Morphine Addiction

Morphine is an opiate analgesic and psychoactive drug. Morphine is derived from opium, the sap of the opium poppy. Morphine is primarily used in medicine as a pain reliever. The drug works by interacting with opioid receptors in the brain which change the way that pain is perceived in the person. The effects of morphine include fast acting euphoria, physical pain reduction, and several other physical and psychological side effects. Morphine is administered in traditional medicine via tablets, syrup, ampoules for injection, and suppositories. Morphine is taken by addicts through injection, swallowing, or smoking depending on the form of morphine used.

Like many other opioids, morphine has a very strong potential for psychological and physical addiction and the development of tolerance. Painkiller addiction to opioid painkillers like morphine, oxycodone, and hydromorphone is a growing problem due to the increased prescription of these painkillers as well as illegal availability. Painkiller addiction is both physical and psychological for most opioid painkillers such as morphine. Morphine is primarily abused by addicts for its euphoria producing effect.

Painkiller addiction and opiate addiction is a common illness treated at drug rehab centers in many parts of the world. Opiate addiction specialists at drug addiction rehab centers can design and successfully implement an individualized treatment plan for cases of painkiller addiction and morphine addiction. The treatment of opiate addiction cases like morphine addiction involves a monitored detoxification, extended rehabilitation, psychotherapy, and medical treatment of physical and psychological addiction symptoms. Treatment for morphine addiction also requires the continual supervision and treatment of medical doctors and opiate addition specialists.

Morphine Addiction Symptoms

There are a multitude of morphine addiction symptoms that vary in each addict and many of the symptoms of morphine addiction are demonstrated in other cases of opiate addiction. Symptoms may include shallow breathing, constipation, tingling, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, insomnia, confusion, cold and clammy skin, light-headedness, fainting, and seizures in severe cases. Psychological effects may include anxiety, memory problems, and euphoria. Long term effects of morphine addiction include physical dependence on the drug with severe withdrawal symptoms when the drug is not regularly taken.

Morphine addicts are typically likely to have other painkiller addictions as morphine may be more difficult to obtain than other painkillers. In cases of opiate addiction and morphine addiction, addicts will go to great lengths in order to obtain their drug of choice. This may involve lying to medical doctors in order to obtain prescriptions, stealing money to buy the drug illicitly, and other illegal or unethical behavior. Addicts may have paraphernalia that is used to take or administer morphine such as pipes or syringes. For opiate addiction cases like morphine addiction, the telltale sign of addiction is the presence of withdrawal symptoms when the suspected user cannot obtain the drug for an extended period of time.

Morphine Withdrawal

Morphine withdrawal can be quite severe depending on the level of addiction. In cases of painkiller addiction and opiate addiction, a substantial tolerance to the drug develops over a period of time, and an addict often becomes strongly physically addicted to the opiate. With morphine addiction, withdrawal symptoms may begin to occur as quickly as 6 to 14 hours after the last dose. Withdrawal symptoms can be quite severe and symptoms typically last for 36 to 72 hours after the last dose of morphine. Psychological withdrawal symptoms may last longer than this.

Physical morphine addiction withdrawal symptoms include drug craving, anxiety, yawning, tearing, crying, runny nose, excessive fatigue, dilated pupils, hot and cold flashes, aching bones and muscles, loss of appetite, cramping, involuntary leg movements, insomnia, increased blood pressure, increased pulse, vomiting, diarrhea, and more. Psychological symptoms may include dysphoria, anxiety, panic attacks, and restlessness.

Morphine rehab centers are specialized at treating cases of morphine addiction and other types of painkiller addiction. Morphine rehab centers treat the physical symptoms of withdrawal with treatments such as nausea medications, non-opiate pain medications, and other medications to treat physical symptoms as they arise. Psychological morphine addiction symptoms are treated at morphine rehab centers with psychiatric medications for anxiety, dysphoria, or any other symptoms as they arise. Addiction specialists at morphine rehab centers work with medical doctors to treat these symptoms in cases of morphine addiction and other types of opiate addiction.

Morphine Detox

Morphine detoxification is a challenge in many circumstances due to the level of addiction that is often seen in opiate addictions like morphine addiction. A stay at a morphine rehab center is highly recommended for a patient as they undergo detoxification. This is because morphine rehab centers are staffed with trained personnel and medical doctors who can quickly treat the symptoms of withdrawal. They can also provide a patient with a professional detoxification protocol that a patient would not individually be able to administer. There is also the risk of relapse that is eliminated when a patient undergoes the detoxification process at a morphine rehab center.

Although initial physical symptoms may subside within about a week or two for cases of morphine addiction, psychological symptoms may continue on for several weeks. Symptoms such as morphine craving, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders may result from withdrawal from the drug. Addicts require supervision and therapeutic support during this period in which they are very vulnerable. Relapse is common among patients that attempt to detoxify and rehabilitate on their own. The social support, medical treatment, psychotherapy, care, and compassion that many drug addiction rehab centers provide is the best type of support for a patient to overcome their morphine addiction.

Morphine Addiction Treatment

Opiate addiction and painkiller addiction is the result of dependency on prescribed or illegally obtained medications like morphine, and the dependency on these medications is very hard to break for most addicts on their own. Morphine addiction treatment can be challenging, but with the help of morphine rehab centers that specialize in opiate addiction treatment, the illness can be overcome. It is especially important for those suffering from painkiller addiction to be treated at substance abuse rehab centers because of the symptomatic withdrawal associated with addiction to painkillers like morphine and others.

Treatment for morphine addiction at morphine rehab centers involves detoxification, medical treatment for physical and psychological symptoms, cognitive-behavioral therapy and other forms of psychotherapy, individual and group therapy, the support of friends and family, and any other forms of treatment that a patient requires. Morphine rehab is intended to restore a patient to full functionality without a dependence on morphine.

Painkiller addiction can be difficult on a patient’s friends and family as well, and they are included in the treatment process as much as possible when appropriate. Inpatient treatment at drug addiction rehab centers may be recommended for moderate to severe cases of morphine and opiate addiction. Follow-up outpatient treatment after morphine rehab is always provided in order to treat any long term addiction effects and avoid relapse.