Steroids Addiction - Treatment, Symptoms and Causes

When we hear about steroid addiction or steroid abuse, the steroids referred to are mainly anabolic steroids. To fully comprehend the details of steroid addiction, it is pertinent to understand what anabolic steroids are. Anabolic steroids are a type of drugs or medication essentially used for performance-enhancement. They are used by those people who want to look and remain fit; a quintessential example would be athletes and sportsmen. Steroids mimic the male sex hormone, testosterone, to increase muscle mass, stamina and to allow the body to recover quickly after intense exercising. Therefore it is not surprising why steroids are a big hit with the aforementioned athletes and sportsmen. However the problem lies in the fact that the application of steroids has expanded in its bandwidth; it is now also used by high-school, college students and recreational athletes.

In certain cases it is necessary to use steroids; such as – inadequate testosterone production in males, delayed puberty, anaemia and recovery from a major illness where the metabolism rate needs to be increased artificially to cover up the muscle loss. However its use by otherwise healthy persons is problematic not only because it can lead to steroid abuse but also because of numerous side effects of using them.

Any person who is addicted to steroids will take enough of it to increase his or her stamina, the ability to exercise and allow maximum growth of muscles. For many, it is the pressure and competition in the world of sports and athletics that compels them to abuse steroids and for some it is all about enhancing their appearance. But the root cause of abusing steroids stems from the fact that users believe enough is not enough.

• Most people do it to enhance their body and appearance by increasing muscle because they have an abnormal perception of their body such as - too weak, too small and too thin
• Athletes like sprinters, bodybuilders and sportsmen like footballers, swimmers use it for enhancing their performance because they feel that normal training will not be sufficient to make them win.
• Another reason for abusing steroids is the fact that other players may be using it and gaining an unfair advantage over those who don’t.

Following are the symptoms of a person abusing steroids and in the process getting addicted.

• Unusually fast muscle growth
• Oily skin, presence of acne and male-pattern hair loss
• Increased possibility of skin infections especially if the steroids were tainted with bacteria
• Heightened levels of aggression, violence, irritability and rage (more commonly known as 'roid rage”)
• Extreme mood swings
• Secretive behaviour
• Disrupted sleep patterns (sleeps too much or too little)
• Psychological complications involve manic and/or delusional behaviour including paranoia and hallucinations
• Feeling the sudden urge to work out at the gym and intense focusing on diet and physique
• Spending valuable time and large amounts of money in obtaining steroids
• Forgetting or cancelling plans and activities in favour of working out more

Steroids are also known as corticosteroids are artificial or man-made hormones. They are anti-inflammatory drugs that are used to treat certain types of conditions such as allergies, eczema, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, arthritis, etc.

Steroids should not be taken without the prescription of the doctor otherwise they may be harmful to the body.

Topical Steroids are a topical form of corticosteroids that are most commonly prescribed for the treatment of rash, eczema, dermatitis, etc.

If someone takes topical steroids for a longer time then it will result in topical steroid addiction. Its symptoms include:

• Red skin
• Burning sensation
• A deep and uncontrollable itching etc.

Topical steroid addiction treatment involves slowly stopping the use of steroid creams, taking oral corticosteroids, and taking antibiotics.

If someone suddenly discontinues taking these steroids then it will cause topical steroid withdrawal. Gradually slowing down the use of steroids can work as a topical steroid withdrawal treatment.

The topical steroid adversely affects the skin and face. The skin gets highly damaged if we continue to use topical steroids for a longer time.

For this situation, topical steroid withdrawal face treatment is often prescribed by the doctor. It is difficult and it involves counselling as well as therapy.

If someone is struggling with topical steroid addiction and withdrawal then he/she should immediately visit the doctor. It is a major issue and ignorance can worsen it.

Summary: Steroids are artificial hormones that are taken upon prescription by doctors. Steroids can be taken and stopped only as being told by the doctors. It can adversely affect the health of the person if he/she discontinues its use suddenly.

Steroid addiction is destructive to the health of individuals. It causes different types of severity in males and females. Nowadays athletes, players, bodybuilders, and some young people are using steroids to enhance their performance and muscle development but it can cause severe problems.

In males, it causes:

• An increase in male sex hormones testosterone.
• A decrease in sperm count.
• Development of breasts.
• Acne and bloating etc.

In females, it causes:

• Growth of facial hair.
• Changes in the menstrual cycle.
• Deepening of voice etc.

It affects the physical as well as the mental state of the body. Initially, it does not cause problems but if continued for a longer time it can cause anxiety, depression, anger issues, paranoia, and psychosis in people who are vulnerable to mental health problems.

Steroids can lead to social, mental, and emotional instability and affect a person’s relationship. It marks the negative image of the person in society.

If someone is facing these kinds of problems then he needs treatment for steroid addiction. This treatment includes supervised counselling and behavioural therapy provided by experienced doctors.

Summary: If an individual has asteroid addiction then he will lose control of his emotional behaviour and action. Due to these problems, his relationship with society and close ones may get worse.

Addiction to steroids can lead to severe side effects such as - increased possibility of a heart attack or stroke, lower levels of good cholesterol and higher levels of bad cholesterol, liver cancer and liver failure and a greater probability of tendon rupture. Therefore it is critical to get steroid addiction treated, the sooner the better.

• Counselling is the best recourse towards treating anabolic steroid abuse. It could either be individual or group counselling, whichever works best for the patient
• In supportive therapy, patients are educated about withdrawal symptoms and are therefore also evaluated for depression and suicidal thoughts. Medication and hospitalisation are recommended if necessary
• A major chunk of treatment involves addressing the withdrawal symptoms that emerge after not using steroids. Some medications aim to restore the disrupted hormonal balance caused by steroid abuse while some aim at specific symptoms such as antidepressants for tackling depression, analgesics for curing headache and joint pain.

Prevention of steroid abuse or addiction is definitely possible and it begins at a young age. This is because young minds of children are often very impressionable and unrealistic body image perceptions and ideas of performance-enhancement can take a root very easily.

• Guidance, counselling and therapy all the way from middle-school to college can go a long way in eroding such self-risking and unrealistic assumptions.
• Increasing awareness via educational programs, talk shows, seminars and plays regarding the negative effects of steroid addiction on the body, mind, health and personal relationships can be beneficial in preventing its abuse

Although steroids per se are not addictive substances, they affect the cortisol levels in the brain. Giving up steroids causes lower levels of cortisol to be formed naturally which can lead to a dependency on steroids (artificially produce more cortisol) and therefore result in withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include – intense fatigue, physical weakness, nausea and vomiting, depression, anxiety, insomnia, decreased sex drive, joint pain and muscle aches.