Content & Trigger Warnings for Dopesick (2021)
16 content warnings identified across 1 season for this show.
Quick Summary
Yes, Dopesick (2021) contains 16 content warnings : Death of a child, Death of a parent, Grief / bereavement (major focus), Suicide (discussed or ideation), Terminal illness, Gaslighting / emotional manipulation, Wrongful imprisonment, Blood / medical gore, Needles / medical procedures, Vomit / emesis (emetophobia), Alcohol abuse (depicted), Drug use (depicted), Overdose scenes, Domestic violence / intimate partner abuse, Self-harm / suicide (depicted), Torture.
The most severe warnings are for Death of a child (severity 4/5), Grief / bereavement (major focus) (severity 5/5), Suicide (discussed or ideation) (severity 4/5), Terminal illness (severity 4/5), Gaslighting / emotional manipulation (severity 5/5), Needles / medical procedures (severity 5/5), Drug use (depicted) (severity 5/5), Overdose scenes (severity 5/5), Self-harm / suicide (depicted) (severity 4/5).
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Does It Get Worse?
14 series-wide warnings apply across all seasons.
| Warning | Season | Severity | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental Health & Emotional | ||||
| Death of a child | S1 | 4/5 | Depicted | Parents lose children to overdose deaths in deeply distressing scenes |
| Death of a parent | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Children lose parents to the opioid epidemic |
| Death of a parent | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Parents die from overdoses, leaving children and families devastated. |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | S1 | 4/5 | Depicted | Families devastated by addiction-related loss and the destruction of loved ones |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Profound grief permeates the series as communities are ravaged by addiction and death. |
| Suicide (discussed or ideation) | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Characters in the depths of addiction contemplate and attempt suicide |
| Suicide (discussed or ideation) | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Characters express hopelessness and suicidal thoughts as addiction destroys their lives. |
| Terminal illness | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Patients initially prescribed OxyContin for serious medical conditions and chronic pain |
| Terminal illness | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Patients dealing with chronic pain and terminal conditions are depicted as victims of the opioid crisis. |
| Other | ||||
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | S1 | 5/5 | Depicted | Purdue Pharma executives systematically lie about OxyContin's addictive properties |
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Purdue Pharma's systematic deception of doctors and patients about OxyContin's addictiveness is a central theme. |
| Wrongful imprisonment | S1 | 2/5 | Depicted | Addicts face unjust criminal penalties while corporate criminals go free |
| Wrongful imprisonment | All | 2/5 | Depicted | Addicted individuals face incarceration while the corporate perpetrators face minimal consequences. |
| Phobias & Sensory | ||||
| Blood / medical gore | All | 2/5 | Depicted | Some blood shown during medical scenes and the physical deterioration of addicted characters. |
| Needles / medical procedures | S1 | 5/5 | Depicted | Frequent scenes of injections, IV drug use, and medical procedures |
| Needles / medical procedures | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Frequent depiction of needle injection for both medical prescriptions and illicit drug use. |
| Vomit / emesis (emetophobia) | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Withdrawal and overdose scenes include vomiting |
| Vomit / emesis (emetophobia) | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Withdrawal symptoms including vomiting are depicted during detox scenes. |
| Substance Use | ||||
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | S1 | 2/5 | Depicted | Some characters also struggle with alcohol alongside opioid addiction |
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Alcohol abuse accompanies drug addiction for some characters. |
| Drug use (depicted) | S1 | 5/5 | Depicted | Central focus on OxyContin addiction with detailed depictions of opioid use throughout |
| Drug use (depicted) | All | 5/5 | Depicted | The entire series centers on opioid addiction, with extensive depiction of drug use and its devastating effects. |
| Overdose scenes | S1 | 5/5 | Depicted | Multiple overdose scenes depicted graphically, some resulting in death |
| Overdose scenes | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Multiple overdose scenes are graphically depicted, showing the physical reality of opioid overdoses. |
| Violence & Physical Harm | ||||
| Domestic violence / intimate partner abuse | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Addiction strains relationships leading to domestic conflict and violence |
| Self-harm / suicide (depicted) | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Self-destructive behavior escalates as addiction takes hold |
| Self-harm / suicide (depicted) | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Characters engage in self-destructive behavior and suicidal actions driven by addiction. |
| Torture | All | 2/5 | Depicted | The physical agony of withdrawal is depicted in a way that resembles torture. |
Mental Health & Emotional
Parents lose children to overdose deaths in deeply distressing scenes
Parents die from overdoses, leaving children and families devastated.
Families devastated by addiction-related loss and the destruction of loved ones
Profound grief permeates the series as communities are ravaged by addiction and death.
Characters in the depths of addiction contemplate and attempt suicide
Characters express hopelessness and suicidal thoughts as addiction destroys their lives.
Patients initially prescribed OxyContin for serious medical conditions and chronic pain
Patients dealing with chronic pain and terminal conditions are depicted as victims of the opioid crisis.
Other
Purdue Pharma executives systematically lie about OxyContin's addictive properties
Purdue Pharma's systematic deception of doctors and patients about OxyContin's addictiveness is a central theme.
Addicts face unjust criminal penalties while corporate criminals go free
Addicted individuals face incarceration while the corporate perpetrators face minimal consequences.
Phobias & Sensory
Some blood shown during medical scenes and the physical deterioration of addicted characters.
Frequent scenes of injections, IV drug use, and medical procedures
Frequent depiction of needle injection for both medical prescriptions and illicit drug use.
Withdrawal symptoms including vomiting are depicted during detox scenes.
Substance Use
Some characters also struggle with alcohol alongside opioid addiction
Alcohol abuse accompanies drug addiction for some characters.
Central focus on OxyContin addiction with detailed depictions of opioid use throughout
The entire series centers on opioid addiction, with extensive depiction of drug use and its devastating effects.
Multiple overdose scenes depicted graphically, some resulting in death
Multiple overdose scenes are graphically depicted, showing the physical reality of opioid overdoses.
Violence & Physical Harm
Addiction strains relationships leading to domestic conflict and violence
Self-destructive behavior escalates as addiction takes hold
Characters engage in self-destructive behavior and suicidal actions driven by addiction.
The physical agony of withdrawal is depicted in a way that resembles torture.
