Morphine Abuse and Addiction in Orlando

People often have questions about what the morphine definition is, and they may also ask, “What does morphine do?”  Morphine is an opiate pain medicine that affects the central nervous system by decreasing pain signals and the emotional response a person has to pain. Morphine can be prescribed or given to patients for acute and chronic pain.

What Is Morphine?

Morphine is administered in different ways, including by intramuscular injections, injections under the skin, intravenously and by injection into the spinal cord. Opiates like morphine are also classified as narcotics. When someone is given morphine, the drug binds to opioid receptors in the central nervous system. Different brand names of morphine include Roxanol, Kadian and Avinza.

The potential side effects of morphine are like other opioids. For example, some of the common short-term side effects of opioids include itching, nausea, vomiting and constipation. Also possible are drowsiness, dry mouth and respiratory depression. Possible severe side effects of morphine include:

• Dizziness
• Reduced sex drive
• Impaired sexual function
• Decreased levels of testosterone
• Depression
• Loss of appetite
• Changes in pain tolerance
• Slow breathing
• Increased risk of falling and being in accidents

Morphine slows the central nervous system (CNS) as it binds to opioid receptor sites. The CNS controls breathing and heart rate. If someone takes too high a dose of any opioid, including morphine, their breathing can slow to a deadly point.

If morphine is combined with other central nervous system depressants, the risk of overdose increases. For example, if someone takes morphine with an opioid, a benzodiazepine like Xanax, or they combine it with alcohol, the risk of an overdose increases significantly.

Is Morphine Addictive?

Morphine is a highly addictive drug, as are other opioids. The Federal Drug Administration classifies morphine as a schedule II controlled substance, which means the substance is highly restricted from public access in the United States. Schedule II substances are believed to have a high potential for abuse and addiction, despite their medical uses. Morphine has effects on the central nervous system that are like heroin. When someone uses morphine, it can create a euphoric high and trigger a reward response in the brain, which is why it’s considered addictive. Research shows that people tend to prefer morphine more than other opioids, which could be due to how addictive morphine is compared to other opioids like hydromorphone and oxycodone.