Morphine is a strong prescription painkiller typically administered to relieve acute pain. It is an opiate naturally occurring in opium, a compound derived from drying opium poppies. Now, being an opioid, it is one of the many prescription drugs abused recreationally in the US. In fact, according to data from the CDC, almost 450,000 people died of opioid overdose between 1999-2018.
Morphine, when abused or used for pain management over a long period, results in addiction. And addiction can affect your health, family, and social life in various ways. So, working towards stopping your morphine dependency, whether you started using it medically or recreationally is a step in the right direction.
That said, the effects of morphine typically last a few hours. However, that does not mean you have eliminated it in your system. It is still detectable for much longer.
How Long Morphine Stays in Your System; An Overview
If you have stopped using morphine, you probably want to know: how long does morphine stay in your system? The time it takes your body to eliminate morphine from your system depends on many factors, including age, body weight, liver and kidney function, level of daily physical activity, tolerance, and the amount taken, among others.
However, on average, the drug lasts about six hours from the moment it enters your body. If it is an extended-release dosage, it can last for up to 12 hours. As for how long it stays in the system, it depends on the part of the body being tested:
- Blood: 8-12 hours
- Saliva: 1-2 days
- Urine: 2-4 days
- Hair: up to 3 months
What Causes Morphine Addiction?
There are many ways you can find yourself addicted to morphine. The most common being pain management. Basically, morphine is prescribed to help relieve pain stemming from surgery, chronic illness, or severe injury. With continued use, you develop a dependency and find it almost impossible to stop.
That said, addiction can also result from trauma, mental health problems, exposure/ availability, genetics, peer pressure, and the search for pleasure.
How to Know You Have a Morphine Addiction
Morphine is highly addictive. And users often do not realize they are addicted until they try to stop using it and cannot. However, you can tell whether or not you have a dependency and take action early. Look out for the following signs:
- Needing higher doses for the same level of relief
- Erratic mood and depressive episodes when off the drug
- Lack of control over how much morphine you are taking
- Continued use of the drug even though it is affecting important aspects of your life
- Disinterest in things you previously liked doing
- Continued use of morphine even after your pain-related condition is resolved
- Intense morphine craving
- Guilt and shame after morphine use
- Lying, stealing, or using manipulation to get morphine
- Trying to reduce your intake unsuccessfully
- Withdrawal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, anxiety, muscle pains, etc.
How Long Morphine Stays in Your System
If you have stopped using morphine, you probably want to know: how long does morphine stay in your system? The time it takes your body to eliminate morphine from your system depends on many factors, including age, body weight, liver and kidney function, level of daily physical activity, tolerance, and the amount taken, among others.
However, on average, the drug lasts about six hours from the moment it enters your body. If it is an extended-release dosage, it can last for up to 12 hours. As for how long it stays in the system, it depends on the part of the body being tested:
- Blood: 8-12 hours
- Saliva: 1-2 days
- Urine: 2-4 days
- Hair: up to 3 months
Seeking Treatment for Morphine Addiction
A morphine addiction can seriously affect your life. But treatment and recovery are possible through a multi-disciplinary approach that combines detox, meds, therapy, and lifestyle changes. However, you must first accept you have an addiction and be willing to seek help.