As the primary chemical element in opium, morphine functions as a reliable pain reliever. Like all opiates, it has a strong potential for addiction, whether appropriately used as prescribed by a doctor, or abused. The body eventually develops a tolerance to opiates when taken continually, which means morphine abuse is likely as a user will need more to either achieve a high or relieve pain.

Signs and Symptoms of Morphine Abuse

Syringe and needle could be signs of morphine abuseIf you suspect that a loved one has a morphine abuse problem, there are some things to look for. To start, brand names of morphine include Avinza, MS Contin, Kadian, and Oramorph. Street names of morphine include Morf, Mister Blue, Miss Emma, and Dreamer.

Because opiates slow down the digestive tract, one of the top symptoms of morphine abuse proves to be constipation. Opiates also slow down the respiratory system, which can lead to the serious complication of depressed respiratory function. Combining morphine with alcohol or other depressant drugs can make this risk even higher.

Other morphine side effects include the following:

  • Low blood pressure
  • Confusion and dizziness
  • Itchy skin
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Extreme drowsiness and tiny pupils
  • Poor circulation
  • Bluish tint to fingernails and lips

Health Effects of Morphine Abuse

As morphine abuse continues, various health effects begin to appear in users. They may experience periods of alertness, followed by periods of extreme drowsiness. The immune system eventually weakens, causing ongoing illnesses. The person may experience hallucinations as well. Those who inject morphine will likely have collapsed or inflamed veins.

Along with physical health effects, users experience mental effects as well. Some addicted people will fake injuries or harm themselves to get another prescription of morphine. Poor hygiene becomes evident as the user begins to neglect everything except getting and using morphine. You may notice needle marks on their arms.

They may start encountering financial difficulty as they spend more money to obtain morphine. This might also lead to legal trouble if they start stealing as well. Many with a morphine addiction begin to withdraw from loved ones and change their social crowd in order to hide their morphine abuse.

Morphine tolerance and addiction mean that painful and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms result when drug use ceases. Users will experience chills, muscle aches, sweating, nausea, diarrhea, anxiety, severe depression and insomnia among other symptoms. Treating morphine abuse and addiction often begins with a period of detox so that the user can withdraw safely under medical supervision.

Treatment for Morphine Addiction

Most people addicted to morphine find themselves unable to stop without help. Many will resort to stealing and other crimes simply to obtain more and avoid the withdrawal symptoms. Take the first step of recognizing your morphine addiction and begin your recovery process at Beaches Tides Edge Detox.

Morphine addiction tends to be one of the most difficult to overcome, but a period of supervised medical detox can soothe many of the most uncomfortable symptoms. Once you complete medical detox and your body is free of the drug, you can continue the rest of the recovery process.

After detox, the true work begins at Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, Florida. No two cases of addiction have the same causes or manifest the same way. Our dual diagnosis and exhaustive entry programs help doctors formulate customized treatment programs for each patient. Along with discovering underlying issues, treatment seeks to develop new coping skills for recovery and to help patients find and enjoy new hobbies.

Beaches Recovery offers the following benefits:

Heavy morphine abuse eventually causes physical drug dependence, which makes users need more and more to achieve the same effects. Before they realize it, their lives have spiraled out of control.

Stop letting morphine abuse and addiction control your life. Call Beaches Recovery today at 866.605.0532 to start walking the road to sobriety.