Steroids disrupt the body’s hormonal equilibrium, which can result in physical changes. Breasts and shrinking testicles are common in men. Sexual organs can expand in women, and their voices generally deepen.
Steroid Use Symptoms
Many people identify steroids-usa usage with sportsmen and competitive bodybuilders, although this is not the case for the vast majority of users. The majority of steroid users utilize them to improve their athletic performance or their physical appearance. The majority of steroid users utilize the medications as a quick way to lose weight, gain muscle, and improve their overall appearance. Many steroid users don’t have the physique of a conventional bodybuilder.
I’d say 90% of the folks I’ve seen who admit to using steroids don’t even look like bodybuilders…
They’re merely trying to get in shape faster by taking steroids.
Long-term steroid misuse is associated with severe mood swings and “roid fury.” Steroid misuse can lead to significant personality shifts over time.
Other typical anabolic steroid usage side effects and indications include:
- Acne
- Rapid weight/muscle gain
- Breasts that are too big (in men)
- Paranoia
- Hyperactivity
- Hair growth on the face (in women)
- Anabolic Steroids’ Risks
Many people who utilize anabolic steroids do so in “cycles.” They cycle on and off anabolic steroids to avoid the medications’ undesirable side effects. Despite these “off” cycles, ingesting steroids has long-term consequences.
Steroid misuse has been associated to liver cancer, kidney illness, high blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks in studies.
There have even been cases of athletes who appeared to be in top condition unexpectedly falling and dying as a result of the stress that steroids had placed on their hearts. Adolescents’ growth can be stunted as a result of anabolic steroid abuse. Steroids can speed up the aging process of the bones. If an adolescent hasn’t fully developed puberty but is taking steroids, he or she may remain at their current height. Injecting anabolic steroids raises the risk of blood-borne infections such as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.
Anabolic steroids may have the following adverse effects:
- Blood in the vomit
- Eyes and skin that are yellow
- Nausea
- Pain in the abdomen
- Baldness
- An increased risk of cancer
- Insomnia
- Clots in the blood
- Cholesterol levels are high.
- Acne scars, oily skin
- Hair loss is a common problem.
- Tumors, cysts, and liver disease
- Heart attacks and disease
- Stroke
- Kidney disease is a condition that affects the kidneys
- Mood-swings
- Aggression and irritability
- Suicidal ideation and depression
- Deficiencies in cholesterol
- Blood pressure that is too high
- Gynecomastia is a condition that affects men (male breast enlargement)
- Infertility
- Testicles shrinkage
- Hair on the face or on the body that is excessive (hirsutism)
- Women’s voices are becoming more powerful.
- Teenagers’ height and growth are stunted.
- Unsterile injections pose a risk of virus or bacterial infection.
- Women’s menstrual irregularity
Steroid usage can result in serious psychological and behavioral problems. Violent behavior is one of the most typical concerns seen in long-term steroid users. Steroid use has been related to domestic violence, armed robbery, and even murder.
Several accounts have detailed men who committed murder or attempted murder while using [steroids] despite having little or no prior history of violence or criminal conduct.
The Impact of Steroids on Men and Women
Anabolic steroids disrupt the body’s hormonal balance. Steroid use can cause an unnatural increase in testosterone levels, lowering the body’s ability to make testosterone naturally. Some of the side effects of steroid misuse come when the user stops using the substance due to abnormally low testosterone levels in the body. The consequences of hormonal imbalances generated by steroids frequently have the opposite effect on men and women, yet women who take steroids face many of the same health difficulties and risks as males.
Steroid Side Effects in Males:
- Breasts that are too big
- Testicles that have shrunk
- Sperm count is low.
- Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a condition that affects men
- Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that affects men
- Infertility
Female Side Effects of Steroids:
- Body and facial hair changes
- Breast size has shrunk
- Clitoris enlarging
- Hair loss and baldness
- Voice that has been deepened
- Menstrual cycle irregularity
- gaining weight
- Complications of the nervous system
- Shaking of hands and body
Due to the increase in testosterone, the most prevalent adverse effect of steroid use in women is a decline in feminine qualities, including the emergence of male characteristics. Health hazards associated to fertility and fetal health are more common in women.
Your hair starts to fall out, your body produces less natural testosterone and converts it to estrogen instead, and your pecs finally become squishy-soft…
Your endocrine system is chasing its tail, trying to acclimatize to the [steroids] you’re taking, and your testicles are shrinking until they stop working entirely.
Recognizing a Steroid Addiction
Anabolic steroids have a high risk for addiction, which many users are unaware of. Steroids, as a schedule III controlled substance, have a high potential for addiction, similar to substances like codeine and ketamine. Addicts to steroids engage in particular habits that lead them to prioritize their drug use over anything else.
The following are some of the behaviors that have been associated to steroid addiction:
- Steroid use is being prioritized over any health hazards.
- Suffering from steroid desires
- Having problems with family and friends as a result of drug use
- Experiencing considerable difficulty in locating and obtaining steroids
- Intervention and the Following Steps
Many steroid users are apprehensive about seeking therapy for their condition. For those who are afraid to seek help, staging an intervention may provide a moment of clarity. Because aggressive conduct is a common indication of steroid addiction, hiring a professional interventionist is highly suggested. Professionals can assist loved ones prepare for probable complications and maintain order throughout the intervention.
It is critical to plan ahead of time if staging an intervention without the assistance of a professional. Family and friends should do their homework before sending a loved one for treatment. They should also have a plan in place if the person refuses to be treated.
Treatment And Withdrawal
When people quit taking steroids, even if they aren’t addicted, they may have withdrawal symptoms. After a 6-12 week cycle of steroid use, the body becomes physically and emotionally reliant on the medications. Because of the hormonal imbalances created by steroids, quitting “cold turkey” is risky. Physical withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and muscle cramps are common, but the psychological withdrawal is the most harmful.
Coming off steroids can produce severe depression in some users, which might lead to suicide attempts.
The first step in treating a steroid addiction is to help people get through withdrawal. Doctors may prescribe drugs to treat depression and hormone imbalances. Those who are very depressed as a result of withdrawal may need to go to an inpatient rehab facility or be admitted to a hospital. Recovering steroid addicts can benefit from ongoing therapy to help them overcome their drive to use. Any underlying concerns that may contribute to steroid use can also be addressed through therapy. To learn more about steroid addiction treatment alternatives, contact a treatment center today.
