Steroids
Your first thought when it comes to steroids is probably sportsmen and women with bulging muscles, body builders and athletes winning medals.
But do you really know what steroids are?
Anabolic steroids are synthetically produced variants of the naturally occurring male hormone testosterone. They have many different legitimate medicinal uses including dealing with hormonal problems and debilitating conditions such as cancer.
Some common street names for steroids are arnolds, gym candy, pumpers, roids, stackers, and juice.
Why are Steroids Abused?
Anabolic steroids are primarily used for gaining an alleged competitive advantage and/or improving physical performance. They are also believed to reduce recovery time between workouts, which makes it possible to train harder and thereby further improve strength and endurance. Some also use it in the hope of reducing body fat and gaining muscle for improving personal appearance.
Who Usually Abuses Steroids?
The most common abusers of steroids are bodybuilders, athletes, and fitness buffs. Though any individual involved in a profession that requires enhanced physical strength are known to take them, such as bodyguards, construction workers and police.
Where Do People Get Steroids?
Steroids are legal and are prescribed by doctors for such things as treating loss of testicle function, breast cancer, delayed puberty and debilitating states such as after surgery, chemo or acute sickness.
As with any drug, people can abuse these prescriptions, or they can be found just about anywhere through dealers, or the internet.
How Do People Take Steroids?
They are usually taken orally, injected into the muscles, or applied to the skin as a cream, gel or patch.
These doses may be 10 to 100 times higher than doses prescribed to treat medical conditions.
Are Steroids Addictive?
Some believe steroids are not addictive because they do not create the euphoric feelings found in many other drugs of abuse. People who use anabolic steroids do so for the effects related to improved physical performance and muscle growth, but those who continue to abuse steroids despite physical problems, high costs to buy the drugs, and negative effects on their relationships are reflecting the true nature of addiction.
People who stop using steroids may experience withdrawal symptoms, including:
- Mood swings
- Fatigue
- Restlessness
- Loss of appetite
- Sleep problems
- Decreased sex drive
- Cravings
- Depression
- Suicide attempts
What Are the Side Effects?
Though the intention of the drug use is improved strength and performance, there are many unwanted possible side effects, including:
- Acne
- Fatigue
- Restlessness/agitation
- Decreased appetite
- Trouble sleeping
- Decreased sperm count
- Impotence
- Shrinking of the testicles,
- Excessive hair growth (women)
- Deepening of the voice (women)
- Growth of breast tissue (men)
- Fertility issues
- Heart problems
- Weak bones
- Paranoid jealousy
- Extreme irritability
- Delusions
- Impaired judgment
- Extreme mood swings
How Can I Spot Steroid Abuse?
Obvious signs of increased strength, stamina or muscles that don’t seem to correlate to the work being put in could be an indicator of steroid abuse.
Any of the above-listed side effects can serve as an indication, especially if you are seeing many of them occurring together in someone likely to abuse steroids, such as an athlete. Remember these side effects can be indicators or other issues.
Other things to look for are injection sites with infections or swelling and where creams are used, there may be a noticeable odour.
Help?
Many people once fully aware of the nature of steroids, are able to stop taking them on their own, but for those experiencing withdrawal effects or difficulty due to addiction, rehabilitation is the best solution.
