By his own testimony; De Quincey first used opium in 1804 to relieve his neuralgia; he used it for pleasure; but no more than weekly; through 1812. It was in 1813 that he first commenced daily usage; in response to illness and his grief over the death of Wordsworth's young daughter Catherine.

In the periods of 1813-16 and 1817-19 his daily dose was very high; and resulted in the sufferings recounted in the final sections of his Confessions. For the rest of his life his opium use fluctuated between extremes; he took 'enormous doses' in 1843; but late in 1848 he went for 61 days with none at all. There are many theories surrounding the effects of opium on literary creation; and notably; his periods of low usage were literarily unproductive.

In writing 'Confessions of an English Opium-Eater';many scholars suggest that De Quincey inaugurated the tradition of addiction literature in the West; changing the perception of drugs in the European imagination forever.

He died in Edinburgh and is buried in St Cuthbert's Churchyard at the west end of Princes Street. His stone; in the southwest section of the churchyard on a west facing wall; is plain and says nothing of his work. Pictures From History