Mixing Alcohol and Morphine

Dangers of Mixing Morphine and Alcohol

People who are addicted to morphine and alcohol require serious consideration for treatment. A national drug survey for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 18.3 percent of the people admitted into a drug rehab program in 2009 were addicted to alcohol and another drug.

Many of those addicts were in rehab for mixing alcohol and morphine. The two drugs are not only similar to one another, but they are chemically reactive. Some of the most prominent dangers of mixing morphine with alcohol are caused by the reactions between the drugs inside the body.

Addiction Origins

An addict does not set out to become addicted to alcohol and morphine. The problem usually begins with a dependency on one of the substances. Morphine is a narcotic pain medication used to relieve pains and aches that are not related to a surgical procedure. The opioid pain medication must be prescribed and is closely regulated by the doctors and government laws on controlled substances. However, using morphine in doses larger than prescribed or in ways that go against doctors’ orders can lead to opiate addiction. Alcoholics may use morphine along with alcohol in an effort to achieve a high or relieve pain. How these two drugs come together is important in recovery. Until then, it is important to treat the effects of mixing the substances.

Mixing Depressants

Overdoses from mixing alcohol and morphine are often due to the double dose of depressants being ingested. Both morphine and alcohol slow the central nervous system and cause similar symptoms, including:

• Difficulty speaking
• Poor judgment
• Confusion
• Poor motor control
• Nausea
• Vomiting

When taken together, these drugs intensify one another’s effects in some people. The more severe symptoms include:

• Shallow breathing
• Low blood pressure
• Severe drowsiness
• Little coordination
• Liver and brain damage

“Overdoses are often due to the double dose of depressants being ingested.”-Projectknow.com
The double dose of depressants can also cause a coma or death. These symptoms are usually seen when the addiction escalates. Oftentimes, the person addicted to morphine and alcohol does not know when he or she has taken enough of the depressants to overdose. Most add alcohol to their morphine regimen in an effort to make their pain go away, but this ultimately leads to a physical or psychological addiction.

Chemicals of Addiction

Morphine administered in pill form is more hazardous when mixed with alcohol. The pills are usually time released, meaning they release the drug over an extended period of time. Alcohol eats through the pill, causing what physicians call a dose drop into the bloodstream. The surge of morphine coupled with the alcohol makes a super dose of depressants. This dose drop is one of the dangers of mixing morphine with alcohol. It can cause a morphine overdose when the user least expects it. This chemical reaction can also cause a quick depression of the heart rate and breathing rate that could ultimately prove fatal if not treated quickly.

If you or someone you love experiences such sudden symptoms, call 911 immediately. Tell the operator about the drugs taken and if the patient is addicted to the substances. Include any other information needed to treat the overdose before it escalates.

Get Help For Alcohol and Morphine Addiction

Misusing alcohol or drugs can take a serious toll on your health, relationships, and overall well-being, but recovery is possible. If you or someone you love is struggling, support and treatment options are within reach. Taking the first step may feel overwhelming, but it can change the course of your life for the better. Use our search tool to find rehabs near you and explore programs designed to meet your needs. Hope and healing are closer than you think. Start today.