Morphine
Morphine is a Schedule II narcotic on the Controlled Substances List. This means the drug has potential for abuse but does have restricted medical uses. A narcotic is defined as any drug with an opiate or opioid base and such derivatives that include morphine. Morphine is an analgesic (pain relief) drug. It affects the central nervous system to relieve pain, and has a high risk for addiction and physiological dependence.
Street names include:
- Duramorph
- M
- Miss Emma
- Big Dreamer
- God’s Drug
- Miss Emm
- Mister Blue
- Missi Blue
- Aunti Em
- Aunti Blue
- Morf
- Morpho
- Junkie
- Emsel
- Mr. Emsel
- Black Mollies
- Blackies
- Duramorph
- Monkey
- Roxanol
- White Stuff
- White Rain
- White China
- Dreamsicle
- Black pill
History and Trends
Morphine was first isolated in 1804 and is the majority of any opiate in opium, an extract from opium poppy plant seeds. Most morphine is chemically extracted from opium.
This drug is used to treat severe pain, pain due to heart attacks, fluid on the lungs and labor pains. Death is a high risk when using morphine for heart attacks. It reduces symptoms of acute shortness of breath due to disease and reduces breathlessness safely for the long-term.
Effects include:
- Euphoria
- Pain relief
Side effects include:
- Constipation
- Hormone imbalance
- Motor skill impairment
- Memory problems
- Cognitive ability impairment
Morphine Abuse & Addiction
Morphine is a highly addictive substance resulting in psychological and physical dependence similar to heroin. Tolerance to this drug can occur quickly as receptors in the body desensitize to the substance, requiring increasingly higher and higher doses.
Morphine is manufactured in oral solutions, immediate and sustained release tablets and capsules, suppositories and injectable solutions. Morphine is easily addictive and has high rates of addiction due to its powerful and immediate effects. Abusers snort it by crushing the pill form or injecting it with a needle, as results are obtained faster by these methods.
Morphine Withdrawal Process & Symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms include:
- Drug craving
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Yawning
- Heavy perspiration
- Mild depression
- Crying
- Runny nose
- Trances
- Dilated pupils
- Goose bumps
- Muscle twitches
- Hot flashes
- Cold flashes
- Aches and pains
- Loss of appetite
- Involuntary leg movements
- Diarrhea
- Insomnia
- High blood pressure
- Raised body temperature
- Panting
- Raised Pulse
- Restlessness
- Nausea
- Fetal position
- Vomiting
- Increased white blood cell count
- Sensitivity to pain
Once a morphine dose is missed, the physical withdrawal begins. Most physical symptoms last from 7 to 10 days without medical supervision and medication. Psychological withdrawal may last much longer. Abusers crave the drug and fear having to cope with life without it.
Psychological withdrawal from morphine can be a protracted and painful process including severe depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, mood swings, amnesia, confusion, paranoia, and other psychological disorders. This set of symptoms can be minimized with the help of qualified substance abuse professionals to help with supervised medicating.
A high probability of relapse exists post-withdrawal if the abuser remains in their former environment. It is important for a morphine abuser to be out of the former environment for an extended period of time while obtaining counseling and behavior modification coping skills. This drug has one of the highest relapse rates estimated to be at about 98%. A drug treatment center can help lower the risk of relapse.
Morphine withdrawal, treatment and avoidance of relapse conditions are all sound reasons to have an abuser in a drug treatment center. During these critical phases, qualified medical and mental health professionals work as a team to keep the client comfortable, safe and on the road to a sober life. Call us at 877-855-3470 to discuss how we can help you or a loved one lead a successful addiction-free life.