Addiction - PCP - PCP-Use-Symptoms

PCP Use Symptoms

PCP produces both physiological and psychological symptoms. Effects of the drug are erratic and not always dose-dependent. Physical symptoms include:

involuntary rapid movements of the eyes vertically or horizontally
high blood pressure
racing heartbeat
dizziness and shakiness
drooling
increased body temperature
reduced response to pain
slurred speech
excessive sensitivity to sound
lack of muscle coordination
muscle rigidity or frozen posture
seizures
breakdown of muscle and excretion of muscle proteins in urine
coma
death

Psychiatric and social symptoms include:

disordered thinking and confusion
impaired judgment
belligerence
aggressiveness
agitation
impulsiveness and unpredictability
schizophrenic-like psychoses
hallucinations of sight, sound, or touch
memory impairment
difficulty in social-emotional relationships
chaotic lifestyle including difficulty functioning at work or school, legal and financial problems

PCP is known for its variability of symptoms, which change both from person to person and from exposure to exposure. In addition, symptoms come and go throughout a period of intoxication that can last from one to two hours for low dose exposure to one to four days for high dose exposure. Severity of symptoms is not always related to the size of the dose as measured by blood levels of the drug.

Three rough phases of intoxication have been established: behavioural toxicity, stuperous stage, and comatose stage. Many patients fluctuate between phases, and some present symptoms that do not fit neatly into any phase. In the behavioural toxicity stage, people tend to gaze blankly while their eyes dart horizontally or vertically. Muscle control is poor, and the person may make repetitive movements, grind the teeth, or grimace. Body temperature, heart rate, and respiration are mildly elevated. Vomiting and drooling may occur.

In the stuperous phase the eyes are wide open, and the person appears wide awake, but in a stupor. Seizures may occur if the person is stimulated. The eyes may dart in any direction while the gaze remains fixed. Body temperature is increased substantially. Heart and respiration rate are increased by about 25%. Muscles are rigid with twitching.

In the comatose stage, which may last from one to four days, the person is in a deep coma. The pupils are dilated and the eyes drift. Body temperature is elevated to the point of being life-threatening. The heart rate is dangerously high, increasing to about twice the normal level and blood pressure is dangerously low. Breathing may stop for brief periods (apnea). There is no response to pain, and the person sweats heavily. Death is possible, although most deaths with PCP occur in earlier stages through accidents or suicide.

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The Have I Got A Problem website is a free online resource to help people better understand any issues or concerns they may have about mental health or addiction. The website includes resources specifically focused to; general Mental Health, Depression, Stress, Anxiety, Insecurities, Self-harm Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Anger Management, Eating Disorders, Coping, general Addiction, Alcohol, Smoking, Gambling, Drugs, Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana (Cannabis) Ecstasy, PCP, Mephedrone, Ketamine & Crystal Meth.

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Quotes

"Availability of the drug started lowering and lowering and after a while had to start making my own. I was so addicted I took the risk of blowing my house up (which at the time included my ex-wife and son)."

Harold

"I don't miss the fact that now when my lips move it is more than likely I am actually telling the truth."

Jane S

"I don't miss the fear that arose when I'm driving my car every time a police car hovers into view."

Steven

"My lowest point was when I realised I was stealing money from my daughters Christmas presents to fund my habit."

P. Gomez

"That's what made me think of stopping my drug habits - My Blood pressure spiked at 200/110 last week during a Panic Attack."

Maria

"Anyone being faced with the reality that their addiction needs to be conquered and their life will change is going to be scared."

Fatima

"You need to realize that the little voice in your head telling you to use is your own."

Maya

"Find out why you use, find out your triggers, and take it day by day. Any day clean is better than any day you’ve been high."

Ivan

"My goal in life wasn't living...it was getting high. I was falling in a downward spiral towards a point of no return"

John

"I ended up homeless and on the streets, living and sleeping in a cardboard box, begging and struggling to find ways to get my next meal."

Ben

"Now I see how important it is for me to be in control of every part of me. Today my body is being controlled by me. I am in the driver’s seat, and I’m driving with happiness."

Nathan

"Little did I know that my mom was upstairs crying every night that I came home late, crying because she was scared for my survival."

Nick

"I felt out of control and terrified after I take PCP. I kept on seeing people jumping about around me, screaming at me. I felt sick for days."

Tim

"I was using PCP and I got addicted to it for five years. I just could not shake it off."

Irene

"I felt so bad I suggest nobody does this ever! It sucks! I almost died!"

Alex

"I must warn that you shouldn't do too much of it in a little amount of time. That's how one of my friends ended up in a mental institution. So be careful with PCP."

Kyle

"We smoked the dip and I flipped out. I was hollering and screaming at the top of my lungs in pure agony. It was a very physical pain and at first I thought I was dying."

Anonymous

"The next thing I remember is the next morning, not waking up, not wondering what the hell happened, but simply staring at the wall. I am alive today, I don't plan on trying PCP again."

Anonymous

"The most important thing a family can do for someone who is abusing PCP is to get the person to an effective drug rehab program immediately and ensure they get all the way through the program"

Dr Jurgen Fleisch

"Phencyclidine was heavily abused at one time but between the late 1980s and 1990s PCP abuse started to decrease. Today the abuse of PCP has come back and the abuse is increasing"

Matthew Szota PhD

"It is mostly young people who abuse this drug, such as teens in high school or young adults."

Matthew Szota PhD

"Eventually, I started living in the park and my daughter would bring me food. That was really the bottom. I started selling drugs to survive. I got raped. I got beaten up. My life was incredibly dangerous."

Irene

"The first time I tried PCP, I black out. My friends tried to help me, but I kept falling and hitting my head."

Ashley

"Is PCP addictive? I don't know. But I can tell you this much: it's not worth finding out."

Silvia

More Send us your Quotes

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Stattistics say the longer you can engage in formal treatment the better your chances. Your therapists and counselors will be the main ...

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This is something that many addiction counselors will focus on, but what are you going to do when it should have been the time for your...

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Water

Drink plenty of water. Flush the toxins from your system....

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