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Morphine is an opiate it is a natural opiate. There are also synthetic opiates (man made). Those are demerol, dilaudid, fentanyl, oxycodone (percocet), hydrocodone (vicoden,lortab, norco),codeine, oxycontin etc. They all work the same way in the brain. They attach to pain receptors in the brain and give you a euphoric high. Almost as good as an orgasm (sorry), but this high lasts for several hours (at first). After while, your body needs more and more to reach the same euphoric level. And after so long, it does nothing for you, no matter how much you take. When you stop,your body gets really REALLY pisssed off at you. Headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, no appetite, muscle aches, restless legs, hot and cold flashes with sweating, NO energy at all, anxiety, panic, hopelessness, despair.....this lasts about7-10 days. Then,its just the low energy, depression, and fear of how you are going to get through life w/o your drug.
Definitely find him an NA (narcotics anonymous) or HA(heroin anonymous) meeting. There will be people who can relate to him, and he will hear their stories and in turn hear alot of similarities about himself. He will meet people and find resources to stay clean.
I'm terrified that he will re-lapse. Should I call him today and check on him and encourage him or should I back off and let him make his own decisions/actions? Does anyone have any recommendations on what you would want your loved ones to do for you in this stage of getting clean?
My tip to you: leave him alone.........he got himself here, let him get himself out. You'll feel when a real change does or doesn't come.