Morphine Addiction: Symptoms And Treatment Options

Millions of people rely on opioid analgesics like morphine each year for legitimate pain relief, particularly for moderate to severe or chronic pain. However, morphine also carries a real risk of misuse, and long-term use can lead to serious physical health effects, poor mental health, and an increased risk of opioid overdose.

Recovery from opioid addiction is achievable, though it typically requires professional support, whether through counseling, medication-assisted treatment, or a structured rehab program. Learning about how morphine addiction develops and what treatment looks like can help individuals and families take steps toward recovery.

What Is Morphine?

Morphine is a prescription opioid drug, like codeine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. It’s used to treat moderate to severe pain, as well as chronic pain caused by medical conditions like cancer.

Morphine is marketed under the following brand names:

• Arymo ER
• Kadian
• Morphabond
• MS Contin

Although it is a prescription drug, it can also be administered in medical settings, or bought illicitly through a drug dealer or other illicit channel.

How Is Morphine Misused?

When taken as directed by a doctor, extended-release forms of morphine work by releasing their effects slowly over time. Common forms of morphine abuse (e.g. injecting, or “shooting,” morphine) on the other hand can produce stronger, more rapid effects that can become addictive.

Common forms of morphine abuse include:

• snorting morphine
• plugging morphine
• injecting morphine
• mixing morphine with other drugs

Taking morphine in any way other than directed by a doctor can be very dangerous. This can increase the risk of morphine overdose, as well as risk long-term health consequences such as nasal damage, collapsed veins, and abscesses.

Examples Of Morphine Misuse

Morphine abuse is any use of morphine that is not prescribed by a medical doctor.

What this can look like:

• taking higher doses of morphine than prescribed
• taking doses more frequently
• taking it for reasons other than prescribed
• taking it for longer than prescribed
• mixing it with other drugs to enhance effects
• taking a family member’s prescription

What Makes Morphine Addictive?

Prescription painkillers like morphine can be addictive largely due to their effects on the brain, which can cause a powerful rush of pleasure and result in a mental reliance.

When taken, morphine attaches to the body’s opioid receptors and increases the production of brain chemicals responsible for feelings of happiness and hormone regulation.

Over time and with repeated abuse, this can lead to physical dependence and a mental reliance on morphine, also known as drug addiction.

Signs And Symptoms Of A Morphine Addiction

Addiction isn’t intentional, nor is it a sign of personal weakness. This disease can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

The following are signs and symptoms of a morphine addiction:

• obsession with getting and using morphine
• strong cravings for morphine
• tolerance to the effects of morphine
• using more to feel the effects of the drug
• increasing dosage or frequency of use
• injecting, snorting, or plugging morphine
• continuing to abuse morphine despite negative consequences
• unable to stop taking morphine
• experiencing opioid withdrawal symptoms

Signs of an opioid addiction aren’t always obvious. And people can often have a hard time recognizing when their drug use has become a larger problem.

Side Effects Of Morphine Addiction

Morphine can produce rapid side effects, such as a sense of calm and reduced pain. When abused, morphine can also cause a number of physical, mental, and psychological side effects.

Side effects of morphine abuse may include:

• chest pain
• dizziness
• slowed breathing
• mental fogginess
• drowsiness
• constipation
• dry mouth
• headache
• mood changes
• fainting
• nausea and vomiting
• reduced blood pressure
• weakness

Serious side effects can also occur from morphine misuse. These include effects such as difficulty breathing, heart problems, seizures, and psychological disturbances (e.g. hallucinations).

Polysubstance Misuse: Common Drugs Mixed With Morphine

Opioids like morphine are sometimes mixed with other drugs. This can be done intentionally, or it might be the case that illicit forms of morphine are laced with other drugs.

Common drug combinations include:

• mixing cocaine and morphine
• mixing alcohol and morphine
• mixing other opioids with morphine (e.g. heroin, fentanyl)

What Are The Risks Of Long-Term Morphine Misuse?

Those who abuse morphine long-term are at risk for chronic health complications. Long-term health risks from chronic morphine abuse can be serious, and may affect physical health, emotional health, as well as a person’s relationships and ability to work.

Risks associated with long-term morphine use include:

• chronic constipation
• insomnia
• weakened immune system
• erectile dysfunction
• menstrual problems
• nutritional deficiencies
• isolating from friends or family due to drug abuse
• decreased work performance or job loss
• developing morphine dependence and addiction
• morphine withdrawal symptoms

Another major concern of long-term morphine abuse is opioid overdose. Abusing morphine long-term can increase the risk of experiencing overdose, which can be fatal in severe cases.

Morphine Overdose Signs And Symptoms

Morphine overdose is a serious medical emergency, and the risks have grown in recent years due to changes in the illicit drug supply and common patterns of polysubstance use. Since 2020, more overdose cases involve synthetic opioids like fentanyl or nitazenes, which may be mixed into morphine intentionally or unintentionally. Even small amounts of these substances can cause life-threatening respiratory depression, and counterfeit products obtained outside a pharmacy may not contain what they claim.

Signs of a morphine overdose include:

• bluish fingernails or lips
• pale or clammy skin
• slow, stopped, or shallow breathing
• extreme sleepiness or unresponsiveness
• limp muscles
• blurred vision
• pinpoint pupils
• vomiting
• seizures
• gurgling noises

If you suspect someone is experiencing a morphine overdose, call for emergency medical help immediately. Naloxone (Narcan) can reverse an opioid overdose and may save a person’s life when administered quickly.

How Long Does Morphine Stay In Your System?

Morphine can stay in the body for anywhere from a few days to several months. Morphine drug tests differ in their sensitivity and how long they can detect morphine use.

Morphine detection times:

• morphine detection in urine: up to three days
• morphine detection in hair: up to 90 days
• morphine detection in blood: from 12-24 hours

See more about how long morphine stays in your system.

Treatment Programs For Morphine Abuse And Addiction

Overcoming morphine abuse and addiction is possible. For most, this requires some form of addiction treatment or an opiate addiction rehabilitation (rehab) program.

Treatment begins with morphine detoxification. After this, entering an inpatient or residential rehab program for intensive morphine treatment is highly recommended.

Treatment centers for morphine addiction may offer:

• behavioral therapy
• group therapy
• medication-assisted treatment (e.g. methadone, buprenorphine treatment)
• mental health treatment (i.e. dual diagnosis)
• family counseling
• holistic therapies
• time away from external triggers
• relapse prevention planning
• specialty care (e.g. for pregnant patients)
• aftercare support

Higher levels of care, like inpatient treatment and residential rehab, are commonly recommended for people with a chronic or severe drug addiction. Within a rehab center, you can gain access to ongoing, daily care. This includes medical and behavioral healthcare from a qualified team of treatment professionals.