PCP Addiction Treatment

Phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, is a synthetic hallucinogen that causes those who use it to feel disconnected from their body and the world around them.

More than 75,000 emergency room visits in 2011 were due to PCP use, an increase of 400% compared to 2005, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The majority of the visits (69%) were male patients, and 64% of all of the visits were persons ages 18-34.

PCP is fast-acting, with most users who inhale or inject the drug experiencing symptoms within 2 to 5 minutes, and those who take it orally experiencing symptoms within 30 to 60 minutes. PCP is a dangerous and addictive substance, and many people need help to overcome a problem with PCP abuse or addiction. Users of PCP also run the risk of negative PCP effects or even a PCP overdose, which can result in severe health complications, including death.

If you or a loved one are struggling with an addiction to PCP, The Phoenix Recovery Center are here to help. We offer carefully tailored, research-based PCP addiction treatment programs that can help you through PCP withdrawal and into recovery. Read on to learn more about PCP and our treatments for PCP addiction.

Phencyclidine, also known as PCP, didn’t start out as a recreational drug. According to the NCBI, it was first used in the 1950s as a general anesthetic for use in surgery. By 1967, it was discontinued because some of the PCP symptoms after the operations were complete included dysphoria and hallucinations. Around the same time, people began to manufacture it themselves and it became a street drug with widespread use by the 1970s.

Today, PCP can be found in many different forms, including tablets and capsules, but the most commonly used forms for recreational use are liquid or white crystal powder, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Users snort, inhale, inject, vaporizing, smoke or swallow PCP to get a high and experience hallucinations.

Street Names for PCP

Angel Dust is one common street name for PCP, but there are many more, including boat, crystal, crystal joints, elephant, embalming fluid, hog, killer weed, love boat, ozone, peace pill, rocket fuel, sawgrass, shermans, the sheets, supergrass, tic tac, wack and zoom.

PCP Effects

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, short-term use of phencyclidine (PCP) can can cause these side effects:

• Hallucinations, including distorted sight and sounds
• Behavioral changes
• Feelings of strength, power, and invulnerability
• Numbness, slurred speech, loss of coordination
• Sedation, immobility, amnesia,
• Disorientation, delirium
• Increased blood pressure, shallow and rapid breathing, raised heart rate and increased temperature

High doses of PCP can also cause these side effects:

• Seizures
• Coma
• Kidney failure
• Death, usually from accidental injury or suicide while under the influence of PCP

Long-term use of PCP can cause side effects that may last a year or more after the user has stopped taking PCP. According to NIDA, These PCP symptoms include:

• Speech problems
• Memory loss
• Weight loss
• Anxiety
• Depression and suicidal thoughts

While some hallucinogens are not considered to be addictive drugs, PCP can be addictive, according to NIDA. This means people who have repeatedly used PCP and then stop using it will experience PCP withdrawal symptoms similar to symptoms experienced when coming off of other drugs. These PCP withdrawal symptoms can include drug cravings, headaches, and sweating.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, signs and symptoms of a PCP overdose can include these dangerous physical and behavioral traits:

• Overly excited, agitated or violent behavior
• Altered state of consciousness
• Catatonic trance, in which the person doesn’t talk, move or react
• Coma
• Convulsions
• Hallucinations
• High Blood Pressure
• Side-to-side eye movements
• Psychosis
• Uncontrolled movement
• Lack of coordination

If you witness someone experiencing a PCP overdose, do not approach them as they can be a danger to themselves and to others. Instead, call 911 or the local emergency number in your area. A national, toll-free Poison Help hotline can also be called from anywhere in the United States at 1-800-222-1222.

During PCP overdose treatment, medicines to help with symptoms may be administered, along with IV fluids and several tests to monitor vitals signs and brain and body function. Recovery from a PCP overdose can take several weeks, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The Phoenix Recovery Center is driven by this guiding mission statement: “Empowering individuals and families suffering from addiction and mental health disorders to celebrate life through lasting solutions.”

The Phoenix Recovery Center offer a PCP addiction treatment program that is carefully tailored and defined by research. We make every effort to support treatment outcomes that prepare patients and their families to manage their addiction or other mental health disorders and to reclaim a meaningful life. Our purpose is to equip those we help to overcome phencyclidine abuse with both the knowledge and the applied behaviors they need to continue on a path to success even after they’ve completed our treatment program.