opiumism
Definition
Noun: "opiumism" refers to the condition of being addicted to opium, characterized by a compulsive need for the drug and resulting physiological and psychological dependence.
Usage Examples
- (The state of addiction to opium causes long-term health and social problems.)
- (The addiction to opium requires professional medical intervention.)
Advanced Usage
- "Opiumism as a historical term": In 19th-century medical literature, "opiumism" was used to describe both the addiction itself and the broader social phenomenon of opium abuse.
- The rise of opiumism in Victorian England was linked to the widespread availability of laudanum. (The addiction to opium became a public health concern due to easy access to the drug.)
Variants and Related Words
Opium (n): a narcotic drug obtained from the poppy plant, used in medicine but also abused for its euphoric effects.
- Opium was once used as a painkiller before its addictive properties were fully understood. (The drug itself is the source of the addiction.)
Opium-eater (n): a person who habitually consumes opium.
- Thomas De Quincey's "Confessions of an English Opium-Eater" describes his personal experience with opiumism. (A person addicted to opium.)
Synonyms
- Opium addiction: the state of being dependent on opium.
- Opium dependence: a medical term for the condition of requiring opium to function normally.
Related Idioms
- "Under the influence of opium": a phrase describing the state of being affected by the drug, though not a direct synonym for addiction.
- The patient was under the influence of opium and could not be questioned. (The person was experiencing the drug's effects, not necessarily long-term addiction.)
Phrasal Verbs
- "to be hooked on opium": (informal) to be addicted to opium.
- He was hooked on opium after using it for chronic pain. (He developed opiumism from medicinal use.)