Steroids Abuse

What are steroids?

Steroids are hormones that can be divided into five groups viz glucocorticoids, mineral corticoids, androgens, estrogens and progesterone. All types of steroids can affect the body in many ways. It is not only the muscles but also other things like skin, hair and brain that gets affected. Whatever drugs you use, there are risks of serious side effects, but you can never know in advance if you're going to have an adverse reaction. Some side effects may occur long after you have stopped using the drug.

The most common form of steroids widely in use is the anabolic steroid. Most people who use anabolic steroids do so to get bigger muscles fast. The use is illegal, however. Unless a doctor has prescribed it or without a proper license, possession, buying, selling or making anabolic steroids is illegal.

Originally, anabolic steroids were used in health care as part of the treatment of cancer and kidney damage. But since it has been shown that anabolic steroids can cause severe side effects, they are used very rarely in health care.

Associated Problems:

Examples of problems and issues that you may have are mood swings, anxiety, difficulty in sleeping, and aggression. The risk of becoming aggressive and violent is even greater if you use anabolic steroids and drink alcohol.

One can also have problems like pimples, which can be as large as abscesses. The heart and the liver can be damaged and eventually the risk of dying earlier than they would otherwise, increases. People who use anabolic steroids might grow breasts and reduce the testicles' size. Girls can get larger clitoris, more facial hair and deepening of the voice. Periods may become irregular or vanish completely.

How to find out if your friend is using steroids:

It can be difficult to detect if a man is using anabolic steroids, but there are signs that one can be aware of. Following are few external indications of steroids abuse: A changing mood and aggression. Having trouble in sleeping Restlessness becoming interested their looks, body and fitness. Quickly gaining weight Getting pimples. Getting more hair on the body. Losing hair.

Treatment phase:

Successful treatment of steroids abusers is similar to treatment for eating disorders, substance abuse and narcissistic disorders. It must be born in mind that steroids abusers have a strong desire to resume their addiction.

During abstinence i.e. when the abuser stops taking his agents, depressions occur. The feeling of power is replaced by helplessness and despair. Suicide risk is high, and should be considered for close professional supervision and supportive therapy during this time. Drug treatment in this context is a relatively unexplored area.

Treatment is usually divided into three phases: assessment, detoxification and rehabilitation. Valuation phase (assessment phase) aims to identify the dependency and the individual's own special problems. Detoxification phase aims to identify and cope with withdrawal symptoms and relapsed prevention to maintain abstinence. If it still relapses, you go through the time backwards to identify possible triggers. The approach is developed from rehabilitation methodology of hashish weaning.

During evaluation and detoxification phases must not treat abusers as drug addicts. Initially they must meet therapists who can handle their self-images and values. In the long run, it is a negative practice to hold steroids abusers separate from other patients with addiction problems.

3. The rehabilitation phase begins with the client and the therapist going together through the start of the abuse. Clinician must avoid confrontations as these can trigger anger or depression.

Conclusions:

Key findings in the cases of steroids abuse bring us to following conclusions:

• It is possible to return the abusers to a life without abuse,
• The interviewer must have good knowledge about the risks of steroids abuse.
• The treatment requires perseverance from both the addict and therapist.
• The treatment must be done in collaboration with a team that can help with medical studies, dietary information, and social support and so on.
• The therapist must tread carefully in order to get around the defense and aggression, and
• Cognitive techniques are useful to make the addict aware of situations and behavior that increases the risk of relapse.

It is thus imperative for all of us to know that steroid abuse is addictive and slowly degenerate your body. Also, once you discontinue their intake, the body becomes weak, lean and thin again. If you are planning to go the steroids way, pause and think- "Is it worth it?"

As you have read in the article, there is very little or virtually no drug treatment for steroids abuse. All that can cure you is your will to resist and the companionship of a good therapist.