The abuse of steroids follows some clear patterns which are popularly referred to as cycling. In this pattern, many continued doses of steroids are taken within duration of a month and then this is suddenly stopped for a similar length of time. This is meant to give the body time to respond to the new raw materials of the cellular metabolism in t e body. Within this period also, the individual is able to assess and evaluate the changes that are occurring to the body as a result of introducing a new hormonal dispensation.

After the effects have so far been seen, the individual goes back to the continued and increased dosages for duration similar to the first one. The process goes on and on and the effects continue to accumulate systematically until the threshold is reached. Such patterns make addicts of steroids find it very hard to extricate themselves from the yoke that bind them so tightly. Before long, steroids become a part and parcel of their being.

Alternatively, one could use different varieties of steroids at the same duration of time. This pattern is called stacking. When the abusers stack steroid it means they use two or more different categories of steroids especially the prescription ones at the same time. They may, for example literally mix the two brands in the same syringe. In the case of the oral types, tablets of different types or categories are swallowed at the same time. The compounds that make up the drugs are of completely different chemical and hormonal characteristics, making them incompatible most of the time.

The line of thinking that inspires the stacking approach is grounded on the belief that using a combination of many different categories of steroids will bring about an increase in the efficiency of the muscle and ultimately overall performance by a margin that is equivalent to the strength of each of the individual steroid category. This is a theory that is yet to be scientifically proven.

Pyramiding involves progressive increment in the rate of intake of the quantities of the individual dose and of the overall intake levels. This means that the abuser starts with a small dose that is spaced at long intervals. As time goes, the space between the doses is reduced while the amount of steroid per dose is progressively increased. This goes on and on until the peak is reached.

The rest is a descent that is of the same magnitude as the ascent only that this time the directions is towards the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next, more challenging and more ambitious cycle. The average duration of each cycle is 8 months in between the cycles; the rate of steroid intake may reach near zero. This is the time that the abuser normally tries to evaluate the much that he has achieved and assesses the need for another cycle or whether it is time for training.

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