Morphine and Alcohol Substance Abuse
Morphine is a non-synthetic narcotic derived from opium. It is prescribed for the treatment of pain, but it has a high potential for misuse due to the euphoria it can induce in users. People often mix morphine with alcohol in order to intensify its effects, but this is a dangerous combination.
If you or a loved one is struggling with substance use, our team of compassionate professionals at Zinnia Health can help. Call our team today at (855) 430-9439 to learn more about our treatment options.
What Are The Dangers of Mixing Alcohol With Morphine?
When taken in high amounts, morphine can be deadly on its own. When mixed with another depressant like alcohol, the side effects increase exponentially, putting life at risk even if someone only takes their usual morphine dose.
Chronic morphine and alcohol abuse can lead to decreased appetite and inhibition of the cough reflex. Physical and psychological dependence can also develop rapidly.
Can You Drink on Morphine?
Morphine is commonly used as a pain reliever in emergency rooms and following surgery. However, morphine can make it into the hands of individuals who misuse it for its ability to relieve pain and induce a sense of euphoria. Those trying to abuse the drug are more likely to mix it with other substances like alcohol, but the CDC advises against it.
It’s important to note that the DEA classifies morphine as a Schedule II drug, which means it is a controlled substance with very limited medical use. Only a fraction of the morphine shipped into the United States is used in the pharmaceutical industry in its pure form. Most of it is processed into codeine and other painkillers that aren’t as powerful.
Combining morphine, codeine, or any other derivative with alcohol can have serious consequences, including the following:
- Paranoia
- Confusion
- Kidney failure
- Death
How Long After Taking Morphine Can You Drink Alcohol?
You should never drink after taking morphine. If you are thinking about drinking alcohol, you need to make sure that morphine is fully out of your system before you do. However, it can be hard to know how long morphine stays in your body since it varies by:
- Age
- Weight
- Height
- Gender
- Personal history of substance abuse
The way you take morphine also affects absorption.
Morphine comes in multiple forms, including immediate-release and extended-release tablets and capsules, and the way in which you take morphine can impact how long it is in your system for, and therefore how long you need to wait before drinking alcohol.
For example, the injectable liquid form of morphine has the highest potential for misuse since it enters the bloodstream directly.
Only medical professionals can give you direct information on how long morphine stays in your system, based on all the variables. But, to be safe, wait at least 24 hours to drink alcohol after taking your last morphine dose.
Why Do People Mix Alcohol and Morphine?
Both alcohol and morphine are classified as depressants, which means mixing them together leads to exponentially stronger effects than taking either by itself. Many people are trying to achieve this more intense sensation and so they mix morphine and alcohol intentionally.
The combination of drinking alcohol and taking morphine can heighten the sense of euphoria that morphine induces, thereby increasing the risk of dependence and misuse. Once an addiction forms, a person will physically crave the combination and will find it difficult if not impossible to stop themselves from mixing substances to get high.
Why Is It Dangerous to Mix Morphine with Alcohol?
Especially when taking morphine with alcohol, users are at an increased risk of overdose and death because alcohol causes the drug to metabolize faster. This means even if someone takes an amount of morphine they are accustomed to taking, the addition of alcohol can make it deadly.
Additionally, because the effects of morphine and the effects of alcohol are multiplied when mixing them together, the combination can lead to a person more rapidly developing tolerance.
In other words, adding alcohol to the mix will force someone to continue taking more morphine and/or more alcohol to continue feeling the same effects. This further increases the risk of overdose.
Is someone you know mixing alcohol with morphine? Recovering from a strong pain medication like morphine is a complex matter, especially when dealing with alcohol use at the same time. Connecting with caring medical professionals like those at Zinnia Healthis the first step to recovery. Call our team today at (855) 430-9439 to learn more about our treatment options.
What Can Happen if You Drink on Morphine?
Since both alcohol and morphine are depressants, taking them together suppresses the central nervous system (CNS), causing a reduced heart rate that can drop dangerously low. The combination can also make it more difficult to breathe, as it puts stress on the respiratory system.
Immediate effects include feeling dizzy, confused, or paranoid. It also has a very negative effect on mental health, which can worsen any existing conditions like anxiety or depression.
Other side effects of mixing alcohol with morphine include:
- An overwhelming sense of fear and/or panic
- Seeing, feeling, and hearing things that aren’t there
- Feeling dizzy, even to the point of collapse
- Nausea and constipation
In the long term, morphine and alcohol combined can lead to high blood pressure, liver damage, and kidney failure. The organ damage that results from long-term misuse is not reversible and can lead to early death. Ongoing alcohol intoxication, whether or not a person is mixing morphine, can worsen all these side effects.
What Are the Symptoms From Drinking Alcohol with Morphine?
Due to morphine’s ability to suppress the central nervous system, too high of a dose can quickly turn deadly. Chronic usage can also result in permanent liver damage and even kidney failure, both of which develop more rapidly when mixing alcohol with morphine. For these reasons, seeking help should be an immediate priority.
Other dangers of mixing alcohol with morphine include:
- Stronger, more severe side effects
- Increased risk of overdose
- More rapid development of dependence and tolerance
- Dependence can lead to morphine addiction and alcohol addiction
Morphine’s addictive nature can rapidly lead to physical and psychological dependence. This dependence is only worsened when mixing alcohol with morphine.
Unfortunately, as dependence on a drug develops, most individuals find that their tolerance increases too. This means someone will continue to take more and more of a drug in order to experience the same effects, and it leads to drug addiction.
How to Get Help For a Morphine Addiction
Morphine addiction must be taken seriously. With such a high risk of dependence, overdose, and permanent organ damage, anyone mixing alcohol with morphine should seek help from a team of caring professionals who are experienced in morphine addiction recovery.
Depending on your needs, your treatment options may include substance abuse treatment at a residential facility where you’ll receive full-time care and monitoring. Alternatively, intensive inpatient or outpatient programs may be offered to help you work through your addiction while balancing school, work, and family obligations.
In order to make sure that you get the help you need with drug and alcohol abuse, look for a treatment facility that’s experienced with:
- All of the substances you’re using, whether that’s morphine, alcohol, or any other prescription opioid or recreational substance
- Co-occurring disorders, like depression and anxiety, which can change the way substance use disorder is treated or managed
- Personalized treatment that conforms to your unique needs, whether you’re dealing with chronic pain or personal/family issues
- Multiple payment options and plan navigators who will work with you to ensure the cost of addiction treatment doesn’t standing your way of getting help
The right treatment provider will incorporate a customized detox program with long-term mental and behavioral health to ensure a full recovery. They’ll also incorporate one-on-one, group, and family therapy to make sure that you can get back to a fulfilling lifestyle after completing the program.
Are you ready to explore your options for substance use recovery? Our caring team of healthcare providers can introduce you to customized techniques and programs for morphine addiction recovery. Contact us today on our website.
Related Articles
- Morphine Abuse Treatments
- What Are the Side Effects of Morphine Abuse?
- Morphine Overdose: What You Need to Know