An Evaluation of Phencyclidine (PCP) Psychosis: A Retrospective Analysis at a State Facility

Abstract

It has been reported in the literature that phencyclidine (PCP) psychosis recovery may take up to 4–6 weeks. This retrospective review sought to determine whether patients with a new onset of PCP psychosis have a longer hospitalization than those patients with new onset functional psychosis. The PCP arm (N = 20) was found to have a significantly shorter hospitalization than those with a new onset functional psychosis (N = 20)—mean 4.8 days (range 1–9) versus 13.6 days (range 3–41), p < .05. In addition, patients with psychosis related to PCP use were treated more aggressively with conventional antipsychotics than patients with a new onset functional psychosis at this facility.

Keywords:

• Antipsychotic
• PCP
• phencyclidine
• psychosis
• treatment