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Morphine is a naturally occurring chemical derived from the seedpods of the poppy plant. The drug is an opiate and in the group of narcotics that function as analgesics. The brain, the central nervous system, the spinal cord and the gastrointestinal systems are all affected by morphine. It was first commercially used in the 1820s and was used extensively in the U.S. Civil War. It is a powerful pain reliever that can rapidly lead to addiction. There are many new, synthetic opioids available which are more potent than morphine, but the euphoria produced by morphine (the active byproduct included in heroin) is among the most sought after highs.
The drug can help relieve acute pain and chronic pain and can help one who is suffering from a heart attack by decreasing the oxygen demand of the heart. It is regularly used to relieve pain of patients at the end of their life, patients suffering from advanced stage cancer, heart pain, labor pain, and surgery. Morphine, as with most other powerfully addictive drugs, activates the brain's reward and pain receptor systems.
Morphine is marketed under generic and brand name products including:
In addition to being marketed as a pain reliever, morphine can be injected for preoperative sedation and as a supplement to anesthesia. Today, morphine is marketed in a variety of forms, including:
The medical use of morphine must be determined by the patient's health and pain status. Regular use of morphine can lead to addiction which is defined by its physical and psychological components. Once the brain's receptor function is altered by morphine, the brain requires it in order to avoid withdrawal. The level of the drug required will regularly increase until the addiction is halted by treatment, incapacitation, or death.
When a person abruptly stops taking morphine, the body will be thrown into withdrawal within hours of the last use. Withdrawal can occur with not only complete abstinence, but also as a result of a decreased dose or frequency of administration. Morphine withdrawal can be dangerous and needs to be medically monitored at an inpatient medically supervised addiction detox facility.
An addict is typically in poor health from lack of medical follow-up, proper nutrition, and proper hygiene. Morphine further hinders the body's ability to fight infection because it suppresses the function of the immune system by inhibiting the natural killer cells from attacking foreign bodies. Morphine addiction places great stress upon a person's physical and psychological well being. That state of being is worsened by the morphine abuse. Morphine addiction is frequently associated with I.V. drug use and all of its medical consequences. Infections such as HIV, Hepatits B and C, endocarditis, phlebitis, and staph are common among those suffering from this addiction.
Using morphine does more than just reduce pain or provide a brief sense of euphoria. Every part of the body will be negatively impacted by chronic morphine abuse. The list below reflects some of the possible side effects of morphine abuse:
An addiction treatment program plan administered by staff in a licensed and accredited addiction treatment center is the best option for dealing with devastating results of morphine addiction.
It is important to note that an addict should never attempt to manage morphine withdrawal symptoms on his or her own. An addiction treatment center that provides medically monitored morphine detox is necessary to address all morphine withdrawal symptoms and help the person detox safely and effectively.
Finding an effective and comprehensive drug addiction treatment program can be overwhelming. A person suffering from morphine abuse or addiction needs to enter a addiction treatment program immediately following morphine withdrawal and detox.
An intensive inpatient addiction treatment program with on site medical and clinical staff with expertise in addiction treatment will provide the addict with the best treatment available. Individualized treatment plans are considered extremely important as no two addicts are exactly the same. Morphine withdrawal and detox that is not followed by addiction treatment is deemed to be inappropriate by the American Society of Addiction Medicine.