Morphine Withdrawal
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Morphine is a substance that can be as helpful as it can be damaging. Around 70% of drug deaths are caused by opiates, among which is morphine. Many of these deaths take place during the withdrawal stage when the withdrawal symptoms are too difficult for the addict to handle.
Morphine withdrawal can be very dangerous, especially after long term use. To make these symptoms easier to manage, you might want to opt for the help of a rehab center. They will use medical detox along with a variety of other treatment methods, to ensure that your withdrawal is as easy to bear as possible.
What Causes Morphine Withdrawals?
Morphine is an opioid – so, when it enters your bloodstream, it changes the way your body responds to pain. Not only does it block your brain from sending pain signals, but it also releases quite a generous dose of dopamine.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that your brain typically releases when you engage in pleasurable activities – i.e., the “feel good” neurotransmitter. This feeling causes you to continue using the morphine, even though your body is no longer in any physical pain.
When you continue to abuse morphine on a regular basis, the brain begins to get used to this dopamine rush. The more you get used to it, the more your body will ask for it. Your body will develop an addiction, at which point you will go through opioid withdrawal symptoms once you try to stop.
Symptoms of Morphine Withdrawals
Morphine withdrawal can be very intense, depending on the severity of the addiction. If you or a loved one is going through morphine withdrawal, expect the following symptoms:
- Agitation
- Depression
- Chills
- Watery eyes
- High blood pressure
- Runny nose
- Headaches
- Muscle aches
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Disorientation
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Vomiting
Numerous of the symptoms above can lead to yet another physical symptom: dehydration. When morphine addiction is severe, this dehydration may be potentially fatal.
Medical detox may ease the severity of these symptoms, but to reduce other health issues, you might want to ensure the recovering addict is properly hydrated.
Factors of Morphine Withdrawals
Morphine withdrawal and detox generally last between 5 and 7 days. The severity of the withdrawal along with the duration may be influenced by various factors, such as:
- Duration and amount of morphine used: The longer the person has been abusing morphine, the more severe the symptoms might be.
- Underlying medical conditions: This can be of both mental and physical nature, as co-occurring disorders.
- Genetic or biological influences: For example. a history of addiction in the family or other genetic or biological factors may influence the duration of the withdrawal.
- Polydrug abuse: Involving whether the individual used other drugs while abusing morphine or not.
- Environmental factors: Factors such as peer pressure, stress, or the overall external environment may affect the way someone may withdraw from morphine.
Each person has a different timeline for morphine withdrawal. Some may get over their symptoms in 5 days, whereas others may last more than 10 days.
How The Withdrawals Can Affect You Long-Term
For the most part, morphine withdrawal symptoms peak on the 4th day, after which they begin to subside. On the 10th day, most of the short-term symptoms are done, as the morphine has exited the system.
However, in severe addiction, morphine withdrawal symptoms may linger in other forms past the 10th day. These are very often psychological and behavioral symptoms that may last for months after the initial stages of morphine withdrawal.
Recovering addicts may feel irritability, anxiety, and depression over the next few weeks. The cravings associated with morphine withdrawal may last for months, maybe even years. It all depends on the severity of the addiction.
How To Treat Morphine Withdrawal Symptoms
Morphine withdrawal is typically treated using medical detox, to assist the individual in flushing out the morphine from their system and getting over their symptoms with ease. Withdrawal can be uncomfortable, but with medical assistance, the severity of the symptoms may be reduced.
Depending on the severity of the addiction, doctors may either recommend the “cold turkey” method or a gradual decrease in dosage. When the morphine has been abused for a long time, cutting the drug off completely and abruptly might make the symptoms much worse.
Also, depending on how long the morphine has been abused, the doctor may recommend inpatient or outpatient therapy. If the addiction is in the early stages, then outpatient treatment may suffice.
On the other hand, inpatient therapy is typically recommended for severe addiction cases, when the individual requires medical supervision.
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Treating Withdrawals in The Long-Term
Even after the physical symptoms may be treated, psychological withdrawal symptoms may still linger. Cravings may cause a relapse, which is why counseling and therapy are necessary. This can help individuals create a coping mechanism, as well as their willpower in order to get past their addiction.
Depending on the circumstances along with the preferences of the recovered addict, the doctor may recommend either group therapy or individual therapy.
Individual therapy is advised in more delicate circumstances when the patient discusses with the therapist. Group therapy connects the patient with their peers so that they realize they are not alone.
Why Real Deal Sober Living Can Help
At Real Deal Sober Living, we have all the treatment options necessary to ensure you go through withdrawal as swiftly as possible. We offer our inpatient and outpatient therapy programs to ensure your transition right back into your old life.
We will monitor your progress not only in the short term but also in the long term. Also, we will make sure you do not feel the severity of the withdrawal symptoms, and monitor you so that you do not consume morphine again. We can help you manage your triggers so that you can get your life back.
Morphine withdrawal gets more difficult to manage the more time passes. Call Real Deal as soon as you realize your addiction, and allow us to help you go through your withdrawal symptoms.