Ketamine, often referred to as “Special K,” and PCP or “Angel Dust” are both illicit drugs under the category of dissociative anesthetics. This means their effects disrupt the actions of the brain chemical known as Glutamate at certain types of receptors connected to nerve cells throughout the brain. Glutamate greatly affects cognition, perception of pain, emotion, learning, and memory.
Dissociative drugs can distort your audio and visual perceptions and produce a floating sensation, as well as a feeling of detachment from reality. These drugs can have many other, often unpleasant, side effects including anxiety, impaired motor function, memory loss, numbness, and body tremors.
PCP Side Effects Short-Term
PCP is an abbreviation for the drug Phencyclidine and is sold on the street in many different forms including white powder, crystallized, capsules, tablets, and even in liquid form.
With a low dose of PCP the user can experience:
- A sense of well-being and euphoria.
- Slurred speech.
- Impaired motor function.
- Numbness and relaxation.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Erratic, odd and/or unexpected displays of behavior, at times very aggressive.
- Misperception of ability, such as speed, invulnerability, and strength.
With a higher dose of PCP, the user can experience:
- High blood pressure.
- High heart rate.
- Visual hallucinations.
- Auditory hallucinations.
- Breathing problems.
- High body temperature.
- Feelings of grandeur.
- Inflated sense of importance.
- Anxiety, panic, and feelings of extreme worry.
The short-term effects of PCP can vary depending on the amount taken and in what form it was used. If it is smoked, the effects can start within as little as 2 minutes. If it has been swallowed, the drug’s absorption is slowed and the onset of the effects are delayed to between 30 and 60 minutes after administration. No matter how you take it, the effects can last anywhere from 4 hours to 48 hours depending on how much was used.
Negative Effects of PCP
When PCP is used over time, the negative effects become much more problematic and may persist even when the drug is not actively being taken. Here are just some of the negative mental and physical effects of PCP:
- Impaired memory.
- Seizures or severe muscle contractions.
- Problems with speech.
- Difficulty thinking and poor decision-making ability.
- Psychotic symptoms liken to that of Schizophrenia.
- Severe weight loss.
- Extreme depression accompanied with suicidal thoughts.
- High levels of isolation, paranoia, and anxiety.
- The phenomena of “Flashbacks.”
- Loss of ability to complete tasks or communicate sanely with others.
- Social withdrawal.
- Continued visual and auditory hallucinations and delusional thoughts even when the drug is not in use.
Repeated use of PCP and other dissociative drugs can lead to tolerance and dependence. Just like many other sedative and tranquilizing drugs, dissociative drugs can be highly addictive. People who abuse PCP regularly will begin to crave the drug and engage in risky and illegal activities to obtain it, threatening their own lives.
By the time dependency has developed, the user’s body has already grown so accustomed to the drug that it will think it can’t operate efficiently without it. This is the vicious cycle of drug addiction and abuse. When this occurs the user often needs professional assistance to safely withdrawal and win the battle with addiction.
PCP Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal is never a pleasant experience, but with the help of professional assistance, it is made much more obtainable and comfortable.
- Lack of impulse control.
- Decreased reflexes.
- Weight loss.
- Difficulties with speech.
- Anxiety and depression.
- Suicidal thoughts.
- Confusion and memory loss.
- Coma.
- Death.
To learn more about the negative effects of PCP and Ketamine addiction, their side effects, and how to beat addiction, call A Forever Recovery today.
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