Morphine is an opiate painkiller that was first described in the 16th century by Swiss Physician Paracelsus. Although not directly what we think of today as morphine, as this was not synthesized until the early 1800s, Paracelsus described the substance as a potent drug that could help to alleviate pain, but also suggested that it only be used sparingly.
It is interesting because we often times think of the notion of addiction as a modern understanding, but even back in the 16th century individuals were aware of the potential for abuse of opiates, and because of this Paracelsus suggested sparing usage, and that the substance be only used for medical applications.
In 1817 the first known morphine product became available for public consumption and with this introduction to the general public, morphine began to exhibit its addictive properties. Many individuals fell into morphine addiction, as they were totally unaware that it could create addiction, and very quickly it was discovered that the drug was in fact more addictive than alcohol or opium, two drugs that were commonly used during the time.
During the Civil War the drug was used extensively, which by some estimates caused 400,000 soldiers to experience morphine withdrawal, or what they called it at the time, “soldier’s disease.” Although this fact is debated, and the validity of the numbers or the term itself are sometimes thought to be a fabrication.
In 1874 heroin was first synthesized from morphine and initially sold by the company Bayer, now known for their over the counter medications. This led to, and continues to led to issues with addiction worldwide, and while the public and even the scientific and medical fields were mostly in the dark at this time about how addiction truly affects an individual, the legacy of morphine is one that can still be felt greatly today.
200 years later we are still experiencing morphine addiction among the US population. Some of the individuals suffering from morphine addiction fall into addiction because they are introduced to the drug in a hospital setting because of a surgery or some other illness they may have had. Others begin to use the drug recreationally, which almost always results in addiction, but regardless of how an individual becomes addicted to morphine, the results are almost always the same—a disintegration of the quality of life of the individual and the breakdown of relationships and ability to manage their life. Luckily, today we have numerous programs and substance abuse facilities that are equipped to help individuals suffering from addiction, so if you think that you may have an issue with morphine addiction, please continue to read on.
