Morphine Addiction Help

It is not unusual for drug users to develop codenames, also called slang or street names to avoid suspicion and detection. Street names are often at the very least descriptive of the real name they are supposed to stand for.
Because morphine can come in white tablets to be taken orally, the tablets are often called the white lady. Because morphine tablets can be ground to powder form as preparation for snorting or for intravenous intake, they are also called salt and sugar.

And because morphine begins with the letter “m,” Miss Emma or Aunt Emma has become a common slang for morphine due to the “em” sound of the name.

Other slang names for morphine include:

• Mister blue
• Morpho
• Dreamer
• God’s drug

Effects of Morphine on the Mind

Morphine is a painkiller, but as a derivative of the opium poppy, it has many effects on the mind. One particular effect is the absence of pain and sometimes a heightened sense of pleasure.

There are many reasons why morphine is a controlled substance. For one, it has many dangerous side effects. Some of these side effects include:

• The slowing of heartbeat
• Difficulty in breathing
• Severe headache and dizziness
• Seizures
• Convulsions

More about Morphine

Morphine is a naturally occurring substance in the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. It is a potent narcotic analgesic, and its primary clinical use is in the management of moderately severe and severe pain. After heroin, morphine has the greatest dependence liability of the narcotic analgesics in common use.

Morphine has had a long history of usage as a painkiller. Since it was first isolated in Germany in 1803, it has been used medically to treat various illnesses, particularly for pain relief and for controlling opium addiction. Today, the drug is available in many generic forms and can be bought from a pharmacist with a prescription. It is also used in hospitals as a means to manage pain.

Morphine is infrequently encountered in the North American street drug culture. However, mainly because of its availability in hospitals, there have been several documented cases of morphine dependence among health professionals.

The relative availability of morphine has made it one of the more commonly abused drugs in some parts of the world. If a user does not get it through illicit means, he or she can take a few tablets from a friend who uses it for medication. It can also be easy for a person to steal a few tablets from a member of his or her household who happens to be taking medicine based on morphine to manage an illness.

Prescribed Morphine

Often when people think about prescribed medication, they assume their physician is knowledgeable about the drug, its side effects, dosage recommendations and contraindications. They also assume that the physician has thoroughly reviewed the patient’s medical condition, other prescribed medication usage and overall ability to tolerate a medication. Under these assumptions, a patient may accept the doctor’s recommendation and prescription without reservation.

While most physicians are extremely effective diagnosticians and professional, knowledgeable, and compassionate caregivers, there is no way that they can be conversant on every prescribed medication that the pharmaceutical industry produces. Therefore, they rely on pharmaceutical guides when selecting and dosing a medication, as well as the experience of their other patients’ results with the medication.

That strategy is effective but not when a person starts abusing the medication by doing one or several of the following:

• Increasing the prescribed dosage to get the results they want
• Mixing drugs
• Doctor/pharmacy shopping
• Obtaining the prescription through illegal means

If you or someone you now is presenting any of these behaviors, you need to seek help for this abusive and addictive behavior.

Morphine Addiction Variables

Most often a person is prescribed morphine to treat extreme pain. People, who have experienced this pain because of an event that might cause the pain to persist for a relatively short period of time, should give consideration to weaning from the prescribed medication almost from the onset of its usage. Realizing that the patient’s focus is exclusively on relieving the pain, this is when a family member or a friend can play a key role.

Making sure that the person is only taking the prescribed amount is key in helping that person eventually wean off the medication. Pain is not just a physical condition; it also brings about emotional, psychological and mental concerns. Being aware of all aspects of the patient’s state of being is also very helpful because you can seek assistance to treat these other conditions that are often associated with pain.

Addiction to morphine occurs primarily because of tolerance or physical dependency. By monitoring the morphine consumption, you can assist the patient not to become tolerant. If you notice that the prescribed dosage is not giving the person the same benefit it once did, seek professional help from the physician to determine if there is a solution other than increasing the dosage.

Physical dependency most often occurs if a person is taken off the medication too quickly, which is why a weaning process is recommended.

While scientists and medical professionals hold morphine as the standard for the effective relief of pain, the patient and her/his support system need to be diligent so that morphine addiction can be avoided.

Morphine Help

If you or someone you know has access to morphine and is abusing it beyond the medically prescribed reason, please contact our toll free number at (877) 259-5633. We are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions on morphine addiction and treatment.

Morphine is in a group of drugs called narcotic pain relievers. It is a potent analgesic drug and the primary active agent is opium. It is used to treat moderate to severe pain. Morphine works by dulling the pain perception center in the brain.

A patient can use short-acting formula morphine on an “as needed” basis for the pain or an extended-release formula when using morphine for around-the-clock patients who are constantly in pain. Often times, your doctor will not prescribe morphine unless your body has already built up a tolerance to other opioid medications because morphine is a highly dependent drug.

Morphine can be habit forming, so it is important to only take what is prescribed to you by your doctor, so that your body does not build up a tolerance quickly. It is also important to keep it in a safe place away from children and those who have had addiction problems. Morphine is popular for teenagers who want to do drugs because it is easily accessible in their parents’ medicine cabinets. Morphine should be stopped gradually in order to not experience withdrawal symptoms.

Morphine Side Effects

Users may experience certain side effects when using morphine. These effects are increased when morphine is abused.

• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Drowsiness
• Upset stomach
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Diarrhea

Forms of Morphine

Morphine can be found under generic and brand name products including MS-Contin®, Oramorph SR®, MSIR®, Roxanol®, Kadian®, and RMS®. Morphine is used through injection for preoperative sedation, rather than using an anesthesia. Traditionally, morphine was almost exclusively used by injection. Today, however, morphine is taken in a variety of different forms. Some of these forms include: oral solutions, immediate and sustained-release tablets and capsules, injectable preparations and suppositories.

Morphine Oral Solutions

Oral solutions come in the form of a liquid. This form is commonly used on hospice patients because it is easier to take when people have a hard time swallowing pills. It is often concentrated so that a greater dose can be given with less liquid. Many users prefer this kind because it is easy to take and begins working within 15 minutes and only lasts for around four hours. However, liquid morphine has a very bitter taste.

Morphine Tablets and Capsules

Morphine tablets and capsules come in extended release as well as rapid release. It is important to take the tablets and capsules as they are given. Do not break, crush or chew the extended release tablets. They have been designed specifically to give the patient the correct amount of morphine over a period of time. Breaking, crushing or chewing the tablets will release too much morphine into the bloodstream at one time.

However, rapid release tablets can be crushed and mixed into food such as applesauce or pudding. This is a popular thing to do when abusing morphine because it creates a strong high.

Morphine Injections

Injections are not as common with morphine because the other methods are quite effective. Injections are typically used for surgery preparations when using morphine rather than an anesthesia.

Morphine Suppositories

Suppositories are also not used as often. They are typically used when a patient needs a longer lasting dose, but have difficulty swallowing. When given in the form of a suppository, it should only be inserted into the rectum.

Morphine Interactions

Most prescribed medications have contraindications; meaning it is recommended that you do not use the prescribed drug if you have one or more of a list of other characteristics or drug usage. In some cases, it is recommended that you absolutely do not take the prescribed medication. In other cases, caution in use is recommended.

For morphine, it is recommended that you avoid using it if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. MAO inhibitors are the family of medications used primarily for treating depression and Parkinson’s disease. The two-week period suggests that the chemicals in the MAO inhibitor will have cleared your body after two weeks. Exactly what period of time your body processes a medication completely out of your system varies per person, so just using a basic timeframe as a point of reference could be insufficient.

It is also recommended that you do not take morphine with other narcotic pain medications, sedatives, tranquilizers, muscle relaxers or other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing.

There are other prescribed medications that may or may not interact with your use of morphine including most medications prescribed for the treatment of pain.

With morphine being such an effective treatment for severe pain, physicians and scientists continue to evaluate the benefit/risk ratio of prescribing morphine. Ongoing research to further understand how morphine works may provide insights on how to better manage its addictive properties. Without such information, a person must commit to managing their morphine use and taking action should they feel that the use is becoming abuse.

Morphine Help

If you or a loved one is addicted to morphine, it is important to seek help. Morphine is a highly dependent drug. Once addicted, the effects are devastating. Many lose their jobs, dreams and ambitions. But, there is hope. If you are interested in receiving information on morphine detox or rehab, please call our toll free number at (877) 259-5633.