Opioid Morphine Dependence

Overview

Opioids are drugs that are made from poppy plants. They are potent and powerful painkillers that can be highly addictive. Morphine is a type of opioid. They are available in tablet, capsule, liquid, and injectable forms. Morphine functions by acting on the nervous system to block the pain sensation. It also produces a calming effect by slowing down the heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate. Drug dependence occurs when the drug has been used frequently and continuously. Dependence is not an addiction. When morphine is given repetitively to relieve pain, it causes the neurons in the brain to adapt to the repeated exposure. This cause the person to start depending on morphine in order to function normally. Morphine dependence can lead to withdrawal symptoms once the drug is stopped. The withdrawal symptoms include irritability, headache, sweating, diarrhea, lacrimation, abdominal pain, restlessness and muscle aches. Hence, in morphine dependence, the drug is withdrawn by gradually.