How addictive is morphine?

Answer 1

When a person takes a chemical like morphine frequently enough (either as prescribed by a doctor, or illegally), many cells of the body will make adjustments for the continued presence of this chemical.

Often, these adjustments will require the person to take MORE of the chemical, to get the same effect as earlier. This is called TOLERANCE.

Some people can develop an incredible tolerance, to the point where a single dose for them, would hurt a chemically-naive person.

Now, with many cells in the body changing their function to accommodate a chemical, if that chemical is suddenly removed, or if a person cannot dose, they will experience withdrawal symptoms. These are basically caused by the body's change in function to balance the chemical. When that chemical isn't there, then the body is unbalanced. It could take days to weeks for the body to regain a proper balance again. Until this balance occurs again, the person will feel horrible.

Ideally, in a medical setting, a doctor will gradually reduce a person's dose of a chemical over several weeks. This is called TAPERING, and it allows the body to gradually readjust to normal.

With regards to morphine (or other opiate), the presence of morphine will cause cells that normally produce endorphins (the body's natural opiates) to reduce or stop production altogether. Likewise, cells that have receptors for endorphins will down-regulate (have fewer receptors) to help balance the effects of morphine. This leads to tolerance & addiction.

Also, other chemicals can be substituted for the one to which a person is addicted. In the case of morphine addiction, methadone (another opiate) can be used. This can be tapered with the goal of having the person be free of addiction.

This can happen not only with opiates like morphine, heroin and oxycodone, but alcohol, benzodiazepines (valium), barbiturate, etc....

Answer 2

somewhere between Gatorade and heroin.