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Written by Drew Redd. Mina Draskovic, B.Psy., reviewed this content for accuracy.
Morphine is a powerful and highly addictive opioid painkiller. Long-term use can quickly create morphine dependence, to the point where your brain and body can’t function normally without it.
A 2023 article published in Cells explains the negative impact of morphine addiction on nearly every aspect of a person’s life, suggesting that “morphine dependency usually results in undesired outcomes such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive alterations.” Research shows that in 2016, more than 19,000 people in the United States overdosed on morphine and other prescription opioids.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a morphine addiction, there is hope. Ardu’s compassionate, evidence-based morphine rehab center can help you reclaim your life and achieve lasting sobriety.
Our opioid addiction treatment center provides comprehensive treatment programs tailored to your needs to overcome opioid use disorders and build a foundation for lasting recovery.
My experience at Ardu has been phenomenal. The staff at Ardu is incredible, I have never felt so loved and cared for. They go above and beyond for their clients, they’re truly amazing people and very knowledgeable. You all have made such a huge impact on my life and recovery.
Morphine is a highly addictive opioid drug derived from the opium poppy plant. It is used in medical settings for its potent pain-relieving properties. Due to its high potential for abuse and addiction, morphine is classified as a controlled substance.
Unlike many other opioids, such as fentanyl or oxycodone, which are synthesized in laboratories, morphine is a naturally occurring substance found in the opium poppy plant. It is extracted from the plant’s seed pod and refined into different forms. As a naturally derived substance from the opium poppy, morphine is classified as an opiate, a subgroup within the larger opioid family that is natural and non-synthetic.
Chemically, morphine belongs to alkaloids, nitrogen-containing compounds found in certain plants. It binds to specific receptors in the brain and central nervous system called opioid receptors. When morphine attaches to them, it reduces the perception of pain and induces feelings of euphoria and relaxation.
Morphine’s powerful analgesic properties make it a valuable tool in medical settings.
Morphine can be administered through many different routes, depending on the person’s needs, the severity of their pain, and the medical setting. The choice of administration route is crucial, as it helps the drug work better and reduces the chances of side effects.
When morphine is injected, snorted, smoked, or inhaled, it produces a faster and more intense high, increasing the risk of addiction and overdose.
If you or someone you love is struggling with morphine addiction, know that there is hope. At Ardu Recovery Center, we offer compassionate and effective drug rehab programs that help you break free from the grip of addiction.
Morphine has long been used in medical settings to treat patients with severe or chronic pain. The widespread medical use of morphine has also contributed to its potential for abuse and addiction.
Morphine is primarily used for:
Morphine’s medical applications have undoubtedly helped countless patients, but using morphine outside of medical supervision increases the likelihood of abuse and addiction.
Morphine is highly addictive because of the way it affects the brain. Morphine binds to opioid receptors in the brain, which are responsible for pain relief and feelings of pleasure. The brain responds by releasing dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good and reinforces the behavior that leads to the reward.
…the rewarding effect of morphine and other opioids is associated with stimulation of μ opioid receptors localized at the GABAergic terminals of the ventral tegmental area. Such stimulation inhibits GABA release that, in turn, disinhibits dopaminergic neurons and leads to the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens that induces feelings of euphoria and promotes the development of drug dependence. (Listos, et. al.)
Over time, the brain adapts to the presence of morphine and starts to depend on it to function normally. This is called physical dependence. As you keep using morphine, your brain will need more and more of the drug to achieve the same effects, which is known as tolerance.
It’s not just the physical dependence that makes morphine so addictive. The drug also has a powerful effect on the brain’s reward system. Listos, et. al. also found that morphine hijacks the brain’s reward circuitry, causing compulsive drug-seeking behavior despite negative consequences.
They explain that “pharmacological manipulation of these neurotransmitters found in the reward pathway potentially can modify craving for drugs of abuse.” The surge of dopamine caused by morphine can be so intense that it rewires the brain to prioritize drug-seeking behavior over other important aspects of life.
Korean researchers suggest that morphine increases dopamine levels in key regions such as the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area. This produces intense euphoria that reinforces drug-taking behavior. Repeated morphine use leads to long-lasting neuroadaptations in the reward circuitry, making the brain crave the drug.
Chinese researchers found that morphine can increase the generation of reactive oxygen, causing oxidative stress in several brain regions and peripheral organs. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and the body’s ability to counteract their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants. The researchers highlight the effects of morphine on specific oxidative stress-related proteins, which may contribute to the progression of morphine addiction.
Over time, morphine abuse can change the structure and function of the brain, making it harder for you to experience pleasure from everyday activities and increasing the risk of long-term addiction. When you try to stop using morphine after you’ve developed a dependence, your brain goes into a state of imbalance, causing severe withdrawal symptoms and intense cravings. These uncomfortable symptoms can drive you to seek out morphine again, just to feel better. This is why people addicted to morphine often continue to use the drug despite negative consequences.
Because of the way morphine and other substances impact the brain, addiction is considered to be a brain disease. If you’re struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, Ardu has your back. Our compassionate care and effective drug and alcohol rehab center help you reclaim your life.
Morphine addiction can manifest in a spectrum of physical, behavioral, and psychological changes. Some signs may be more noticeable, while others can be harder to spot.
Physical signs and symptoms of morphine addiction include:
Behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of morphine addiction are:
Not everyone will display the same signs and symptoms of drug abuse. If you recognize any of these signs in yourself or someone you know, seek professional help.
With Ardu, you can start your journey to health and sobriety in a safe and effective detox. The caring team in our detox center will help you break free from the physical dependence on morphine, manage withdrawal symptoms, and lay the foundation for lasting recovery.
Learn more about our opioid detox services.
Several factors can increase the risk of developing morphine addiction. While some people may be more susceptible due to genetic or environmental influences, morphine’s powerful effects on the brain can make anyone an addict.
Here are the main risk factors and causes of morphine addiction:
It’s no easy feat to beat morphine addiction. It takes a well-rounded approach that includes prevention, education, and personalized treatment programs. Contact Ardu Recovery Center and take the first step towards sobriety.
Despite the medical benefits, morphine can have devastating effects on your health when abused. Let’s walk you through some of the harmful effects of morphine addiction.
In sufficient amounts, morphine slows down breathing by depressing the respiratory system. Potent opioids such as morphine can lead to so-called respiratory depression, where breathing becomes shallow or even stops completely.
A 2021 study revealed that morphine activates mu-opioid receptors, which decreases the levels of the signaling molecule cAMP inside neurons that control breathing in the brainstem. Lower cAMP makes these breathing neurons less active, resulting in slowed or depressed respiration.
The more frequently you use, the more your body becomes tolerant and requires higher doses to achieve the same effects, which significantly increases the risk of dangerously slowed breathing rates. The lack of oxygen causes serious brain damage and can be fatal.
Gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and constipation are among the most common side effects of morphine. With long-term abuse and addiction, these symptoms—especially constipation—can become severe.
Morphine binds to mu-opioid receptors in the gut, decreasing motility and slowing down the movement of the intestines. This leads to severe constipation, causing painful complications such as bowel obstructions, hemorrhoids, and stercoral colitis (where hardened stool puts pressure on the colon walls). Kaushal, et. al. revealed that, in extreme cases, the increased pressure can cause ulceration, perforation, or even pneumoperitoneum where air leaks into the abdominal cavity.
Morphine’s effects on the brain’s opioid receptors can impair cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and decision-making abilities. Addicts may experience mental cloudiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating.
Long-term morphine abuse can also lead to structural changes in the brain, further impairing cognitive performance. A group of scientists found that chronic morphine addiction seems to shrink the amygdala area of the brain that handles emotions and addictive behaviors. It also damages the brain’s white matter wiring and disrupts communication between key regions crucial for reward processing, self-awareness, and cognitive control.
Rapeli, et. al. discovered that even during abstinence from morphine, people showed impairments in the prefrontal cortex, affecting working memory, executive function, and fluid intelligence.
Morphine and other opioids suppress the immune system, making addicts more susceptible to infections and illnesses. According to Shaheed, et. al., morphine addiction suppresses key cells and functions of the innate and adaptive immune systems. It decreases the activity of natural killer cells, macrophages, T cells, and neutrophils, impairing the body’s ability to fight off infections. That’s why many people addicted to morphine are at higher risk of contracting HIV, hepatitis C, and tuberculosis, especially if they engage in risky behaviors such as sharing needles.
Prolonged morphine abuse can take a toll on vital organs. Heavy, long-term use can damage the liver, potentially leading to liver disease or liver failure. Those who inject morphine are at higher risk of organ damage due to the toxic effects of the drug and contaminants being injected directly into the bloodstream.
A 2005 study found that chronic morphine abuse significantly increased liver enzymes such as ALT and AST indicating liver damage, while also raising kidney markers, signaling kidney injury. Morphine caused congestion, necrosis in the liver, and vacuolization in the kidney tubular cells under the microscope.
Morphine addiction has also been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and lung disorders.
Morphine addiction takes a severe toll on mental health. Because it damages cognition, it makes clear thinking difficult. Emotional dysregulation from morphine addiction causes drastic mood swings.
Iranian researchers concluded that “opioid addiction causes disturbances in mood and promotes anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments.” Chronic morphine administration in rats caused anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors.
Withdrawal from morphine is extraordinarily taxing psychologically, leading to irritability, fatigue, and intense drug cravings. Trying to go cold turkey on your own is extremely dangerous. That’s why you need professional medical supervision at a facility like Ardu’s morphine detox center.
Our compassionate staff provides around-the-clock care with medication-assisted treatment to ease withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Don’t risk your life; kick your morphine habit and reclaim your well-being with Ardu.
Morphine addiction can be life-threatening. This powerful opioid drug depresses the respiratory system, so overdosing can slow down breathing or even stop it completely. Here are some more warning signs of morphine overdose:
If you notice someone exhibiting these signs after taking morphine, call 911 right away.
To start your healing process, find a trusted morphine addiction treatment program—such as Ardu Recovery Center. Our reputable recovery programs in Provo, Utah help people who are addicted to morphine get back on their feet. If you are ready to put in the work, our team of highly trained and experienced professionals will help you ease into a life of health and sobriety.
The first step to getting clean is detox. Our comprehensive detox services help you safely and comfortably rid your system of morphine. Our experienced medical staff will develop an individualized treatment plan tailored to your unique situation.
Our medical detox program provides 24/7 care and effective medications that alleviate the withdrawal symptoms that come with abstinence. We use prescription medications as needed to make the morphine detox process as comfortable as possible.
As for our holistic detox, we offer different therapies to help relax the nervous system and restore balance. These include:
With personalized medical oversight and holistic therapies tailored to your needs, our program helps you transition into addiction treatment with the best chance of success after kicking the morphine habit.
At our morphine rehab center, we provide compassionate care to help you reclaim your health, happiness, and purpose. We offer comprehensive inpatient and outpatient treatments tailored to your unique needs.
Inpatient treatment provides round-the-clock structured support and intensive therapy daily. The benefits of our residential addiction treatment program are:
Outpatient treatment allows you to maintain your personal life while getting help every week, on a bi-weekly basis, and even daily if needed. You can choose our intensive outpatient programs or partial hospitalization programs, and work with us to find an outpatient program that works best for you.
The advantages of our outpatient treatment include:
Our team will thoughtfully assess your needs and insurance coverage to determine if residential care or outpatient care will give you the best chance of success given your current situation. Successful recovery is possible—we’re here to guide you.
As a part of our comprehensive morphine rehab center, we offer:
If you want to verify your health insurance coverage, gather more payment information, and pursue the Medicaid redetermination process in Utah, visit our insurance verification page.
Our recovery center welcomes anyone seeking help to overcome their morphine addiction. Our dedicated team of professionals is here to guide and support you in your addiction treatment process, laying the foundation for long-term sobriety and relapse prevention.
To enroll in an Ardu opioid treatment program, contact Ardu Recovery Center online or via phone (801-872-8480). We will work with you to find a recovery path that works for you during the detox process and beyond.
Drew Redd is the executive director of Ardu Recovery Center and is dedicated to empowering people on their journey to sobriety.
Opioids are addictive because they bind to specific receptors in the brain called opioid receptors, which are involved in regulating pain, pleasure, and reward. When opioids attach to these receptors, they activate the brain’s reward system, leading to feelings of euphoria and pleasure. Over time, the brain may become dependent on opioids to produce these feelings, leading to addiction.
Several opioids are stronger than morphine in terms of potency and analgesic effect. Some examples include fentanyl, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), and oxycodone (OxyContin). Fentanyl, in particular, is significantly more potent than morphine and is often used in medical settings for severe pain management. It has also gained popularity as a recreational drug, though its potency drastically increases the risk of overdose and death.
Drowsiness and sedation are common side effects of morphine. This drowsiness is desirable in medical settings for managing severe pain or providing comfort to patients with terminal illnesses. Use morphine under medical supervision because if you take a high dose, you can experience respiratory depression and other adverse effects, especially when you combine it with other central nervous system depressants such as alcohol or benzodiazepines.
The opioid epidemic in the United States can be traced back to the late 1990s when pharmaceutical companies aggressively marketed prescription opioids as safe and effective for managing chronic pain. This led to widespread overprescribing and misuse of opioids, contributing to a sharp increase in opioid addiction, overdoses, and deaths over the following decades.
Morphine was first isolated from opium in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, a German pharmacist. Sertürner’s discovery marked a significant milestone in the history of pharmacology, as morphine became the first isolated active ingredient from a plant source. Morphine’s potent analgesic properties revolutionized pain management and made it one of the most widely used opioids in medicine.
Sharma, A., Patnaik, R., & Sharma, H. S. (2019, January 1). Neuroprotective effects of 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron on morphine withdrawal-induced brain edema formation, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, neuronal injuries, glial activation, and heat shock protein upregulation in the brain. International Review of Neurobiology. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.irn.2019.06.011
Yu, H., Wen, B., Lu, Y., Xie, B., Yu, F., Zhang, M., Ma, C., Cong, B., Wen, D., & Bi, H. (2022). The Role of circTmeff-1 in Morphine Addiction Memory of Mice. Cells, 12(15), 1985. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12151985
Listos, J., Łupina, M., Talarek, S., Mazur, A., Orzelska-Górka, J., & Kotlińska, J. (2019). The Mechanisms Involved in Morphine Addiction: An Overview. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(17). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20174302
Kim, J., Ham, S., Hong, H., Moon, C., & Im, H. (2016). Brain Reward Circuits in Morphine Addiction. Molecules and Cells, 39(9), 645-653. https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0137
Zeng, X., Geng, W. S., Wang, Z. Q., & Jia, J. (2020, February 21). Morphine Addiction and Oxidative Stress: The Potential Effects of Thioredoxin-1. Frontiers in Pharmacology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.00082
Paul, A. K., Smith, C. M., Rahmatullah, M., Nissapatorn, V., Wilairatana, P., Spetea, M., Gueven, N., & Dietis, N. (2021). Opioid Analgesia and Opioid-Induced Adverse Effects: A Review. Pharmaceuticals, 14(11), 1091. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph14111091
Kaushal, V., Amoozgar, B., Garala, P., Bayanzay, K., & Sen, S. (2020). Spontaneous Recurrent Pneumoperitoneum due to Opioid-Induced Constipation: A Case Report. Cureus, 12(5). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.8205
Upadhyay, J., Maleki, N., Potter, J., Elman, I., Rudrauf, D., Knudsen, J., Wallin, D., Pendse, G., McDonald, L., Griffin, M., Anderson, J., Nutile, L., Renshaw, P., Weiss, R., Becerra, L., & Borsook, D. (2010). Alterations in brain structure and functional connectivity in prescription opioid-dependent patients. Brain, 133(7), 2098-2114. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awq138
Rapeli, P., Kivisaari, R., Autti, T., Kähkönen, S., Puuskari, V., Jokela, O., & Kalska, H. (2006, February 24). Cognitive function during early abstinence from opioid dependence: a comparison to age, gender, and verbal intelligence matched controls. BMC Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244x-6-9
Shaheed, C. A., Beardsley, J., Day, R. O., & McLachlan, A. J. (2022). Immunomodulatory effects of pharmaceutical opioids and antipyretic analgesics: Mechanisms and relevance to infection. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 88(7), 3114-3131. https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.15281
Atici S, Cinel I, Cinel L, Doruk N, Eskandari G, Oral U. Liver and kidney toxicity in chronic use of opioids: an experimental long-term treatment model. J Biosci. 2005 Mar;30(2):245-52. doi: 10.1007/BF02703705. PMID: 15886461.
Motaghinejad, M., Fatima, S., Banifazl, S., Bangash, M. Y., & Karimian, M. (2016). Study of the effects of controlled morphine administration for treatment of anxiety, depression, and cognition impairment in morphine-addicted rats. Advanced Biomedical Research, 5. https://doi.org/10.4103/2277-9175.188491
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