What Exactly is PCP?

PCP (its real name is phencyclidine, but it’s more commonly known as “angel dust”) is a popular illegal street drug. It is mostly used by young teenagers—the majority of users are younger than seventeen, and many of them have little to no genuine information about what angel dust is and what it does. PCP was originally developed as an anesthetic, but it had such harsh effects of the central nervous system that it was dropped for human use and began to be used as a veterinary anesthetic. 

History of PCP

In the 1960s and 1970s, researchers began investigating its effects on the brain, and found that many users had out-of-body experiences or felt like they couldn’t reach parts of their own bodies. One common myth about PCP is that it causes people to become raving, violent maniacs. There are lots of urban legends about people murdering babies and doing other horrible things while on PCP. The truth? Well, PCP can’t suddenly turn you violent. However, if you have an already existing mental illness or psychotic tendencies, it can bring those out, and people who use PCP can become violent. Another issue is that people who are doing hard street drugs like PCP often find themselves in violent situations. When those people are taking a drug that makes them feel invulnerable to pain, as PCP can, they may do things or put themselves into dangerous situations they would normally avoid. This is well known among police officers, who are trained to expect to have to use force when subduing a suspect who is using PCP. All of these things mean that PCP users are endangering their health, their well-being, and the safety of everyone around them. 

How to Stop PCP & How they go through Withdrawal

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Another common myth is that PCP isn’t addictive. It is. PCP users need more and more of the drug in order to get the high they crave, and they put themselves into more and more dangerous situations to get it. People who try to stop using PCP suddenly will go through withdrawal if the drug is removed from their system too suddenly. PCP withdrawal is a serious medical condition whose side effects include psychological symptoms like paranoia, dissociated reasoning, and hallucinations. These symptoms can also cause people to do things that put their safety in danger.

Learn How to Get Clean and Stay Clean From PCP?

If you’re addicted to PCP, it’s important to get help right away. You need medical specialists like the staff at Archstone Recovery Center of the Palm Beaches to help you get through withdrawal and get the drug out of your system safely. After that, it’s important to have guidance in order to learn how to get clean and stay clean. Archstone Recovery is a top-rated, accredited drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in Lantana, Florida that uses a scientifically proven twelve-step approach, combined with other methods customized to the individual patient, to help PCP addicts get clean and sober. People from New York (NY), New Jersey (NJ), Washington, DC, Philadelphia (PA), Baltimore (MD), and New England who suffer from PCP addiction count on Archstone Recovery to break free and start a new life. If you’re ready to leave PCP behind and reclaim your life, contact Archstone Recovery today.

What Exactly is PCP?

PCP (its real name is phencyclidine, but it’s more commonly known as “angel dust”) is a popular illegal street drug. It is mostly used by young teenagers—the majority of users are younger than seventeen, and many of them have little to no genuine information about what angel dust is and what it does. PCP was originally developed as an anesthetic, but it had such harsh effects of the central nervous system that it was dropped for human use and began to be used as a veterinary anesthetic. 

History of PCP

In the 1960s and 1970s, researchers began investigating its effects on the brain, and found that many users had out-of-body experiences or felt like they couldn’t reach parts of their own bodies. One common myth about PCP is that it causes people to become raving, violent maniacs. There are lots of urban legends about people murdering babies and doing other horrible things while on PCP. The truth? Well, PCP can’t suddenly turn you violent. However, if you have an already existing mental illness or psychotic tendencies, it can bring those out, and people who use PCP can become violent. Another issue is that people who are doing hard street drugs like PCP often find themselves in violent situations. When those people are taking a drug that makes them feel invulnerable to pain, as PCP can, they may do things or put themselves into dangerous situations they would normally avoid. This is well known among police officers, who are trained to expect to have to use force when subduing a suspect who is using PCP. All of these things mean that PCP users are endangering their health, their well-being, and the safety of everyone around them. 

How to Stop PCP & How they go through Withdrawal

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Another common myth is that PCP isn’t addictive. It is. PCP users need more and more of the drug in order to get the high they crave, and they put themselves into more and more dangerous situations to get it. People who try to stop using PCP suddenly will go through withdrawal if the drug is removed from their system too suddenly. PCP withdrawal is a serious medical condition whose side effects include psychological symptoms like paranoia, dissociated reasoning, and hallucinations. These symptoms can also cause people to do things that put their safety in danger.

Learn How to Get Clean and Stay Clean From PCP?

If you’re addicted to PCP, it’s important to get help right away. You need medical specialists like the staff at Archstone Recovery Center of the Palm Beaches to help you get through withdrawal and get the drug out of your system safely. After that, it’s important to have guidance in order to learn how to get clean and stay clean. Archstone Recovery is a top-rated, accredited drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in Lantana, Florida that uses a scientifically proven twelve-step approach, combined with other methods customized to the individual patient, to help PCP addicts get clean and sober. People from New York (NY), New Jersey (NJ), Washington, DC, Philadelphia (PA), Baltimore (MD), and New England who suffer from PCP addiction count on Archstone Recovery to break free and start a new life. If you’re ready to leave PCP behind and reclaim your life, contact Archstone Recovery today.

Medically Reviewed: March 8, 2012

Medical Reviewer

Chief Editor

medically-verified

All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.