substance abuser
5
5.7
- noun
- /ˈsʌbstəns əˈbjuːzər/
- NSFW
:
consumidor de sustancias
- I worked with substance abusers back in Wyoming.
- treatment for substance abusers
- profile of substance abusers
- homeless substance abusers
Examples
-
Current applications include TC programs for adolescents, homeless substance abusers, mentally ill chemical abusers, criminal justice substance abusers, women and children, and clients maintained on methadone.
Academic text (2009) -
Not only are these women current substance abusers, but they also used substances when they were pregnant.
Academic text (1997) -
What strategies do substance abusers use to cope with waiting time?
Academic text (2006) -
I worked with substance abusers and the mentally ill for several years.
Blog text (32) -
The domiciliary program provided integrated treatment for substance abusers who may have other psychiatric problems.
Academic text (2004) -
Self-reports from homeless substance abusers, especially about childhood experiences, may not be accurate.
Academic text (2004) -
The fathers of 36.4 percent of the girls and 56.8 percent of the boys were substance abusers.
Academic text (2006) -
The first, one session of motivational interviewing, may be useful in helping substance abusers maintain readiness for treatment.
Academic text (2006) -
The therapeutic community (TC) has become an established treatment approach serving thousands of substance abusers in community, institutional, and other settings.
Academic text (2009) -
Many substance abusers struggle to find help and support from their families.
Synonyms
316
4.3
A person who cannot stop using a drug or activity because they need it
194
8.6
A person who is addicted to illegal drugs, often called in an insulting way
178
1.3
A person who regularly uses tobacco, for example cigarettes
97
3.0
A person who cannot stop using illegal or harmful drugs
86
7.5
A person who regularly takes illegal or addictive drugs
83
1.8
A person who often drinks alcohol
41
4.7
Addicted to drinking alcohol
31
3.7
A person who takes illegal or recreational drugs
29
8.2
A person who often uses marijuana
20
9.4
A person who often smokes marijuana
20
5.1
A person who keeps using heroin even when it harms them
17
5.5
A person who often drinks too much alcohol
9
6.1
A person who uses crack cocaine and cannot stop
7
9.8
A person who often uses illegal substances
7
9.9
A person who cannot stop using illegal drugs, often said in an insulting way
3
5.5
A person who keeps using cocaine even though it harms them
2
2.3
A person who regularly lights and inhales cigarettes
2
9.9
A person who often uses illegal drugs
1
9.9
A person who uses cocaine and often cannot stop
1
7.2
A person who uses opium and cannot stop
1
3.4
A person who smokes tobacco from a pipe
1
3.1
A person who smokes or chews tobacco
1
9.6
A person who uses illegal drugs and cannot stop
1
8.4
A person who drinks alcohol a lot
A person who is addicted to crack and uses it in binges
A person who often uses the drug opium and cannot stop
A person who puts drugs into a vein with a needle
How Dependent
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally analyzable as 'one who abuses substances' (i.e. misuses material), so there is a clear link between the parts. However, a B1 learner may not automatically treat 'substance' as 'drugs' or realize that 'abuser' can apply to misusing things rather than only mistreating people, so the exact sense usually requires some exposure.
Etymology
Substance abuser comes from the two words substance, meaning drugs or chemicals, and abuser, meaning someone who uses something in the wrong way. It pictures a person who 'uses drugs in a harmful or illegal way', so the phrase now means that.