Some of the most dangerous drugs are those that have dissociative and anesthetic properties. You may have heard about one of these, called angel dust. At BlueCrest Recovery, we offer substance abuse treatment programs to help people struggling with problems related to dangerous drugs. Contact our team online or call 888.292.9652 today to learn more about these drugs and our treatment programs. You can ask someone from our team, “What is angel dust, and how does it affect the brain?”
What Is Angel Dust?
Angel dust is a psychedelic drug also called phencyclidine (PCP). It’s a drug that was created in the 1920s. It was used as an anesthetic in the 1950s, but it caused such adverse effects that it was quickly set aside. Now, it’s illegal.
Angel dust is a synthetic compound in powder, liquid, or pill form. Although people usually ingest it orally, it’s possible to smoke, inject, or snort it. PCP blocks brain receptors that transmit sensory information, including pain. This results in a dissociative effect that causes people to feel disconnected from the world. PCP use can lead to:
- Disorientation
- Euphoria
- Hallucinations
- Paranoia
- Numbness
- Agitation
- Increased heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Loss of coordination
The drug also has the potential to cause long-term effects, including memory loss, psychosis, depression, and anxiety. It may also lead to liver and kidney damage.
How Using Angel Dust Leads to Addiction
One of the biggest reasons why angel dust can quickly lead to addiction is that it has such a powerful and fast effect on the brain. PCP works by affecting the levels of certain brain chemicals, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These are the chemicals that regulate mood, pleasure, and motivation.
Angel dust changes the expected levels of these chemicals, causing a sense of euphoria and pleasure that your brain will want to repeat. Another factor that makes PCP addictive is that you can build a tolerance to it. Tolerance is when your body becomes used to the drug and requires higher doses for the same effects. Tolerance makes you use more Angel Dust, which builds more tolerance. This creates a cycle that ends with the development of an addiction.
Addiction is a complex illness, however, and other factors can also play a role in whether you develop the problem or not. Suppose you have co-occurring mental health conditions, have experienced trauma, have close family members with addiction problems, or have easy access to drugs. In that case, you are more likely to develop a substance use disorder.
About Substance Abuse Treatment Programs
To avoid the long-term effects that Angel Dust addiction causes, we can help at our center, BlueCrest Recovery. We offer outpatient services to ensure everyone who needs treatment can get it, even if they can’t take time away from their families or jobs.
We offer various programs, including:
- Partial hospitalization program
- Intensive outpatient program
- Outpatient program
- Aftercare services
- Alumni programs
You receive individual and group therapy sessions when you contact us for treatment. By relying on some of the most trusted therapies, including cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, we’ll help you uncover the cause of the addiction and what may be standing in your way of getting sober. Group therapy sessions allow you to speak with others who are also dealing with addiction. This is important because it helps you break away from feelings of isolation. We also provide aftercare and alumni services to make it easier to stay on track even after completing a treatment program. They’ll offer support when you need it most.
Reclaim Your Sobriety at BlueCrest Recovery
At our center, we provide various levels of care so that you can receive the treatments you need. Contact BlueCrest Recovery online or call [Direct[ today to learn more.
