This is because of the tolerance a person builds to the drug. When an individual takes dangerously high doses to experience the same symptoms, it’s time to seek treatment. PCP (phencyclidine), also known by its street name “angel dust,” is an illegal drug that’s commonly sold as a white powder or in liquid form. Hallucinogens can cause such mind-altering effects as confusion, mood changes, and seeing or hearing things that aren’t there. The highly addictive properties of PCP were why medical experts blacklisted it from being used in medical procedures.
It is also frequently used with other drugs, including laced into marijuana. Joints and tobacco cigarettes are sometimes dipped into liquid PCP, then smoked to be used. It became illegal and listed as a controlled substance in the 1960s.
Addiction Treatment Programs
The purest form of PCP is a crystalline powder that can easily dissolve in liquids like water or alcohol. Since angel dust is an illicit substance distributed on the streets, suppliers can contaminate it with other items that vary in color and consistency. Substance use disorder can negatively impact anyone’s health and well-being. With the various substances out there, people may find themselves developing dependencies on substances that are difficult to break. One of the addictive substances that people seek treatment for is phencyclidine (PCP). Angel dust effects on the brain are many, ultimately leading to psychological dependence and cravings.
What are the effects of recreational PCP use?
Once a popular drug of abuse in the 1980s, PCP has reemerged in the last substance use group ideas decade. Originally used as a general anesthetic in the 1950s, it became limited to veterinary use in 1967 due to reports of hallucinations and uneasy feelings in patients after surgery. Moderate to high doses of PCP can cause symptoms of psychosis that mimic schizophrenia, even in people without a history of mental illness. This may include hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
Addiction
Remember that owing to its health risks, angel dust or PCP is currently a Schedule II controlled substance. It has a high risk of addiction and abuse and is illegal across the United States. Nevertheless, many clandestine labs continue to manufacture it and how to wean off alcohol mix it with unknown additives, adding to its side effects. A person’s genetics can play a significant role in their likelihood of developing substance use disorder. The genetic influence of substance use can explain why some individuals can use substances and not develop an addiction while others can easily become dependent on PCP.
Your doctor may also refer you to a live-in addiction recovery center to help you through the next steps. But if you don’t have insurance or your insurance what is whippits doesn’t cover residential treatment, speak to a health advocate at a treatment facility about costs and payment plan options. Over time, the more you use the drug, the more tolerance you’ll build. This means you’ll need to use higher doses to get the same level of high. The combination of addiction and increasing tolerance makes it very hard to quit.
These feelings are why many accidental suicides are closely related to drug use. If you or someone around you is exhibiting signs of angel dust overdose, seek urgent medical help immediately. Angel dust or PCP can lead to varying yet unpleasant side effects, which may be unique to each individual. It can mess with their state of mind, often to the extent that they may completely dissociate from reality and lose all clarity of thought. A medical professional will assess a patient’s overall health and determine whether they have substance use disorder and the severity of the condition.
- Learning about the types of programs and services Gateway offers can help make the treatment process run smoother.
- There’s no medication available to reduce or block PCP’s effects on your body and overall health.
- Originally developed in the 1950s, PCP was introduced to the community as an anesthetic drug for medical purposes.
- Certain mental health conditions — like generalized anxiety disorder or depression — can increase the risk of becoming addicted to angel dust.
PCP (Angel Dust): Effects, Hazards, Myths, and How to Get Help
Trying to reason with a person still under PCP influence can also put others in danger. One of the most common PCP side effects includes the potential loss of sensations and feelings in the legs and arms. While users can still move their extremities, they may find it difficult to feel their bodies or other objects. Such an experience can easily frighten anyone, especially those using angel dust for the first time.