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Are you looking for treatment for your teen? The National Resource Center can help you choose the right program to help your teen get back on track.


Recognizing Use

Recognizing Drug Abuse

Different drugs cause different reactions and signs in the person using them. Parents can narrow down the identification of the substance being used if they are familiar with signs associated with that particular substance. Click on the name of the substance to learn the effects it might have on your teen.

Acid (LSD)
Alcohol
Cocaine
Ecstasy (MDMA)
Heroin
Inhalants
Marijuana
Methamphetamine
PCP
Prescription Drugs
Steroids

Also view the "Identifying Drugs" section to be able to visually recognize illicit substances.

PCP or Angel Dust (Phencyclidine)

Description. Orally ingested, injected, sniffed, smoked. It is a dissociative anesthetic and central nervous system (CNS) stimulant, and is often classified as a hallucinogen due to its tendency to induce paranoid delusions.

What to Look for:

Dilated (large) pupils
Slurred speech
Blank stare; rapid eye movements
Strange or uncoordinated gait
Severe mood swings
Extreme strength
Lack of pain response
Psychosis
Paranoia
Mania
Mask-like facial expression
Disoriented and/or easily agitated
Violent

Because of the wide range effects of PCP, the user's personality will often determine which effects are most pronounced in that individual. PCP was used as a veterinary anesthetic in the 1960s under the trade name Sernylan. PCP is considered by many to be one of the most dangerous and unpredictable drugs on the illicit market.

Slang: Crystal, angel dust, supergrass, killer weed, crystal dust, cycline, dust, fake THC, hog, horse tranquilizer, lethal weapon, lovely, gorilla pills, rocket fuel, trank, whack, jet fuel, wave, purple rain, DOA (would you want to try a drug with these initials as a slang name?)



"Adolescents are particularly at risk of adverse reactions from hallucinogen use as they enter puberty, a time of rapid physical and emotional changes. Hallucinogens are particularly dangerous because the effects are so unpredictable. They can cause violent behavior in some and suicidal tendencies in others. As memory, perception, and judgment are clouded under the influence, users are at risk of severe injuries, overdose, and death from drowning, burns, falls, and car accidents. Sometimes, hallucinogen use can uncover severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia or severe depression." Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

SageWalk

SageWalk Wildernss School

Wilderness therapy is one of the most effective ways of reaching defiant teens. SageWalk specializes in drug and alcohol issues. As seen on ABC’s Brat Camp.