Morphine Addiction | Signs, Symptoms & Effects

There are a number of underlying reasons a person may start abusing drugs, one of the most common is to self-medicate from an underlying mental health condition. Due to a lack of access to treatment and shame around admitting to having a mental illness, many people turn to drug use to cope. Other reasons include forming a prescription drug addiction to morphine after medical use, coping with stress, their environment or dealing with unprocessed trauma.

As well as blocking pain, morphine also induces feelings of euphoria and pleasure in its users caused by the release of dopamine. These large rushes of dopamine set up the basis for a morphine addiction to form as they cause the brain to redirect its energy (thoughts and behaviour) into seeking out that positive feeling again and again.

When used over long periods of time, morphine users commonly develop a physiological and psychological dependence on the drug. A person’s tolerance to morphine can build up relatively quickly, where increasingly higher concentrations of the drug are needed to achieve the desired effect.

Once a person is dependent on morphine, they will experience withdrawal symptoms if the amount of substance they usually take decreases. Withdrawal symptoms from morphine can be extremely severe in some cases, with users experiencing hallucinations, seizures and a possible coma as a result of quitting.

Morphine abuse often occurs because people want to experience the euphoric effects the drug can produce. However, there are a number of side effects that can occur alongside the euphoria including:

Using morphine over a long period of time can be dangerous, leading to addiction and a number of negative mental and physical effects. These include:

• Mental health issues: depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts
• Dangerous weight loss due to decreased appetite
• Interference with the menstrual cycle
• Sleep issues: sleep apnea (breathing stopping and starting while sleeping) and insomnia (trouble falling asleep and staying asleep)
• Circulation problems
• Slowed breathing
• Fatal overdose

Denial is a common feature of addiction, with the brain pulling any sneaky tricks possible to keep its supply of dopamine hits coming. On top of this, those with a morphine addiction often go to great lengths to hide their drug-taking behaviour from their loved ones due to shame and fear. For these reasons, it can be difficult to spot if you or your loved one has a morphine addiction.

If you recognise some of the symptoms of morphine abuse in your loved one, it is important that action is taken. Morphine addiction is a progressive disorder that only gets worse over time, so even though it may be difficult, it is best to confront the situation head-on.

Here are some tips:

Voice your concerns and encourage professional help

The first thing you can do to help a loved one addicted to morphine is to have a chat and encourage them to seek treatment. By letting your loved one know that you care for them and explaining how their morphine addiction is affecting you, they may see the situation more clearly. It is important to actively listen to what they are saying and be as compassionate as possible.

Stage an intervention

If a one-to-one conversation doesn’t help, holding an intervention is the next step that should be taken to help them into treatment. Here, close family and friends should be invited to share their concerns for your loved one’s well-being and explain the ways they have been personally affected by their morphine addiction. It is useful to invite a medical professional to the intervention as an unbiased third party as they can help keep the conversation on track and defuse intense situations.

Be patient and look after yourself

Morphine addiction is an extremely powerful condition and, despite your best efforts, you may not be able to persuade your loved one to seek treatment on your first attempt. It is important to know when to take space from trying to help them for your own well-being. If their morphine addiction has taken its toll on you, psychotherapy can be a great tool to educate yourself about the disease and work through any trauma you may have experienced because of it.

Linwood House is an established addiction treatment centre in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. We offer a comprehensive morphine rehab programme that can help you overcome morphine addiction once and for all.

Firstly, you will undergo a medical detox where the drug is flushed out of your system. Withdrawals from morphine can be extremely unpleasant and sometimes life-threatening and so we offer around-the-clock medical care to ensure your safety and well-being.

Alongside that,you will take part in a range of evidence-based therapies that will address the underlying causes of your morphine addiction and give you the necessary skills and tools for recovery.

To find out more, contact Linwood House today.