Treatment with a drug rehabilitation center or addiction professional is recommended. The first step toward withdrawing from PCP is to seek supportive therapy. The effects can be hard to predict, because production and sale are illegal and therefore not controlled. Severe PCP poisoning can also occur if an individual, when attempting to conceal the drug from authorities, mistakenly ingests large amounts due to body stuffing or packing.
Recovery and Treatment Options for PCP
The liquid form of PCP is actually PCP base often dissolved in ether, a highly flammable solvent. For smoking, PCP is typically sprayed onto leafy material such as mint, parsley, oregano, or marijuana. Some people—intent on purchasing ecstasy or MDMA—are deceived and given pills that combine PCP and other substances, including ketamine, caffeine, and methamphetamine. A typical dose is 5 to 10 milligrams, and 10 mg has been reported to cause stupor.
Chronic PCP use can cause toxic psychosis, especially if you have a history of mental health issues. This is especially true when you mix angel dust and substances that depress the central nervous system (CNS). The combo can cause substance abuse group activities your breathing to become dangerously slow and lead to respiratory arrest or coma. If PCP is smoked, snorted, or injected, you typically begin to feel the effects within 2 to 5 minutes. In its purest form, PCP is a white crystalline powder that readily dissolves in water or alcohol and has a distinctive bitter chemical taste.
Everything You Need to Know About Angel Dust (PCP)
- Fry, the street name for marijuana or tobacco mixed with phencyclidine, may also be mixed with embalming fluid.
- If someone you know has attempted suicide, call 911 or the local emergency number right away.
- Addiction can also develop, as a person builds up a tolerance to the drug.
- Combining PCP with other drugs may also increase the risk of overdose.
- Weed laced with PCP may increase the chances of hallucinations or overdose symptoms.
- Outpatient therapy may also be an option for those who require more flexibility.
PCP has sedative effects, and interactions with other central nervous system depressants, such as alcohol and benzodiazepines, can lead to coma or accidental overdose. Many PCP users are brought to emergency rooms because of PCP’s unpleasant psychological effects or because of overdoses. In a hospital or detention setting, they often become violent or suicidal, and are very dangerous to themselves and to others. They should be kept in a calm setting and should not be left alone. All studies of Olney’s lesions have only been performed on non-human animals and may not apply to humans. Besides angel dust, other commonly used street names for the drug include ozone, rocket fuel, amp, animal tranquilizer, hog, shermans, wack, crystal, and embalming fluid.
You can also call 911 or the local emergency number or go to the hospital emergency room. People who use PCP can get psychologically addicted to it. They are not able to control their use of it and they need PCP to get through daily life. You can also join a virtual or in-person support group and connect and share with others who’ve been through a similar experience. It’s good to reach out to a support group of close family and friends, if you can. They can help you stick to your goals, avoid triggers, and keep you accountable during recovery.
Ingesting PCP with other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, such as alcohol or prescription tranquilizers, can lead to coma. A larger dose will have the opposite effect, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. The effects of PCP vary, depending upon the amount of active drug taken and how it is taken.
Addiction
Phencyclidine, commonly referred to as PCP, causes hallucinatory and dissociative effects. The drug disrupts the way different parts of the brain communicate. It also acts on the part of the brain in charge of pleasure, causing an intense euphoric rush. The onset of PCP’s effects is quite rapid; they take hold within 1-5 minutes when PCP is smoked or injected, and within 30 minutes if taken orally or snorted.
If it’s mixed with cannabis, you might hear it gallstones and alcohol called killer joints, fry, lovelies, wets, or waters. It may interfere with several other substances and repeated use can cause tolerance and several long-term side effects. Furthermore, taking a large amount can lead to an overdose and could increase the risk of dangerous, aggressive, or violent behavior.
If you or someone you know overdoses, call poison control at 800‑222‑1222 to speak to an expert. Call 911 or head to the nearest hospital to get medical help right away. Experts have found that programs like cognitive behavioral therapy or talk therapy can be effective for substance addiction. Over time, the more you use the drug, the more tolerance you’ll build.
Many believe PCP to be one of the most dangerous drugs of abuse. A moderate amount of PCP often causes users to feel detached, distant, and estranged from their surroundings. Discontinuing PCP suddenly can produce withdrawal symptoms. Anyone seeking recovery from PCP use will need medical supervision and possibly hospitalization. The psychiatric effects vary widely, but it is considered dangerous, and its use has been linked to violent and aggressive actions, psychosis, and a risk of accidental death.
Treatment Options
It belongs to a class of drugs called hallucinogens that can cause such mind-altering effects as confusion, mood changes, and seeing or hearing things that aren’t there. At high doses, it can cause a range of serious health issues like seizures, a coma, and possibly death. People who stop ongoing use of PCP experience drug cravings, increased appetite, headaches, sleepiness, depression, and sweating as common withdrawal symptoms. While studies are looking at options for drug treatment of PCP dependence, there are no specific approved treatments for PCP abuse and addiction. Patients may need to be hospitalized and receive behavioral treatments to address abuse issues with PCP.
PCP is known by many other names, including horse tranquilizer. Though it’s no longer approved for use in humans, it’s still sometimes used as a tranquilizer for animals. If you do decide to use PCP, there are several steps you can take to keep yourself safe. There are also many options available for support if you are concerned about your substance use. Most people smoke it by sprinkling it on cannabis, tobacco, or plant leaves like mint or parsley.
This means you’ll need to use higher doses to liquid marijuana alcohol drink get the same level of high. But it’s also sold as tablets or capsules that you can swallow. In some cases, people mix it with tobacco, various cannabis products, or even mint and oregano.
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