Steroid Addiction Statistics

The present society has lost grip on the usage of steroids. Most people are abusing this drug in the name of body building or professional sports to enhance the performance in different fields of sports. Not only the sports personality is that engaging in drug abuse but also prominent business men and university students around the world. The steroids like any other drug may not be harmful but how the population is using it is what causes concern.

The sources of the steroids have increased that someone can log on the internet and get what he or she wants or gymnasiums where many people go to train and even some health food stores. This shows the level of destruction we are going to have when the restrictions aren't put on some of these products. Technology is also helping in the growth of this drug abuse with a click of a button; you are able to access the business men dealing with the steroids.

Statistics show that by 2002, there had been a great increase in steroid use among the young generation which was done by 'Monitoring the Future' taking into consideration 1991-2002. It was detailed that 22% 8th graders, 33.2 %10th graders, and 46.1 % 12th graders admitted easy access to the drug. That was 2002, what about now? It is alarming that the young generation is more vulnerable to this problem. It is also known that five to twelve percent of the male population among high school students and approximately 1% of the female students used anabolic steroids.

There are different kinds of steroids like the anabolic steroids and catabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are performance enhancement drugs. They are manufactured to act in the same way the testosterone functions in your body and enhance muscle performance making the cells larger and allow the body system recover quickly from fatigue or body stresses. These days the use of the drug has spread from athletes or sports personality, professional body builders to even children who access it. The Catabolic steroids are produced by the body naturally as a response to stress.

Steroids mimic testosterone functioning in the body. They increase the production of body proteins which are used in building blocks for muscle cells, the bones, and body tissues. The manufactures of the drug aim at promoting the anabolic effect of the drug to the body.

Research has been done and shown some side effects of continued abuse of this drug. In females, masculinization may occur due to the increased levels of testosterone. The side effects may be irreversible like the increased facial hair, sometimes male-pattern baldness, changes in the skin texture, the increased acne, the growth of facial and sometimes body hair. Some people may experience aggressiveness, and continued irritability.

In men, feminization occurs when a lot of testosterone is forcefully converted hormone estrogen normally found in women. The result of which is formation of breasts, decrease in libido, sperm count, sometimes shrunken testes, impotence and soft muscle mass. This can be reversed with proper medication. The Cardiovascular Steroids are known to increase the level of cholesterol in body system. They can lead to clogging of blood vessels. The clogging makes the victim susceptible to strokes and heart diseases. There use increases body weight and thus increase in blood pressure of the victim. This can be reversed if the person hasn't been adversely affected.

In young men who are still growing, steroids can cause premature closure of the body growth plate which leads to stunted growth. The body system is conditioned to work at certain levels. Use of steroids will stress the kidney since these are extra chemicals added. The victim will experience fever, lower back pains and swelling of lower parts of the legs due to kidney failure. For women, since their skin is soft and most sensitive, pores will grow larger and acne problems will set in. This may cause prominent stretch marks on the body due to weight gain and rapid muscle growth. Like any drug addiction, a steroid addict will be affected psychologically such that a person feels and solely depends on steroids. For sports personality, the continued use may weaken the person other than strengthen and the sporting talent dies off. Some doctors have argued that there is not strong evidence to base on about steroid addiction in the present generation while others have cited great evidence that the withdrawal of the symptoms last up to six months or even longer.

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are real problematic drinking. Alcoholism mostly involves the observable symptoms of alcohol abuse. It is a physical dependence the alcohol. Many alcohol addicted persons will feel physically compelled to drink or they can't function without it.