The need to maintain that attractive look and excel in various sports is the main driving force that makes many people go for the ‘easier’ option of using synthetic substances such as androgenic steroids and other additives. The degree to which these substances help the users achieve their goals is an issue which is open to discussions and different interpretations. What we could all agree is that few if any of us would be so much ambitious of success in a certain sport, so much that the sacrifices made include denying yourself the good feeling that comes with good.
As the old adage goes, health is wealth. Maybe some of us would say that some things are more important than wealth, like fame. This is the only way I can try to justify the decision of thousands of steroid abusers who continue to do so without worrying about the potential risks to their health. Some of the changes which may result from such lifestyles may be irreversible.
To begin with, androgenic steroid studies carried out with animals reveal that animals, if given the opportunity, usually develop the desire to re-administer the steroid. This shows that, there is a great risk of addiction among humans, a problem which physicians are trying to grapple with, but which is yet to be addressed with any ground-breaking discoveries. At this level, doctors are depending much on supportive therapy to deal with the incidences of clearly discernible signs which are usually of psychological nature.
There is evidence to show that in increasingly high number of people are turning to other types of drugs to handle the harmful effects of androgenic steroids. A research carried out found out that 9 per cent of a population of 230 outpatient admissions in a certain treatment facility had resorted to using narcotic drugs such as Heroine, Cocaine and Bhang so as to try and overcome the harmful effects of androgenic steroids.
Among these, it was found out that 87 per cent had chosen to try their luck at reversing the harmful effects of these substances and go back to their normal lives by using the drug by the name opioid. Almost all of these people were hoping to get positive results such that problems of insomnia which come due to the use of steroids could be solved. It was also found out that there was a pattern of occurrence of irritability, sudden and unpredictable mood swings
The first duty of the physician when confronted with such a problem should be to dissuade the patient from taking any form of narcotics, steroids or their derivatives, or any other type of substances that may interfere with the balance of hormones in the body. After that, a new approach should be used to treat any emerging problem. Any form of non-prescription drug should be strongly discouraged. This may look like a form of rehabilitation program. If need be, training exercises should be introduced to keep the victim busy. This move can prove helpful in steering the victim from sinking deeper into the addiction.
