PCP and Addiction

When you hear the term dissociative in relation to drug use, you may think of substances that naturally evoke hallucinations and give the user the feeling of leaving the body and experiencing dreamlike, psychedelic episodes.

image: nurse distraught over loss of drug addict patient

Lysergic acid, or LSD, is one such drug that creates this kind of euphoric state in a user, and included in the same realm is another man-made substance with similar properties but can be more damaging.

Known by streets names angel dust, killer joint, and rocket fuel, Phencyclidine (PCP) is a white powder with a bitter flavor.

The potency of the drug, in particular its ability to warp depth perception and enhance mental detachment, was too strong for traditional use, and the drug was made illegal in the 1960s.

When taken, PCP acts to effect the nervous system through distribution of glutamate, a prevalent amino acid that helps control the body's metabolism.

When glutamate to the brain is decreased, the user may experience difficulty with balance and perception of pain and other sensations, and may be subject to hallucinations and memory loss.

image: young man thinkig about his addictive girlfriend

Whether taken alone or with other drugs, PCP is known to be addictive. Prolonged abuse of PCP has been known to cause violent and/or suicidal behavior in users, while many others experience increased blood pressure, numbness in limbs, and respiratory effects.

Due to the powerful nature of the drug, it is believed people who have experimented with PCP once may suffer the effects for months and years afterward in the form of slurred speech, hallucinations, and even seizures.

image: father angry with drug abuse of son

People who suspect friends or loved ones of using PCP may wish to look for symptoms, which include:

It is important, if you suspect a loved one of abusing PCP or any type of drug, to consult with a professional about what steps to take.

PCP can not only be dangerous when ingested, but may prove to have risks to the environment, as a number of PCP-related deaths involve the user causing harm physically to others or themselves by reacting violently to the drug.

image: person breaking pencil from stress of addiction Stephanie Loebs is the executive director of Williamsburg Place, one of the top drug rehab clinics in the nation. Williamsburg Place aids those who suffer from drug and/or alcohol addiction, and specializes in caring for health care professionals.

For over twenty years Williamsburg Place and its joint rehabilitation center, the William J. Farley Center, have helped thousands of people from all walks of life take back their lives and overcome substance abuse.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Loebs

Cocaine and crack use has been a contributing factor in a number of drownings, car crashes, falls, burns, and suicides. Cocaine is addictive. Cocaine interferes with the way your brain processes chemicals that create feelings of pleasure, so you need more and more of the drug just to feel normal. People who become addicted to cocaine start to lose interest in other areas of their life, like school, friends, and sports.

image: female teenager needing drug rehabilitation

There are many different names for marijuana. Terms from years ago, such as pot, herb, grass, weed, Mary Jane, and reefer, are still used. You might also hear the names Aunt Mary, skunk, boom, gangster, kif, or ganja.

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Isn't it ironic that holidays, from a positive and growth-oriented perspective, are a time for celebrating life and relationships, yet from a negative and a growth-inhibiting perspective, they bring little but regret, frustration, pain, and suffering. For many reasons, people who are drug and alcohol abusers or addicts, for their own benefit and perhaps more importantly, for the benefit of those who care the most, need to get professional treatment so that at the very least, holidays can bring them and their loved ones joy and a sense of wonder rather than suffering and pain.

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