Morphling (drug)

A needle filled with morphling.

"Morphling dulls the extremes of all emotions, so instead of a stab of sorrow, I merely feel emptiness. A hollow of dead brush where flowers used to bloom."

—The effect of morphling on Katniss Everdeen

Morphling is a powerful painkiller used in the treatment of severe injuries and illnesses.

Description

Morphling is similar to the real-life opiate analgesic morphine, and "morphling" is likely a corruption of the drug's original name. It can be taken through intravenous injection and orally in the form of tablets or liquid. Morphling is quite expensive, available only to those with connections to the Capitol or District 13. As a depressant, it dampens all sensation, including severe pain and regular emotion.

Use in treatment

Morphling is most commonly used to treat severe pain, but since it also depresses emotion, it is sometimes prescribed as a mood stabilizer. This is not the case for real-life morphine, as the risk of addiction is too severe.

Addiction

The morphlings from District 6 at the reaping

Morphling is also a highly addictive substance. Addicts are known as "morphlings". Long-term abuse of the drug can result in intense weight loss and yellowing of the skin, which is indicative of liver damage. Withdrawal symptoms include tremors and vomiting.

Known morphling addicts

• Casca Highbottom
• District 6 female
• District 6 male
• Johanna Mason
• Katniss Everdeen

History

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Casca Highbottom, the dean at the Academy, was often seen "doped up" on morphling, which he took orally as a liquid. His long-term abuse led to a shrunken physique and sagging skin. He first tried it after Volumnia Gaul introduced him as the architect of the Hunger Games. Coriolanus later used Highbottom's morphling addiction to end his life; he scooped up rat poison from a back alley and squeezed it into a morphling bottle, which the dean would later pull from the trash and consume.

Coriolanus Snow was given morphling at the Capitol Hospital after receiving a concussion in the bombing of the Capitol Arena. The drug muted any pain or joy he would have otherwise experienced. Sejanus Plinth was later prescribed morphling, taken orally as Highbottom had, to stabilize his emotional outbursts.

Catching Fire

Mrs. Undersee, the wife of District 12's mayor, received vials of morphling from the Capitol to treat her debilitating headaches. She likely also used it to cope with the loss of her sister, Maysilee Donner. Madge Undersee brought her mother's morphling to Mrs. Everdeen to help treat Gale Hawthorne after he was viciously whipped by the new Head Peacekeeper, Romulus Thread.

Both tributes from District 6 in the 75th Hunger Games were heavily addicted to morphling.

Mockingjay

Johanna Mason developed an addiction to morphling while hospitalized in District 13 for the torture she endured in the Capitol. When she was weaned off, she instead dipped into Katniss's supply. Katniss had been prescribed the drug for bruised ribs and a ruptured spleen she suffered in the Battle of District 2. Johanna later endured withdrawals so she could train alongside Katniss for the Battle of the Capitol.

Primrose Everdeen came up with the idea of using morphling to help Peeta Mellark recover from his hijacking. He would receive a dose of the drug to calm him, then would have a memory brought up in order to retrain his fearful, agitated responses into more positive ones.

Katniss was given another round of morphling after being burned in the City Circle bombing, and she developed an addiction. She stayed on morphling tablets throughout her imprisonment for the assassination of Alma Coin. She contemplated committing suicide by overdosing, but ultimately decided against it and overcame her addiction.