Is PCP Addictive?

Is PCP Addictive? Effects and Impact of Dissociative Drugs

Yes, PCP (phencyclidine), also known as angel dust, is addictive. While PCP does not cause the same type of physical dependence as opioids or alcohol, it produces powerful psychological dependence. Users develop tolerance quickly, needing higher doses to achieve the same dissociative and euphoric effects, and experience withdrawal symptoms including cravings, depression, and anxiety when they stop.

Originally introduced in the 1950s as an anesthetic, PCP was quickly discontinued for human medical use because patients experienced severe agitation, delusions, and irrational behavior. Today, it is used strictly as a recreational drug. Its dissociative properties distort sights and sounds, creating a dangerous detachment from reality and a false sense of invincibility.

Because of its high potential for misuse, severe psychological addiction, and dangerous side effects, PCP is classified as a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act [1].

What Is PCP (Angel Dust)??

PCP was developed in 1926 as a general anesthetic under the brand Sernyl. After reports of hallucinations and dysphoria after surgery, PCP was discontinued from medical use in 1967. Eventually, PCP gained an illicit market as a party drug for its hallucinogenic and dissociative effects. Its street names are angel dust, embalming fluid, and ozone.

Though PCP comes in tablet and capsule form, it’s often used in its white crystalline powder form that can be dissolved in water or alcohol. PCP can be injected, swallowed, snorted, or smoked with other drugs, particularly marijuana.

Mental and Physical Effects of PCP

The effects of PCP and other dissociative drugs are dose dependent and may include:[2,3]

• Feeling of detachment from body or environment
• Hallucinations
• Depersonalization
• High anxiety or panic
• Paranoia
• Confusion and disorientation
• Distorted perception of time, sound, and vision
• Rapid, involuntary eye movements (nystagmus)
• Loss of coordination and muscle rigidity
• Hypertension
• Tachycardia
• High body temperature
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death (rare)

PCP use has many potential complications, including rhabdomyolysis, a condition that involves a breakdown of the skeletal muscle tissue and release of the breakdown products into the bloodstream, damaging the kidneys.[4] Seizures, extremely high blood pressure, and low blood sugar can also occur. At high doses, PCP can dull pain sensations, leading people to take risks or engage in violent behavior.

Long-Term Risks of PCP

Chronic use of PCP is linked to neurological and psychological problems like persistent speech difficulties, memory loss, depression, suicidal thoughts and actions, anxiety, and social withdrawal.[5] For some, these effects can last for a year or longer after stopping PCP use. At high or frequent doses, PCP can produce psychosis-like states, such as paranoia or delusions that can resemble schizophrenia.

Along with the physical and mental risks, obtaining PCP from illicit sources can increase exposure to high doses unknowingly or to contaminants. PCP is difficult to synthesize, so it’s possible to ingest piperidinocyclohexanecarbonitrile (PCC), a toxic precursor that may contain cyanide.[6] Street sources of PCP may also include formaldehyde, ethanol, and methanol, which can damage the brain, lungs, nose, and throat.

How Does PCP Affect the Brain?

PCP block N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, a glutamate receptor that’s involved in learning, memory, and pain perception.[7] When these receptors are blocked, perception and sense of self detach from reality (dissociate), and thinking and memory are impaired. PCP also affects dopamine, a key neurotransmitter involved in reward and motivation.

Risks of Polysubstance Use

Polysubstance use, or polydrug use, involves taking two or more substances at the same time. This can be extremely dangerous with PCP because it can have unpredictable effects when mixed with other drugs. Though most PCP effects are dissociative or hallucinogenic, sedative effects can occur with other central nervous system depressants like alcohol, opioids, or benzodiazepines. This can cause coma or accidental overdose.

Is PCP Addictive?

Yes, repeated PCP use can lead to tolerance and dependence, including withdrawal syndrome with symptoms like cravings, headaches, and sweating if you stop using it suddenly. While this isn’t addiction in itself, it usually accompanies a compulsive need to use the drug.

There are several reasons PCP may be addictive, including its effects on NMDA and its dopamine-modulating effects that influence the brain’s reward system. The DEA also recognizes misuse and abuse potential, leading to Schedule II classification for PCP.

Signs of PCP Addiction

An addiction to PCP is considered a phencyclidine use disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) with the following criteria:[8]

• Taking PCP in larger amounts or over more extended periods than intended
• A persistent desire for or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control PCP use
• Spending a lot of time obtaining, using, or recovering from PCP
• Craving PCP
• Failing obligations at work, school, or home because of PCP use
• Continuing PCP use despite persistent or recurring social or interpersonal problems
• Giving up important social, occupational, or recreational activities because of PCP use
• PCP use that’s continued despite the problems it causes

Treating PCP Addiction

Though PCP doesn’t get similar attention as drugs like opioids or stimulants, it doesn’t make it any easier to overcome an addiction. PCP and dissociative other medicines don’t have an established withdrawal syndrome, but withdrawal symptoms like headaches, fatigue, depression, and sweating may still occur. There’s also a risk of increased psychological symptoms during detox, like anxiety, panic, and depression, that can put you at risk of harm.[9]

Medical detox may be recommended to provide medical support and supervision while the drug clears your system and prepares you for comprehensive addiction treatment. Once detox is complete, it’s important to enter an individualized addiction treatment program with therapies like individual therapy, group counseling, support groups, and behavioral therapies to address the underlying causes of compulsive drug use.

Frequently Asked Questions About PCP Addiction