You likely understand the value of morphine for treating pain if you or a loved one has sustained a major injury, had a significant surgical procedure, or dealt with cancer. Morphine is a potent opiate classified as a Schedule II Controlled Substance, meaning that it has medical value, but also carries a high potential for addiction. Doctors today are extremely cautious about prescribing morphine because of this. Still, many people struggle with morphine abuse despite their best efforts to avoid it.
While it is widely understood that addiction, or substance use disorder (SUD), is a disease, people continue to fall prey to the belief that it is a moral shortcoming and avoid seeking help because of embarrassment, guilt, and shame. At The Right Step Hill Country, we are dedicated to helping break barriers to treatment. If you are struggling with morphine abuse, our opioid addiction treatment program offers judgment-free treatment and support to help you regain control and break the patterns of abuse that can lead to addiction.
Learn to identify morphine abuse
If you or a loved one is prescribed morphine, your doctor will closely monitor to look for signs of dependency and abuse. Still, you need to understand the risks so that you can take morphine safely and avoid complications, which include being able to identify the signs of morphine misuse.
Morphine is a potent opiate naturally derived from the opium poppy. Opiates fall under the umbrella classification of opioids. Morphine should be used exactly as prescribed. Taking it in any other way is considered abuse. Additionally, you should never mix morphine with:
- Alcohol
- Other opioids
- Sleeping pills or benzodiazepines
- Certain antidepressants (consult your doctor)
Identifying morphine abuse when it is prescribed can be challenging. However, being aware of key signs can alert you to a potential problem. These signs can include:
- Taking more than prescribed
- Lying about symptoms to get more refills
- Visiting multiple doctors or ERs to get additional refills
- Obsessively thinking about when you can take the next dose
- Needing higher or more frequent doses to get the desired effects (tolerance)
More obvious signs of morphine abuse are taking it without a prescription, chewing it, or crushing it to snort or inject. Buying morphine off the street is exceptionally dangerous because you have no guarantee of what you are actually taking. Counterfeit morphine is often laced with other substances, like fentanyl, which can lead to overdose or unintentional death.
Short-term morphine side effects
The initial side effect of morphine is the reduction of pain, which is its only medical use. Other side effects vary depending on the dosage, the length of use, the presence of other substances, and individual characteristics. However, common short-term side effects include:
- Drowsiness or sedation
- Slowed breathing
- Nausea, vomiting, and constipation
- Itchiness or rashes
- Dizziness
- Confusion, impaired judgment, and poor coordination
A feeling of euphoria is a significant short-term side effect of morphine and the primary reason for abusing it. Like other opioids, morphine binds to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord, activating them to release a surge of dopamine. The brain begins to crave the hit of dopamine and over time can come to rely on morphine to produce it.
Long-term morphine side effects
With prolonged morphine abuse, you can develop tolerance and dependency, both physical and psychological. Tolerance and dependency are often signs that addiction is around the corner. In addition to addiction, long-term morphine side effects can include:
- Severe constipation and digestive issues
- Memory loss and cognitive decline
- Anxiety and depression
- Respiratory issues
- Liver and kidney damage
Injecting morphine can lead to collapsed veins and infections like HIV and hepatitis, which have additional long-term effects. Morphine abuse carries a constant risk of overdose. This risk increases when morphine is used with alcohol or other drugs, or when taking illegal morphine, which may not be pure.
Enroll in opioid addiction treatment at Hill Country today
Morphine is a valuable medication when it is used properly under a doctor’s care. However, the long-term use of morphine, even when prescribed, can easily shift into abuse. Abusing morphine can put your life at risk. If you think you need help controlling or stopping morphine use, Hill Country can help. Call 1.844.675.1628 or fill out this easy-to-use online contact form to learn about our opioid addiction treatment programs and enroll in the one that is right for you.