This chemical substance is commonly administered in hospital settings to relieve physical pain after surgery or a severe condition. As it is such a powerful substance, it is common that, if taken frequently, the patient ends up developing a dependency. Today we explain the symptoms and consequences of morphine addiction.
Morphine is a substance that, despite not being one of the most common in the world of addictions due to how difficult it is to obtain, also has many people “hooked” on it. It is usually administered by injection, or also in pill form. It is used to relieve very intense physical pain in both the short and long term. And once taken, the patient enters a state of euphoria and deep relaxation that makes them forget their condition. If they become accustomed to the substance, they may end up developing a morphine addiction syndrome.
Symptoms of morphine addiction
The symptoms of this dependency initially go unnoticed, and become more visible as the duration of the addiction increases. Its effects can be classified into 3 categories:
Physical symptoms
The patient may come to suffer internal and external physiological symptoms. For example, constipation, fainting, and skin rashes. The most common are:
- Skin rashes in the form of spots
- Extreme fatigue
- Increased drowsiness
- Muscle contractions
- Sudden loss of appetite
- Breathing difficulties
Psychological symptoms
Identifying psychological symptoms of morphine addiction can be complicated. It is common for the patient to suffer other psychological disorders at the same time, which can confuse the clinical picture. For example, episodes of depression and anxiety.
The most common psychological symptoms are:
- Excessive paranoia
- Depression
- Sudden mood swings towards negativity
- Anxiety
- Constant emotional instability
Behavioural symptoms
This whole series of physical and psychological effects ends up affecting the patient’s behaviour, creating sudden changes on a regular basis.
The most common behavioural symptoms are:
- Reserved attitude, withholding information, and unjustified absences
- Loss of contact with social relationships
- Attempting to avoid family and friends
- Decreased interest in the patient’s preferred activities
- Difficulty understanding and frequent arguments with closest loved ones
Consequences of morphine addiction
When taken occasionally and spaced out over time, morphine use does not usually cause side effects in the patient’s body. However, when taken frequently and long term, it creates physiological and psychological consequences. Two of the most common are constipation and poor functioning of the digestive system.
Other consequences of morphine addiction include:
- Severe loss of muscle tone
- Cardiac arrest
- Marked episodes of confusion
- Possibility of coma
While loss of muscle tone and confusion may disappear when stopping morphine use, cardiac arrests can occur at any time for the rest of the addict’s life.
Morphine withdrawal
When a person starts using morphine frequently and over a long period of time, they end up developing a dependency. This causes the body to believe it is another necessary substance to keep vital functions in order and normal. However, it is when stopping use that the first withdrawal symptoms appear as a result of having become accustomed to it.
When experiencing the effects of morphine withdrawal, the individual feels an irresistible need to use again. The symptoms they experience can last a few days, or up to an indeterminate number of weeks. It all depends on how their addiction developed and the body’s ability to readapt to normality without using morphine.
Some of the most common symptoms of morphine withdrawal are:
- Constant changes in body temperature, fluctuating between very high and very low
- Fever and chills due to changes in body temperature
- Watery eyes
- Runny nose
- Feeling restless
- Severe muscle pain
- Emotional instability
- Increased heart rate
- Severe stomach pain
- Nausea and vomiting
The severity of the symptoms experienced depends on the characteristics of the morphine addiction that has been experienced and the subsequent withdrawal syndrome. In some cases, it may amount to only a mild flu, while in the most extreme cases immediate medical attention is required.
Stopping morphine use must always be done under medical supervision. Otherwise, the effects produced may increase both in number and severity. A healthcare professional can monitor the patient’s condition and safely manage, at the appropriate time, all the consequences that may arise.
CCAdicciones is a treatment centre for dependencies and addictive disorders. If you have difficulty stopping drugs or any other type of psychological and behavioural disorder, you can contact us. You can ask our expert addiction therapists for professional help, and they will provide the support you need to rehabilitate.
