Morphine is an opioid analgesic used to relieve pain. It is available in different forms: pills, injection… It is frequently used by doctors to treat very intense short and long-term pain. Being a very powerful substance to relieve very intense pain and, in addition, generating euphoria and excessive relaxation, means that it can become a potentially addictive substance. In this Psychology-Online article, we show The symptoms, treatment and consequences of morphine addiction.
Symptoms of morphine addiction
At the beginning of addiction, the symptoms are not very noticeable, but over time they become more visible. We can divide the symptoms of morphine addiction into three categories: physical, psychological and behavioral.
Physical symptoms
These symptoms affect the body, either internally (constipation or fainting) or externally (skin rashes).
The most common physical symptoms are:
- Small spots on the skin, rashes.
- Excessive fatigue.
- Excessive sleepiness (that does not go away).
- Muscle contractions.
- Sudden and unexplained decrease in appetite.
- Difficulty breathing.
Psychological or emotional symptoms
It is difficult to identify these symptoms because in some cases they can be confused with other psychological disorders, such as . Some of the most common symptoms are:
- Increased paranoia.
- Depression.
- Sudden mood changes.
- Anxiety.
- Great emotional instability.
Behavioral symptoms
Over time, people with morphine addiction show sudden and unexplained behavioral changes. Some of the most common symptoms are:
- Excessively reserved behavior, hiding things, long and unexplained absences…
- Stay away from friends or family.
- Avoid social situations, especially if family or friends attend those events.
- Decreased interest in activities that were previously very rewarding.
- Great discussions with family or friends.
Consequences of morphine addiction
Occasional use of morphine does not usually have any side effects, but prolonged use can cause both physical and mental consequences.
The most common side effect of prolonged morphine consumption is constipation and other digestive disorders. Other consequences are:
- Complete loss of muscle tone.
- Heart attack.
- Extreme confusion.
- Eat.
Loss of muscle tone or confusion may disappear when the person stops using morphine, but other consequences such as cardiac arrest can have an impact on the person’s life, even if they no longer use morphine.
Morphine withdrawal symptoms
When morphine is consumed over a long period of time, the body begins to develop a dependency. This dependency is dangerous because the body tricks itself into believing it needs morphine to function properly. Unfortunately, this type of dependence makes it difficult to stop using morphine.
Morphine withdrawal symptoms occur when an individual stops using the addictive substance. In the case of morphine, symptoms can last from a few days to several weeks as the body learns to readjust to life without morphine.
Some of the Most common symptoms of morphine withdrawal are:
- Difficulty maintaining an adequate body temperature, ranging between fever and chills.
- Crying eyes.
- Runny nose.
- Restless legs or a feeling of restlessness.
- Intense muscle pain.
- Very unstable mood.
- Accelerated heart.
- Intense stomach pain.
- Nausea with vomiting.
The severity of withdrawal symptoms varies from person to person. Some people only get a mild form of the flu, while others have withdrawal symptoms so severe that they need medical attention.
Due to the complexity of the manifestation of withdrawal symptoms, it is recommended that the person stop using morphine under the supervision of a doctor who will monitor the symptoms and ensure that there are no problems.
Treatment for morphine addiction
1. Detox
The first step of treatment to stop morphine is detoxification. The duration of this process depends on how long the person’s consumption has lasted, ranging from approximately days to three weeks.
It is recommended that this process be supervised by a doctor who ensures that as few symptoms as possible appear and, therefore, that the process is as uncomplicated as possible under the circumstances.
Many people rely on methadone as a supportive drug for the detoxification process. Methadone is known to help reduce withdrawal symptoms associated with the use of an opiate, such as morphine, by replacing said substance. Over time, the dose of methadone is reduced until the person completely clears their body of morphine.
There are times when methadone cannot be used during the detoxification process because the person has previously had an addiction to this substance or due to an allergy. In these cases, the use of another substance should be considered.
2. Rehabilitation
After the detoxification process, something essential is that the person begins to rebuild their new life (without substance use).
Rehabilitation focuses on overcoming morphine addiction. It can be done internally (the person enters a center) or externally (they go to a center at certain times of the day).
In this process, the person receives individual (behavioral) therapy sessions, support groups, etc. The goal of these sessions is to provide the person with strategies to help them lead a drug-free life.
Some people find it very difficult to lead a normal life after suffering from addiction. Therefore, after finishing the rehabilitation program, some people need to maintain certain therapy sessions that serve as a reminder of their new lifestyle.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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