Sherm: Signs and Dangers of Using PCP Sherm Sticks

Sherm Meaning

What Is The Drug Sherm?

Sherm is a street name for a dangerous and unpredictable drug, typically a cigarette or marijuana joint, dipped in liquid phencyclidine (PCP) and then smoked.

It has a lot of other common names, including ‘illy’, ‘fry’, or ‘wet.’ Because PCP is a dissociative anesthetic and hallucinogen, injecting it can lead to intense psychoactive effects. These effects can be dangerous and have very negative effects on your mental health, even leading to severe depression and self-harm.

There are a lot of different myths and misinformation about what PCP really is, which makes it all the more dangerous to the community. The music industry has also glamorized this drug, along with other kinds of substance abuse, particularly within rap and hip-hop lyrics. It may also often be found within the dance music scene.

Sherm can be found in cities all around the country, but particularly in urban areas like San Diego.

PCP is an extremely powerful and addictive drug. You may tell yourself you’re only going to try it one time, then quickly find yourself struggling to stop taking it. It may cause you to have aggressive or violent outbursts and put yourself or others in danger.

Did you know that research has shown that even moderate PCP use can actually affect your hormones? This is why it is especially dangerous for teenagers who are still growing and developing. It can stunt growth and lead to problems with learning, focusing, and memory.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to sherm or any other kind of substance use, you are not alone. Our team at Sandstone Care can help.

What Is Sherm Slang For?

Sherm is slang for a marijuana joint or a cigarette that is dipped in liquid PCP and smoked.

It can also be called a sherm stick or a dip stick. The word “sherm” likely came from the cigarette brand “Sherman.” People would dip a Sherman cigarette in PCP and smoke it, calling it a “sherm.” However, now, any type of cigarette or joint may be used.

Is Sherm the Same as Smoking Wet?

Yes, these are two slang words for the same kind of drug, a cigarette or marijuana joint dipped in liquid PCP and smoked.

What Is a Sherm Stick?

Sherm and a “sherm stick” are the same thing: a cigarette or marijuana joint that is used by first dipping it in PCP to try and increase its effects.

However, mixing different drugs such as marijuana and PCP can have unintended consequences that make the situation much more dangerous.

How Sherm Is Made

What Type of Drug Is Sherm?

Sherm is a smokable form of the drug PCP, or phencyclidine, which is a dissociative hallucinogen and a Schedule II controlled substance.

What Are the Ingredients Used to Make Sherm?

The ingredients used to make sherm include the liquid form of PCP and either a cigarette or a marijuana joint.

Any type of traditional cigarette can be used to make sherm. Since different brands of cigarettes use different ingredients, the dangers of sherm are unpredictable.

Is Sherm PCP?

Yes, sherm is one form of PCP that is used after soaking a cigarette or joint in the liquid form of phencyclidine.

Is Sherm Angel Dust?

While sherm and angel dust both refer to the same drug, PCP, the way they are used is very different.

With sherm, you’re ingesting the liquid form of PCP by smoking a joint or cigarette. With angel dust, the PCP is in a powder or crystallized form. It is typically either snorted or swallowed. It can also be mixed with other substances and then smoked.

Effects of Sherm

What Are the Effects of Smoking Sherm?

There are both long-term and short-term mental and physical side effects of smoking sherm.

Some short-term effects may include:

• Disorientation
• Dizziness
• Seizures
• Elevated body temperature
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Irregular heartbeat
• Slurred speech
• Hallucinations
• Agression
• Euphora
• Confusion
• Psychosis
• Paranoia
• Delusions

Some long-term side effects may include:

• Addiction
• Respiratory problems
• Brain damage
• Increased risk of accidents due to poor judgment or reckless behavior
• Suicidal ideation
• Long-term psychosis
• Skitzophrenic-like symptoms

How Does Sherm Affect Mental Health?

Using sherm can worsen existing mental health conditions and can trigger other serious mental health conditions like psychosis, suicidal ideation, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and dissociation.

In some cases, sherm can also lead a person to exhibit aggressive or even violent behavior. This substance can affect people in different ways, and the way that it may affect them can be very unpredictable.

How Does Sherm Use Affect Physical Health?

Sherm use can lead to serious and even life-threatening physical health problems, including cardiovascular problems, respiratory effects, neurological effects, and more.

Some cardiovascular side effects that may be associated with sherm use include:

• Heart palpitations
• High blood pressure
• Increased risk of stroke
• Irregular heartrate

Some respiratory side effects that may be associated with sherm use include:

• Shallow breathing
• Possible lung damage
• Respiratory depression

Some neurological side effects that may be associated with sherm include:

• Blurred vision
• Slurred speech
• Loss of coordination
• Muscle tremors
• Seizures

There is also the potential risk of coma, cardiac arrest, and death.

Signs of Using Sherm

What Are Common Behavioral Signs of Sherm Use?

Some common behavioral signs that may be associated with sherm use could include disorientation, violence, or aggression, slowed movements, risky behavior, detachment from reality, and delusions or hallucinations.

Another common sign may include emotional instability, such as frequent mood swings or trouble regulating one’s emotions. They may also seem as if they’re in a dream-like state or a type of trance. In some cases, they may also appear not to have any reaction to pain and may even hurt themselves by accident.

How Can You Tell If Someone Is Under the Influence of Sherm?

There are certain signs that you can look for to determine whether or not someone may be under the influence of sherm, including strange behavior, physical impairment, and psychological symptoms.

The individual may be seeing or hearing things that aren’t really there. They may also appear paranoid, disoriented, and as if they are in a kind of trance. In some cases, they may become unusually aggressive.

The individual may also exhibit slurred speech, trouble walking, and loss of coordination. They may also appear to have no response to pain.

What Are the Visual Signs of Using Sherm?

Some visual signs that someone is using sherm may include a blank expression, slowed or zombie-like movements, a loss of coordination, dilated pupils, and lots of sweating.

The person may also seem to be speaking to no one. This is because they may be having a hallucination and seeing someone who’s not really there.

Symptoms of Using Sherm

What Are the Symptoms of Someone Using Sherm?

There are physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms associated with someone using shem.

Some physical symptoms may include:

• Glassy or dilated eyes
• Slurred speech
• Loss of coordination
• Seizures
• Shallow breathing
• Flushed skin
• Excessive sweating
• Vomiting
• Jerky movement

Some mental symptoms may include:

• Hallucinations
• Paranoia
• Delusions
• Psychosis
• Mood Swings
• Memory loss

Some behavioral symptoms may include:

• Unusual aggression or violent behavior
• Erratic behavior
• Not showing a reaction to pain
• Acting recklessly

Can Symptoms Vary Between Individuals?

Yes, the way that sherm affects someone can vary from person to person.

Symptoms can also depend upon the strength of the dose that the individual uses, their personal tolerance, whether they used it alongside alcohol or other drugs, and what their state of mind was at the time of using sherm.

Can Symptoms of Sherm Use Mimic Other Conditions?

Yes, sherm use can mimic other conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and even stroke.

The fact that it can commonly be confused with other conditions increases the risk of it being misdiagnosed and not treated as quickly as is necessary.

Dangers of Using Sherm

What Are the Immediate Dangers of Using Sherm?

Sherm can cause immediate health complications and because it affects your judgement and state of mind, it can increase your risk of taking part in risky behaviors that pay put your life at risk.

Some of the immediate physical health complications that can be associated with sherm use include:

• Respiratory depression
• Seizures
• Hyperthermia
• Cardiac arrest
• Stroke
• Accidental overdose

It’s also important to note that this is a very addictive substance. Using it just one time can put you at risk of becoming dependent and ultimately addicted. There is no safe way to use sherm.

How Does Sherm Use Impact Daily Life and Responsibilities?

Sherm use can negatively affect nearly every aspect of your daily life and make it incredibly difficult for you to keep up with your personal and professional responsibilities.

If you’re using sherm on a regular basis, it’s going to take a toll on your memory and will affect your sense of motivation and your ability to focus. This can make it harder to perform to the best of your ability at work or school. It can also make it difficult for you to stick to a routine, meet deadlines, and stay on top of your professional obligations.

As a result, this can put your status at work or school in jeopardy. It could lead to job loss, which could then lead to financial instability, eviction, and potentially even homelessness. If you become addicted to sherm, you may find yourself spending a lot of money obtaining the drug, which can cause even further financial issues.

Using sherm can also lead to broken trust, tension, and other relationship issues between you and the people closest to you. Family members and friends may become afraid for their own safety, particularly if you exhibit aggressive or violent behavior when using sherm. Due to damaged or broken relationships because of sherm use, your risk of social isolation could also be heightened.

What Are the Long-Term Health Risks Associated with Sherm Use?

Some of the long-term health risks associated with sherm use include respiratory and organ damage, liver and kidney damage, cardiovascular problems, a weakened immune system, cognitive impairment, and an increased risk of cancer.

Can Sherm Use Lead to Addiction or Dependence?

Yes, sherm use can lead to both dependence and addiction because sherm contains the powerful drug PCP, which is known to be highly addictive.

Also, since sherm can use different types of joints and cigarettes as the main “stick,” it can be even more addicting. Cigarettes are extremely addictive because of ingredients like nicotine,

Can You Overdose on Sherm?

Yes, it is possible to overdose on sherm.

Some symptoms of sherm overdose may include:

• Seizures
• Severe cardiovascular problems
• Coma
• Respiratory depression
• Hyperthermia (overheating)

If someone is showing any of these signs after taking sherm, call 911 right away and tell them exactly what the person took and how much.

Try to keep the scene calm and safe by moving anything sharp or dangerous out of the way, but don’t try to hold them down or argue with them. PCP can make people very strong, scared, or aggressive.

Dim the lights, turn off loud noises, and if they pass out, gently roll them on their side so they can breathe.

Don’t give them food or drinks, and stay with them until help arrives

Treatment For Sherm

Which Treatment Programs Are Effective for Treating Sherm?

Depending on a person’s unique situation, either an inpatient or outpatient program may be recommended to treat sherm addiction.

During treatment, you’ll go through the detox process, attend therapy to get to the root cause of why you may have turned to substance use in the first place, and have the opportunity to attend support group meetings.

What are Some Treatments for Wet Drug Abuse?

Wet drug abuse can be treated through professional detox or outpatient treatment programs.

The best programs focus on evidence-based care that also includes addressing any mental health issues that might be driving the addiction.

What Are the Challenges in Treating Sherm?

There are several different challenges in treating sherm because this kind of addiction has very unpredictable symptoms that can be confused for mental health issues.

Another challenge is that sherm addiction often occurs alongside other mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. In addition, there is no FDA-approved medication to help those struggling with sherm use, unlike other kinds of addictions.

Like other kinds of substance use disorders and mental health problems, there can still be negative stigma surrounding sherm addiction. This can make some people hesitate to reach out to help out of fear of being judged or ridiculed. As a result, this can keep them from getting the treatment they really need.

How Can Family and Friends Support Someone in Recovery from Sherm Use?

Family and friends can support someone recovering from Sherm use by encouraging them to seek professional treatment and becoming aware of the signs of sherm use and overdose in order to keep them safe.

Approaching conversations with compassion, expressing genuine concern, and guiding them toward therapy, detox, or rehab programs can help them make long-lasting progress away from using drugs like PCP