History Main / PhlebotinumDependence

* Paul Turner from ''Strange World'' is pressured to work as a double agent in exchange for a serum that will keep his aplastic anemia in remission. [[spoiler:{{Subverted|Trope}} when it turns out that it wasn't the serum that was responsible.]]

* The ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' games are full of a wide assortment of {{Fantastic Drug}}s (and mundane ones), any of which can potentially become addictive after only a couple of uses, with the withdrawal symptoms causing stat debuffs whenever you aren't on the drug in question. Luckily, it's pretty straightforward for any doctor to rid you of your addictions (and in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' there's a consumable item that does it for you).

* The dinosaurs in ''Literature/JurassicPark'' are engineered not to produce lysine, requiring humans to administer it. [[ArtisticLicenseBiology Pity nobody told the engineers that no vertebrates known to man do it either, and we all still survive]]. The book and sequels realize this and show how well it worked -- i.e., not at all.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In order to survive for centuries beyond his natural lifespan, [[Characters/TheOwlHouseEmperorBelos Emperor Belos's]] been regularly consuming the souls of palismen. However, doing this for so long has warped his physical body into a rotted, sludge-like monstrosity barely kept under control by increasingly frequent palisman consumption, something made much more difficult by the present day due to the near-extinction of the Palistrom trees that are used to create palismen.

See also ManInTheMachine, PhlebotinumMuncher, BottledHeroicResolve, ToxicPhlebotinum, and WithholdingTheCure. Compare JunkieProphet and TerminallyDependentSociety, for when an entire community is dependent on a particular thing. May overlap with the PoisonAndCureGambit.

[[folder:Film]]

Not all our heroes have [[HealingFactor perfect health]]. A few don't even have normal health. And a few might need regular or continuous doses of some specific AppliedPhlebotinum to live. No, he isn't simply BroughtDownToNormal until he can recharge. He will die, often slowly and painfully, without it.

In theory, anyway. Realistically, we'll probably get to see a few [[RedShirt Redshirts]] with a similar handicap kick the bucket in order to emphasize just how agonizingly awful it would be to skip a dose. But fortunately our protagonists have HeroicWillpower, so expect them to keep being awesome right to the end (with much panting, grimacing, and comments of "YouCanBarelyStand", to let us know how much pain they're in).

See also ManInTheMachine, PhlebotinumMuncher, BottledHeroicResolve, ToxicPhlebotinum, and WithholdingTheCure. Compare JunkieProphet and TerminallyDependentSociety, where an entire community is dependent on a particular thing. May overlap with the PoisonAndCureGambit.

* Franchise/{{Superman}} archnemesis Metallo. Uranium capsules will sustain his robot body for a short time but kryptonite will sustain it indefinitely. Carrying around Superman's weakness in his chest is just icing on the cake.
** Ultraman, the version from the anti-matter universe that's an evil counterpart to Superman, requires periodic exposure to Anti Kryptonite to maintain his powers. Its unclear whether it simply keeps him powered or keeps him alive. He seems to be in bad shape without it but he's also fighting ComicBook/MartianManhunter at the time.
** Parasite is on a strict diet of the life force of living creatures. Superman is a giant buffet for him.
* In some depictions, Franchise/{{Batman}} nemesis Clayface requires treatments to keep his body from dissolving. Regardless of the situation, he's always looking for something to give him better control of his form.
* In the recent ComicBook/GreenLantern titles Sodam Yat must now permanently wear a power ring, despite being the bearer of the Ion, to keep him from dying of lead poisoning he received at the hands of Superboy Prime.
** Likewise, bearers of the red power rings will die if their rings are removed, because the red light replaces their blood with its energy. Only a Blue Lantern can purge it from their bodies.
* In DanielClowes' ComicBook/CaptainAmerica parody ''The Battlin' American,'' the super syrum is extremely addictive, causing heroin-like withdrawal symptoms.
* For much of his history, ComicBook/IronMan has needed to wear his armor's chest plate to keep his heart beating. In the early days, he had to recharge it regularly to prevent a heart attack. Over the years, various procedures have cured the necessity [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption only to have some new condition once again force dependence on his armor.]]

* In ''ComicBook/DeadNoMoreTheCloneConspiracy'', the Jackal resurrects scores of Spider-Man's friends (and enemies) in new cloned bodies. He tells each one that he has put in a "genetic failsafe" that will cause their bodies to break down unless they take a special pill every day. The Jackal uses this to control these people to follow his plans.
** After resurrecting Doctor Octopus, the Jackal offers him the pill and the same speech on "this is to make sure you fall in line." Otto simply smirks that the others may buy that but he's already figured out that the "failsafe" isn't deliberate; the Jackal doesn't know ''how'' to fix the clone degradation and use the pill excuse to make the others think he has more control than he does. The Jackal is forced to admit he's right.

* ''FanFic/TheDragonKingsTemple:'' The Asyuntian Renegades have been altered to incorporate naquadah into their basic biology. This not only fuels their ElementalPowers, but makes them stronger and tougher than humans. Unfortunately, it also means that if they are deprived of naquadah, they will sicken and die, much as humans will if deprived of any of the metals our biology uses. Normally this isn't much of a problem, since not only is Asyunti's ecosystem impregnated with naquadah, but the Renegades can biosynthesize it with exposure to their associated element. Unfortunately, our two heroes have accidentally been transported to earth (which has no naquadah in its ecosystem), and have been locked up by well-meaning idiots who don't understand that one of them needs to be under Sun to live.
* In ''[[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/420995/1/pastoral-vignette/you-wont-believe-what-happens-next Pastoral Vignette]]'', Vignette Valencia turns out to be biologically dependent on ''internet access''. When she get punched into another dimension where the internet doesn't exist, she goes into shock and nearly dies before the natives figure out how to stabilize her.

* ''Film/IronMan'': Tony Stark needs to keep his electromagnet on so that shrapnel in his chest won't migrate to his heart. [[spoiler: Said electromagnet is powered by [[ToxicPhlebotinum palladium]].]] JARVIS even lampshades the irony of the situation. [[spoiler:In the [[Film/IronMan2 sequel]] he creates a new element to replace the palladium. In the [[Film/IronMan3 third movie]] however the pieces of shrapnel are finally removed so he won't need it anymore.]]

* In the ''Literature/PlagueYearSeries'' by Jeff Carlson, a deadly nanotech has covered the planet and exists everywhere below 10,000ft in elevation. To be able to freely walk below 10,000 ft, someone must have a corresponding "vaccine" nano. Unfortunately, the original nano will never go away, so it and the vaccine nano are now permanent facts of life.
* In ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'', nearly all humans have been consuming spice for over 10,000 years and have become addicted to it in more ways than one. The Fremen are the most addicted, as spice is present in the very air on Arrakis, which is shown by their "blue-within-blue" eyes.
** Society itself has become dependent on spice. Even people who don't directly consume it depend on it because spice imbibing Guild Navigators are the only reliable means of navigating faster than light travel.

** The Guild Navigators are the ultimate expression of this trope in the Dune universe. While most humans can become dependent on it to the point where withdrawal can be fatal, Navigators are so saturated and mutated by the spice that they require it in gaseous form constantly to even breathe.
* The dinosaurs in ''Literature/JurassicPark'' are engineered not to produce lysine, requiring humans to administer it. [[CriticalResearchFailure Pity nobody told the engineers that no vertebrates known to man do it either, and we all still survive.]] The book and sequels realize this and show how well it worked -- i.e. not at all.
* In Creator/MichaelMoorcock's ''Literature/TheElricSaga'', the hero is an otherwise sickly and weak albino who needs exotic drugs or the dread sword Stormbringer to live. While he realises possession of the Sword negates his needs for the drug, he is sickened at the price it exacts. In one story, the villain Yyrkoon keeps him prisoner and withholds both the drugs and access to the Sword for the sheer pleasure of watching his nemesis sicken and die.
* Creator/NKJemisin's ''Literature/DreambloodDuology'': The Gatherers of Hananja gain powerful {{Dream Walk|er}}ing magic but can no longer produce dreamblood, a {{Mana}}-like substance that's normally generated by the AnatomyOfTheSoul. Without regular infusions, their souls start to degrade, which can ultimately cause an irreversible transformation into a [[PersonOfMassDestruction Reaper]].
* ''Literature/TheLicaniusTrilogy'': The Lyth are a race of EnergyBeings, creatures of pure Essence created when a malfunctioning superweapon stripped away their physical bodies. However, without the protection of a physical body, their Essence is subject to the Law of Decay and rapidly evaporates. Thus, if they go for more than a handful of minutes outside the overwhelming Essence of Res Kartha, they will fade into nothingness.

** Tretonin, a chemical used to remedy the Jaffa's dependence on the Goa'uld for survival. (And made from ground-up symbiotes, at least until they figured out how to make a synthetic version.) Tretonin can also be used by regular humans (that's what the Pangarans originally developed it for), but causes the same side effects of completely replacing the natural immune system and thus making anyone who takes it unable to live without it. For the Jaffa who already lack a natural immune system, this is of course a non-issue.

* The title character of the Sci-Fi Channel's ''Series/TheInvisibleMan'' series needed periodic injections, to keep him from going AxCrazy from the [[AppliedPhlebotinum Quicksilver]] in his system. [[spoiler:In the SeriesFinale he's given a permanent cure to the insanity problem.]] This flaw is deliberately introduced by the BigBad to keep his buyers dependent on him.
* Paul Turner on ''Strange World'' was pressured to work as a double agent in exchange for a serum that would keep his aplastic anemia in remission. [[spoiler: Subverted when it turned out it wasn't the serum that was responsible.]]
* The Jem'Hadar of ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' are addicted to the substance Ketracel White, to keep them loyal to the Founders. While ''most'' Jem'Hadar are innately loyal to the Founders anyway (on account of being programmed to consider them gods), the Founders included a failsafe. It provides all the sustenance they need to survive, removing the need to eat or drink, but they also ''can't'' take nourishment from any other source. Depriving a Jem'Hadar of the White causes them to go [[AxCrazy violently insane]] and then drop dead. There are a few very rare mutants who don't need the White, but in general even they don't know it.
** So rare in fact that only one, Goran'Agar, was ever found. [[ResetButton And then quickly]] [[StatusQuoIsGod forgotten about]].
** Two, if you count Taran'atar from the ExpandedUniverse, specifically chosen for his experience and immunity to the White by Odo to be the Dominion representative on Deep Space Nine.
* Played with in '''[[http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Symbiosis_%28episode%29 Symbiosis,]]''' a first season episode of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. The Ornarans contracted a plague two hundred years earlier, and believe they need continued "treatments" provided by the Brekkians to stay alive. Upon witnessing two Ornarans receiving a "treatment", Dr. Crusher instantly realizes that the "treatment" is actually a ''narcotic''; the plague is long gone, but the Ornarans find withdrawal so traumatic that they're sure that they're still sick - not to mention that [[DrugsAreBad the drugs are making them so stupid]] they can no longer effectively perform basic maintenance on their ships, let along think clearly about the plague. The Brekkians are fully aware of this, but no longer need to work as long as they can trade the "treatments" for Ornaran goods. While the [[AlienNonInterferenceClause Prime Directive]] forbids [[TheCaptain Picard]] from revealing the truth to the wronged race, he finds a way to correct the situation by refusing repairs to their few remaining ships. Without the ships, they will have no way to get the "treatments" and will eventually realize they're not actually sick. Of course, the Brekkians are going to have an [[InferredHolocaust economic holocaust]], but after ''two centuries'' of enslaving the other world with needles to the point that they're no longer coherent enough to ''repair their own ships'', you might call it LaserGuidedKarma.
* In ''Series/{{Lexx}}'', Divine Assassin Kai needs protoblood [[spoiler:the blood of an Insect]] to maintain his undead existence. It stops being an issue after the first season when the crew manages to get a good supply of protoblood.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' fantasy: The elven High Mage Teclis is the single most wise and powerful magic user in the world, but his body is so weak he needs to be constantly fed healing potions to keep his heart beating.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'' has the odd example of Juicers. The chemicals that give them their superhuman qualities will also kill them in a maximum of seven years (and kill them so badly that even a ''god'' can't bring them back from the dead - their bodies are completely burned out). But going off the chemicals is a ''horrible'' ordeal, so much so that most Juicers would rather die when their time's up than even consider stopping. The chems will kill them, but they can't live without them.

* In ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'', people taking ADAM will go insane if they do it too often... and if they stop after that, there's a good chance it'll kill them. And worse still, Rapture's various businesses used it for almost everything, from sport to cosmetic surgery- up until people started going crazy and attacking other citizens for their ADAM.
* [[MageKiller Templars]] in the ''Franchise/DragonAge'' series develop Lyrium addiction over time, officially, because their AntiMagic powers run on it. Unofficially, it's pretty clear that the [[TheChurch Chantry]] hooks them up on Lyrium on purpose to keep them on a short leash.
* In ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'', all augmented humans (with the exception of the main character) must take Neuropozyne regularly. Otherwise, their body rejects the augments, the results are... not fun.
** Of course, the side effects of ''Neuropozyne'' are not a lot of fun either: [[spoiler: psychosis, mental degradation, and phobia are just the tip of the iceberg.]]
** Lest you think this merely sci-fi mumbo jumbo, many RealLife recipients of organ transplants need to do this too.
** The entire plot is kicked off by a breakthrough [[spoiler:thanks to the protagonist's unique genetic structure due to gene therapy experiments performed on him when he was a baby]] that could remove the need for Neuropozyne [[spoiler:and the Illuminati's attempt to suppress it.]]

* In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'', we discover that some Sirens can enhance their natural powers with Eridium. However, if they use too much, they eventually become dependent. Thankfully, it seems like they have to take a ''lot'' to reach that point. As in, having it pumped into their systems constantly over a period of years.
* ''VideoGame/DeadRising2'' introduces Zombrex, a medication that, if taken daily, will hold off transformation into a zombie. Originally it was only good for twelve hours, but in the three years between ''Case Zero'' and the game proper, they improved it. Several major characters rely on it, [[spoiler:including Frank West]]. In the [[VideoGame/DeadRising3 third game]], the main character Nick is bitten partway through the game and resigns himself to his fate when he can't find any Zombrex. Only to discover [[spoiler:that he's TheImmune since Carlito inoculated him with the cure to zombification as a failsafe to prevent his ZombieApocalypse from wiping out humanity entirely.]]

* A plot point in ''Videogame/ResidentEvil5''. [[BigBad Albert Wesker]] gained potent physical abilities [[DeathActivatedSuperpower after being impaled by a Tyrant in the first game]] thanks to his earlier exposure to the Progenitor Virus in his youth and another cocktail of viruses he ingested moments before his "death". He requires regular and precise doses of the viral cocktail to keep his mind and body stable. The heroes overpower him in the penultimate boss battle by giving him an overdose, triggering a VillainousBreakdown.
* In ''VideoGame/EndlessLegend'' the Broken Lords are were once mortal humans who converted themselves into EnergyBeings to survive the long winters of Auriga. However they now become dependent on Dust to sustain themselves, the other alternatives is for them to drain the life force of other living beings.

* In ''VideoGame/RimWorld'', a colonist who has been shot in the head will be stuck in an endless coma if they survive. There is a way to wake them up, but it involves dosing them with a rare, uncraftable drug that will increase their blood flow. The caveat is that, once they've taken the drug once, they require regular doses or they will suffer the invariably fatal withdrawal symptoms. The drug's name? '''[[DealWithTheDevil Luciferium.]]'''

* WesternAnimation/{{Cybersix}} was designed so that she requires "Sustenance" in order to live. With the only source of Sustenance being the man who created her, she is forced to extract it from the creatures that he sends to destroy her.

* What would you need with a ''complex organic molecule'', ''acidic hydroxide'' and an ''oxidiser''? Why, you must eat ''sugar'', drink ''water'' and breathe ''oxygen'' to live. All three, in inappropriate concentrations and/or locations, can be deadly. (Excess free water can lyse cells, to say nothing of water shifting to places it shouldn't, as in pulmonary edema; oxygen can cause free radical damage to tissues, and oxygen toxicity is heavily implicated in retinopathy of prematurity; and either too little or too much circulating glucose--known more prosaically as diabetes--can cause metabolic derangements leading to irreversible brain damage, coma and death.)
* Diabetes type 2 sufferers are sometimes capable of producing insulin in limited amounts, but both they and Type 1 sufferers (who's bodies cannot make insulin at ALL) require daily doses of insulin to, quite literally, prevent them from falling into a coma and dying.
* ACE inhibitors are taken by people with heart disease. There are similar drugs in existence for controlling lung, liver, kidney, and pancreatic diseases.
* Long term alcohol addicts might find that withdrawing cold turkey can kill them through shock. A theoretical possibility of death also exists with benzodiazepines and barbiturates, because withdrawal from them can cause seizures, but alcohol withdrawal is the only withdrawal syndrome known to have actually killed anyone.

* In ''VideoGame/EndlessLegend'' the Broken Lords are were once mortal humans who converted themselves into EnergyBeing's to survive the long winters of Auriga. However they now become dependent on Dust to sustain themselves, the other alternatives is for them to drain the life force of other living beings.

See also PhlebotinumMuncher, BottledHeroicResolve, ToxicPhlebotinum, and WithholdingTheCure. Compare JunkieProphet and TerminallyDependentSociety, where an entire community is dependent on a particular thing. May overlap with the PoisonAndCureGambit.