What Morphine Does to Your Brain Chemistry
Any drug you take will affect your body — that is how they are designed. Some drugs speed up the central nervous system (CNS), and other drugs slow it down. Some drugs heighten your attention, while others make you drowsy or sleepy. Even prescription drugs have side effects, which is why you should only take them under the direction of a physician.
Morphine is no different — it has potent effects on the body of anyone who takes it. When you take morphine, it interferes with the brain’s activity, specifically its neurotransmitters, neurons and the receptors. This interference affects the brain in the following ways:
- Morphine hinders good decisions. Abusing this drug can impact the part of the brain that stimulates good judgment, good decision-making and critical thinking. This mean that a person using morphine may make poor judgment calls and cannot think critically, which leaves him vulnerable to dangerous behaviors.
- Morphine boosts the brain’s reward response. It causes the brain to release copious amounts of dopamine (a neurotransmitter). Every time you take this drug, you reward the brain and body with positive feelings. This repeated action causes your brain and body to crave drugs, which is how physical dependence begins. Without morphine in the body, a someone dependent on the drug will experience extreme side effects, some of which can be very painful.
- Morphine changes the activity in the brain stem and spinal cord. These areas control automated responses, such as breathing and heart rate. Too much morphine can lower respiration and blood pressure, which can result in overdose and death.
- Morphine alters the brain’s ability to respond to attacks on the immune system. This means that a person who uses morphine is more susceptible to illnesses.
- Morphine harms memory-making. The connections between the brain’s neurons are called synapses. These synapses exchange information, and repeated stimulation of them is critical for memory formation. Morphine blocks synapses from exchanging information, which keeps memories from forming.1
Because of these intense changes to the way your brain works, long-term use may have lasting consequences. Any dependence or addiction to morphine will require therapeutic help to heal from.
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Getting Help For Morphine Addiction
Your brain, memories, immune system and entire life can change due to morphine addiction. The short-term high from drug abuse is not worth your life, so, if you or someone you love struggles with addiction, then seek help now.
You can call our toll-free, 24-hour helpline, 678-251-3189, any time to talk with our admissions coordinators about the best treatment options available to you. Do not gamble your memories or your life anymore on drug abuse. Call us today and start the path of healing and recovery.
Sources
1 “Morphine.” Medline Plus, March 15, 2018.