your lanyard at times of sudden PCTYD
• Endlessly looking through old CTY pictures
• Sleeping at 10:30 every night (or rather, not sleeping at 10:30 every night)
• Believing you have a lanyard around your neck
• Seeing CTY-related stuff wherever you look, like seeing the word "city" but reading "CTY"
• Eating the same cereal you became used to
• Hanging your room sign outside of your room at your house
• Desperately seeking an assembly belt to put your plate on after dinners
• Running through sprinklers after dances
• Constantly mistaking random people in public places for people from CTY
• Air-raving, or going through the motions of raving without actually having any poi/glowstrings in your hands

Other Sorts of Withdrawal

For certain CTYers, Hug Withdrawal occurs as well. Hugs are often given in greetings and therefore when leaving CTY, you also leave constant hugs. Symptoms include hugging yourself very, very often. Makeout Withdrawal is also possible.

People who have attended CTY Carlisle and CTY Los Angeles also have Potato Withdrawl and have to deal with the fact that a potato-based dish is no longer served with every meal. Potato Withdrawl has been known to develop into a serious medical condition. Studies have shown that HUB 'taters contain vital nutrients that protect from numerous diseases. (including swine flu: R.I.P. CAR.09.1)

External Links

Post-CTY Depression, the new CTY communications hub, a forum, and a chat

PCTYD Pikachu, a meme developed by CTYers suffering from PCTYD