How Common Is Morphine Addiction?
Morphine is an opium-based drug that is used as a pain killer, cough suppressant, and pre-surgery pain reliever. In addition to helping alleviate pain, morphine may be prescribed to relieve fear and anxiety by inducing a sense of euphoria.
Morphine Drug Abuse Statistics
Morphine produces effects similar to that of another opiate drug, heroin. When tracking morphine abuse statistics, government and monitoring agencies may look at heroin statistics when looking for morphine abuse information. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s “Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings” study produced the following statistics:
- In 2010 there were 140,000 people age 12 or older who used heroin for the first time within the previous year
- 11.6 percent of youth polled reported that heroin was easily available
- Roughly 20% of the population aged 18–25 currently use illicit drugs (the category in which morphine is listed)
- The average age at which those polled first used morphine was 21.3 years old
- The number of people who reported heroin dependence or abuse increased from 214,000 in 2002 to 359,000 in 2010
Information about Morphine Addiction
Addiction is a psychological and behavioral disease that includes the following characteristics:
- Loss of control that results in compulsive use
- Continuation of behavior despite adverse consequences
- Obsession or preoccupation with obtaining and using the substance
Another negative effect of addiction is that is keeps the addict from enjoying activities such as the following:
- Maintaining healthy and meaningful relationships
- Engaging in other social and recreational activities
- Cultivating a career and social life
One who is addicted to drugs will often engage in dangerous behavior such as the following:
- Increasing the drug dosage without discussing it with a doctor
- Repeatedly using medications early
- “Doctor shopping” in order to obtain multiple prescriptions
- Injecting drugs
- Stealing to get money for drugs
The safest way to detox from a morphine addiction is to enter a rehab facility that offers professional care from experienced staff. Morphine addiction often features a physical dependency, a psychological dependency, and a preexisting pain condition that originally triggered the morphine use. All of these factors contribute to the importance of having the detox process supervised by a trained professional.
How to Find Help for Morphine Addiction
Are you or a loved one struggling with morphine addiction? Please call our toll-free number today. Our counselors are available 24 hours a day to answer any questions you might have about morphine addiction and the available rehab treatment options. We are here to help.
