Club Scene Causing Increased Rate of PCP Addiction
The club scene in America has caused a rise in the use of newfound recreational drugs in young adults. Festivals, parties, and clubs are giving young people a place to try and abuse novel drugs that have the potential for addiction. It seems that popular club drugs like ketamine, MDMA, and Rohypnol have made way for a new stigma on PCP use. PCP use has been on the decline for the past few decades caused by the general knowledge of its terrifying side effects. However, the emerging club scene in the US has brought the drug back on the scene with a vengeance. Since there has been an increase in the use of these drugs, many treatment facilities are beginning to see a rise in patients that display a PCP addiction.
What is PCP?
PCP, or phencyclidine, is a synthetic drug that was first discovered in the 1920’s for its use as an anesthetic. Since it provided a list of disturbing side effects, its use as an anesthetic for humans died out in the 1950’s. Medical use for PCP today is very minimal, being only administered as a veterinary sedative when other options are unavailable.
Currently, the majority of the drug existent on this planet is illicitly produced, manufactured, and sold. Recreational forms of PCP include powder, pills, tablets, liquid, and crystal. Since it is not federally regulated and produced illegally, there is no way to really tell, unless it is tested, what any one of these forms of PCP really contains. For this reason, forms of PCP can range in a number of colors, from browns to yellows, although in its purest form is white. On the street, PCP is most commonly referred to as:
● Angel Dust
● Rocket Fuel
● Peace Pill
● Lovely
● Wack
● Dust
● Ozone
Why Do People Use PCP?
It may be challenging to understand why people use PCP due to its list of uncontrollable effects. Still, there are users that abuse the drug enough to develop a PCP addiction. Its users are sure to feel numbing of the arms and legs, a detachment from their environment, delusional self-perception, trouble speaking, audio hallucinations and visions. Larger doses result in raised heartbeat, raised blood pressure, respiratory problems, anxiety, depression, paranoia, and psychosis.
Damaging Effects of PCP Addiction
Since PCP makes its users feel out of their own body and a numbing sense, they are at risk to performing behaviors they wouldn’t normally. These behaviors are likely to be aggressive or violent. Many stories by police have been told about PCP users deliberately dismembering themselves or causing harm to others while high on the substance. PCP can distort thinking and judgment that causes those using it to make decisions that could turn to be deadly for them or those around them.
A commonality of PCP use is that it is mixed with other substances. This raises the risk to cause damaging effects to the body. Nervous system depressants like alcohol or benzos mixed with PCP often induces a coma that results in death from overdose. Additionally, PCP is commonly mixed with tobacco or marijuana, which can increase the risk for overdose in smokers.
Long-Term Effects of PCP Addiction
Those that have a PCP addiction have likely been using for a longer period of time. Prolonged use of this drug causes more high-risk effects that may become irreversible. The effects of PCP in individuals that have been using the drug for a longer period of time can actually occur when the drug is not even present in the system. Effects caused from long-term PCP use begin to harm a person’s mental, physical, and emotional health all at once. Long-term effects of PCP use includes:
● Permanent amnesia and memory loss
● Loss of cognitive function and trouble making decisions
● Problems executing speech
● Suicidal thoughts and actions
● Depression, anxiety, paranoia, and psychosis
● Sudden and severe weight loss
● Hallucinations, violent behaviors, and delusional thoughts even when the drug has not been used.
Treatment for PCP Addiction
Just like other club and anesthetic drugs, PCP has the potential for addiction. Continued use raises the risk for an individual to become dependent. This means that the body has begun to recognize PCP in its system, and starts to require it to be able to function properly. Once dependence forms, withdrawal symptoms will begin to occur if the drug is not administered again presently. This is when PCP addiction develops. A dependent PCP user will start to show addictive behaviors in trying to obtain the drug however they can, and consequences of using the drug will begin to emerge throughout all areas of life.
Fortunately, treatment for PCP addiction is possible, effective, and available for those that wants their lives to be addiction free. Although the long-term effects of PCP may be irreversible or take up to a year to conclude, addiction treatment can help to stop the use of PCP and move forward with life without the deathly grasp of addiction. PCP is extremely dangerous. If you or a loved one is addicted to PCP, today could be your last. Choose addiction treatment for your PCP addiction and take your life back before it’s too late.