Discontinuing PCP suddenly can produce withdrawal symptoms. Anyone seeking recovery from PCP use will need medical supervision and possibly hospitalization. Addiction can also develop, as a person builds up a tolerance to the drug. Addiction and related mental health problems make it hard to function socially, financially, and professionally. A typical dose is 5 to 10 milligrams, and 10 mg has been reported to cause stupor. The effects are felt 30 to 60 minutes after oral ingestion, or a few minutes after smoking.

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. It’s a combination of a stimulant (upper), depressant (downer), hallucinogen, and anesthetic (sedative).

People on PCP have walked into traffic or jumped from buildings, for instance. Individuals who use the drug regularly require higher doses to feel its effects. Most people experience mild effects of PCP when they consume a dose of five milligrams or less. The drug causes more intense effects after a dose of 10 milligrams or more. These effects may vary depending on a person’s tolerance and personal factors,such as weight and age.

Is there a risk of addiction?

Respiration becomes shallow, with flushing and excessive sweating. Supergrass, Killer Joints, and Fry Sticks are names used when phencyclidine is combined with marijuana and rolled into a cigarette (joint) for smoking. Visit our dedicated hub fun addiction group activities for more research-backed information and resources on mental health and well-being. Symptoms of phencyclidine intoxication may last from several hours to as long as 48 hours.

Substance use – phencyclidine (PCP)

It can take 4-6 hours for the major effects to decline, and a person may not fully return to their normal state for what is benzo belly 24 hours. PCP was initially developed as a general anesthetic for surgery by Parke Davis Pharmaceutical Company. Though it was briefly used in humans, it was soon discontinued due to its psychological and behavioral side effects. Sudden discontinuation of PCP can cause physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. These include physical symptoms, such as fast heart rate, nausea, and vomiting, and psychological symptoms, such as hallucinations, agitation, and dissociation.

1. While studies are looking at options for drug treatment of PCP dependence, there are no specific approved treatments for PCP abuse and addiction.
2. This means you’ll need to use higher doses to get the same level of high.
3. At high doses, it can cause a range of serious health issues like seizures, a coma, and possibly death.
4. Your doctor may also refer you to a live-in addiction recovery center to help you through the next steps.

Concentrations of PCP and its byproducts vary considerably when it is sold on the street, as the drug is difficult to synthesize. Many illicit samples contain PCC, its precursor, which is highly toxic and releases poisonous cyanide. The precursors of PCP can cause more devastating effects than the drug itself.

What is phencyclidine (PCP), or angel dust?

It is important for the person to seek help, or for their loved ones to intervene, if possible. 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. Leafy plants such as mint, parsley or marijuana are often sprayed with the chemical, or a rolled joint is dipped into a PCP solution and then smoked.

This can make a person feel like they are floating, uninhibited, and have no fear. People what is salvia trip often admit to being able to think more clearly after taking phencyclidine. 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. PCP is usually abused by inhaling, smoking or swallowing. The liquid form of the drug is phencyclidine base dissolved in a liquid solvent like ether, which is highly flammable.

You might lose the sense of control around the substance and instead develop the need to use it more often to get through your day-to-day routine. This dependence on the drug is medically known as substance use disorder. If you take more than 20 milligrams at once, it can cause you to overdose and lead to serious problems like seizures, a coma, or even death. Often, death is not caused directly by the drug but rather from your behavior while on the drug.

These symptoms can continue long-term, often for up to one year after stopping phencyclidine use. Suicide after long-term use may be a greater risk, as well. As with any recreational drug that may be injected, the risk for HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases from shared needles is a possibility. PCP is available in a variety of tablets, capsules, and colored powders, which are either smoked, taken orally or by the intranasal route (“snorted”). When you use PCP in any form, how you react to the drug depends on how much of it you’ve taken.