Morphine is a potent narcotic in the opioid family of drugs. Morphine is used to control acute and chronic pain, and for terminal patients in palliative care or hospice. Some people, though, use this opioid in order to experience the morphine high. Let’s explore what a morphine high looks like.
What is Morphine?
Unlike synthetic opioids, morphine is a naturally occurring opiate that is derived from the seeds of the opium poppy plant. Heroin is a synthesized form of morphine. In the U.S., morphine is a Schedule II controlled substance. This means the drug has medicinal value but also a high risk for abuse and addiction.
The effects of morphine include the absence of pain, deep relaxation, and a dreamlike state of euphoria. The drug is often used as an anesthesia associated with surgery, or for pain management in terminal cancer patients. Some doctors may also prescribe this drug for short-term pain relief following an injury. The drug is administered via IV, injection, or pill form.
What Does a Morphine High Feel Like?
When morphine enters the bloodstream, there is a burst of dopamine production. Dopamine is the “feel good” chemical that interacts with the brain’s reward center.
Morphine binds with the opioid receptors in the brain and blocks the pain signals from the central nervous system. The effects of the drug include the absence of pain, euphoria, deep relaxation, and a calm, dreamlike state. Some say this opiate makes them feel warm and safe.
The effects of morphine are felt within thirty minutes unless injected, whereas the effects are felt within minutes. These effects with normal release morphine last 3-4 hours, and with extended release they may last up to eight hours.
Dangers of Misusing The Drug
Morphine is not without side effects. Some of the adverse effects of taking morphine include:
- Severe constipation.
- Nausea
- Drowsiness
- Dry mouth.
- Chest pain.
- Nervousness
- Itchy skin.
- Slowed breathing.
- Dizziness
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Loss of libido.
- Feelings of depression.
- Increased heart rate.
- Coma
In addition to these side effects, morphine abuse can result in addiction or even an overdose. Drug supplies, including this drug, sold on the street are often tainted with fentanyl. Someone who ingests the drug may die because the product they bought contained fentanyl, unbeknownst to them.
What Is Morphine Addiction?
Abusing morphine for recreational use, such as smoking, inhaling, or injecting the drug, increases the risk of addiction and overdose. This is the price paid for seeking a morphine high. The longer you use this drug, the higher your chances of becoming addicted to it. This happens because ongoing use of the drug increases tolerance to the drug, which leads to more frequent dosing.
Signs of morphine addiction include:
- Unable to control the drug.
- Taking higher doses than prescribed.
- Trying to stop taking the drug but cannot.
- Become obsessed with having and taking morphine.
- Cravings.
- Loss of interest in daily life activities.
- Symptoms of anxiety or depression emerge.
- Keep taking morphine in spite of the negative consequences.
- Having money problems or legal trouble due to morphine use.
- Having painful withdrawal symptoms.
What to Expect During Morphine Withdrawal?
People who become addicted to this opioid, experience withdrawal symptoms when they attempt to stop taking it. The same is true for someone who has become physically dependent on the drug after long-term use.
Either way, the withdrawal process is much safer when you enroll in a detox program. These are licensed inpatient detox centers or rehabs that will oversee the entire detox and withdrawal timeline.
To reduce the impact of withdrawal, a detox will include a gradual tapering off of the opiate over a scheduled period. Still, here are the symptoms you are likely to have during the detox process:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramps.
- Chills
- Excessive yawning.
- Excessive tearing of the eyes.
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Hot flashes.
- Loss of appetite.
- Muscle aches.
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Rapid breathing.
- Brain fog.
Detox allows the body to clear the drug from the system, which prepares you for getting the most out of rehab.
How to Beat a Morphine Addiction
When a morphine addiction has taken hold, the best rehab setting for breaking free is an inpatient treatment program. These programs provide detox on-site, which makes the transition to treatment seamless.
Once you have stabilized after detox, you will shift to a whole different focus. The treatment phase of recovery helps you gain important insights through therapy, as well as learn new coping tools. The goal is to equip you with the skills and tools needed to maintain abstinence from morphine.
Treatment for Addiction
Learning how to live your life without the drug is a process that takes weeks, even months, to accomplish. The treatment process includes the following:
- Individual counseling sessions. You will meet once or twice a week with a therapist. They use methods like CBT to show you new ways to respond to triggers that might otherwise cause a relapse.
- Group therapy sessions. Group sessions are helpful daily. In these sessions, you meet with peers in recovery and share thoughts and experiences.
- Education. Classes teach you how opioids impact the brain and how to avoid a relapse.
- 12-step. The 12-step process is a useful framework to help you meet recovery benchmarks.
Aftercare Follows Treatment
Although you have completed both detox and treatment, recovery efforts will continue for months to come. This is due to the power of opioid addiction on the brain, and how long it takes to overcome that.
Aftercare involves the actions you take to protect sobriety once you have finished the treatment program. These help you continue the progress you made in rehab and help you stay engaged in the recovery process. They include:
- Sober living. Sometimes it is helpful to live in a safe environment that is free of substances. Sober living is a good stepping-stone after treatment.
- Outpatient program. After rehab, it is good to step down to an outpatient program. These provide counseling services, support groups, and life skills, classes.
- Recovery community. Join a local 12-step group or SMART Recovery group for added support after treatment.
If you are misusing this drug to experience a morphine high, please reach out for help today.
Golf Drug Rehab Treatment for Morphine Addiction
Golf Drug Rehab offers premium detox and addiction treatment services for those with morphine addiction that also like to golf. For more information about our program, please call us today at (877) 958-5320.