Definition

Adjective: 1. Brought about or caused by one's own actions or volition: Refers to a state, condition, or effect that is directly caused by the individual experiencing it, often implying a degree of conscious or deliberate initiation. 2. Produced by electrical self-induction: A technical meaning in physics, referring to an electromotive force or current induced in a circuit by a changing current in the same circuit.

Usage and Examples

• General Usage (Caused by oneself):
  • The patient's anxiety was largely self-induced due to excessive worrying.
  • He suffered from self-induced exhaustion after working for 72 hours straight.
• Specific Context (Medical/Psychological):
  • The documentary warned about the dangers of self-induced vomiting as an eating disorder behavior.
• Technical Usage (Physics/Electrical):
  • The self-induced voltage across the inductor opposes the change in current.

Advanced Usage

• "Self-induced trance": A hypnotic or altered state of consciousness brought about by one's own mental techniques.
  • The monk entered a self-induced trance during meditation.
• "Self-induced crisis": A problematic situation primarily created by one's own decisions or actions.
  • The company's financial troubles were a self-induced crisis resulting from poor investments.

Variants and Related Words

• Self-induce (verb): To cause something to happen to oneself.
  • It is dangerous to self-induce a coma.
• Self-induction (noun): The property of an electrical circuit where a changing current creates an induced electromotive force in the same circuit.
  • The coil's self-induction caused a voltage spike.

Synonyms

• Self-inflicted: Imposed on oneself, often implying harm or injury.
  • He had self-inflicted wounds.
• Voluntary: Done by choice, but less specific about causing a resultant state.
• Auto-induced: Caused automatically within itself (a less common synonym, often technical).

Antonyms

• Externally induced: Caused by an outside force or agent.
• Involuntary: Done without conscious control or choice.
• Accidental: Happening by chance, not by design.

Notes on Meaning

The primary, most common meaning is the first one (brought about by oneself). The technical physics meaning is specific to engineering and scientific contexts. The word often carries a neutral or negative connotation, frequently describing undesirable states (e.g., stress, illness, injury) that are one's own doing.

Adjective

1. brought about by yourself
   • self-induced vomiting
2. produced by electrical self-induction