Anabolic Steroid Addiction and Abuse

Steroids Addiction Treatment

Did you know that your steroid addiction can kill you? Many people believe that using steroids cannot possibly be dangerous, because it makes them look good, but the truth is that this type of addiction is actually quite dangerous, and can even be fatal. We do not want you to panic, but there is not enough emphasis on the dangers of taking steroids.

What we see in popular culture – improved athletic ability and world-class physiques – is many times owed to steroid use. The drug makes you look, perform and feel good, but it is detrimental to your health when you abuse it.

Anabolic Steroid Addiction and Abuse

Did you know that 3.3 percent of the world’s population in 2014 had used anabolic steroids at least once in their lifetime? That’s approximately 237,600 of an estimated 7.2 million people, according to a study published in Annals of Epidemiology.

It is interesting to learn that not only competitive athletes and bodybuilders are using the drug. Although a small percentage of women and teenagers use them, young professional men around the age of 30 represent the average anabolic steroid user.

Accessibility is a big part of addiction and steroids are easy to find via the Internet, in health food stores, gyms, and through mail orders. Doses taken orally or injected into the muscles might be 10 to 100 times higher than doses prescribed by a doctor to treat medical conditions.

When you see your muscles start showing, and you get bigger, you want to use more, right? Maybe you are chasing the boost in your self-esteem that feels like a high? Or it could be the total opposite. As early as the late 1980s, medical researchers reported a development of depression in people who discontinued steroid use. The solution then was to keep taking them.

If you ask a hardcore addict you’ll discover that misusing steroids can be as harmful as abusing them. Steroids are typically taken for periods of weeks or months rather than continuously. This is known as cycling; it prevents side effects, and allows your body’s hormonal system to rest. Continuous use of the drug will create a tolerance as well as cause your body to stop producing its own testosterone.

Not knowing how to manage dosage, frequency, and duration will hinder the steroids results. In an attempt to maximize the effects, abusers will combine several different types of steroids or incorporate other non-steroidal supplements, a practice referred to as stacking. Whether you misuse or abuse steroids, side effects and symptoms are the same.

At this point, you know how bad steroids are for you, and your first reaction is to stop taking them cold turkey. Please do not do that. You have to wean yourself off of the steroids in a controlled and supervised environment. Do not worry. We can help if you call us now to decide upon the best way to handle your situation.

Teenage Steroid Use

Be cautious with your teenager if you suspect he or she is abusing steroids. Often times, a young person’s social changes are confused with normal distancing or independence, when in actuality, your teen is addicted to drugs.

• Closes or lock bedroom door more often
• Takes longer showers or baths; this time is often used for injecting
• Phone conversations become more private
• Asks for money more often, or has more money than usual
• Steals or loses belongings
• Begins receiving more packages in the mail
• Takes naps or falls asleep in class
• Decline in grades
• Forgets plans, dates and activities

Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Anabolic Steroids

• Increased blood pressure
• Decrease in HDL Cholesterol
• Increase in LDL Cholesterol
• Gynecomastia or swelling of the breast tissue in boys or men, caused by an imbalance of the hormones estrogen and testosterone
• Acne
• Hair loss
• Testicular Atrophy and Erectile Dysfunction
• Insomnia

A more controversial side effect of taking steroids is roid rage. Doctors are not medically certain whether steroids can produce a psychotic episode, but proof of violent, aggressive behavior exists in steroid users. Generally, this is observed as random outbursts of anger far beyond what is deemed appropriate to a particular situation. Several clinical studies suggest that long-term abusers should be carefully watched and helped medically to avoid hurting themselves or someone else.Women might experience growth of facial hair, male-pattern baldness, changes in or cessation of their menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris, and deepened voice. Teenagers might experience stunted growth because of premature skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes. Also, the risk of not reaching their expected height if steroid use precedes the typical adolescent growth spurt.

Overdose Symptoms of Steroids

The National Institute on Drug Abuse says most data on the long-term effects of anabolic steroids in humans come from case reports rather than formal epidemiological studies. From the case reports the incidence of life-threatening effects appears to be low, but serious adverse effects might be under-recognized or under-reported, especially since they might occur many years later. You might experience or have already experienced some of the more serious side effects of steroid use.

• Internal changes to include liver tumors and liver enzymes out of range
• Unusually greasy hair or oily skin
• Persistent bad breath
• Jaundice or yellowing of the skin
• Skin eruptions and infections, such as abscesses and cysts
• Drastic appetite shifts
• Joint pain; greater chance of injuring muscles and tendons
• Fluid level changes, bloating, and night sweating
• Dizziness, trembling, nausea or vomiting
• Hyperactivity or lethargy
• Trouble urinating; discoloration or blood in urine

Anabolic Steroid Withdrawal and Detox

Do you realize how powerful steroids are? As a result, your body has to be weaned off of them properly. Quitting steroids cold turkey can cause just as many problems as using them. If you want to speak with a medical professional about how to stop your abuse cycle, give us a call so we can make that connection for you. More than likely, you will need to check into a drug rehabilitation facility while you eliminate steroids from your system. The withdrawal symptoms, as listed, might be too intense and can be dangerous without supervision.

• Mood swings
• Fatigue
• Restlessness
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
• Reduced sex drive
• Steroid cravings
• Depression, which can lead to suicide
• Relapse

Anabolic Steroid Treatment and Rehab

Once you complete the withdrawal and detoxification process, your body will start the production of testosterone naturally again. During your evaluation, a doctor might prescribe you with medication to make this transition more comfortable for you. Do you enjoy working out?

This might be encouraged while you undergo treatment for your drug abuse because it helps to keep endorphin levels high. Is eating a balanced diet and drinking lots of water important to you?

Ask one of our counselors when you call about rehabilitation centers that offer options for health-conscious individuals. Next is to determine your course of action, which hinges upon your placement into a good steroid rehabilitation program.

Everyone’s needs are different, but the quality of your treatment should be the same. This includes a safe environment free of judgment, evidence-based practices, services for long-term care, licensed and well-trained mental health professionals and addiction specialists.

We are intimately familiar with specialized rehabilitation facilities that will cater to your specific condition. All you have to do is call us so we can help you start to feel good again.

• Step 1: Intake – When you arrive at your facility you will be assessed by the medical professionals to determine your treatment through detox, as well as your rehabilitation program.
• Step 2: Detox – After your assessment or intake you will be taken to your room where you can rest and be monitored while you go through the withdrawal of your drug use. Detox can range from 1 day to a week, depending on the drug of choice and the user.
• Step 3: Rehab – After you finish detox you will be ready to begin your addiction treatment, which can range from a variety of different options. This is when you will be able to meet others, attend lectures, participate in group or individual counseling, and learn the tools you need to stay clean.

Step 4: Aftercare – When your time at the facility is over, you will have to go back to your life. This can be a challenge for a lot of people, but part of your treatment includes aftercare. This is usually outpatient counseling in a group or individualized setting, where you are slowly introduced back to your life and responsibilities.

Addressing Steroid Addiction

Have you ever jumped into a swimming pool when you know it is cold? You anticipate how cold it will be so you hesitate at first. Then you jump, work through the coldness, and realize it is not as cold as you thought. Getting help for your steroid addiction is no different.

Helping a Loved One Address Steroid Addiction

If your loved one is like most steroid abusers, he or she still has a life beyond their addiction. Your loved one might be in a relationship, have children, a pet, and day-to-day responsibilities.

Taking time away to enter a rehabilitation program is overwhelming considering all of the stuff your loved one will temporarily leave behind. You can offer to help your loved one prepare for this in advance. Remind your loved one that it takes a lot of courage to seek help for an addiction.

If your loved one has a full-time job, reassure him or her that laws protect the privacy of a person seeking treatment for abusing prescription drugs or other addictions. If a doctor’s note is required for work, the nature of the condition need not be specified. Staff members at the rehabilitation center cannot share information with anyone else without your loved one’s permission.

Your support before, during, and after recovery is needed in order for your loved one’s treatment to be successful.

The Bottom Line: You Can Beat Steroid Addiction

If you’ve reached this point it is hard to deny the fact that you’re serious about beating your steroid addiction, and that is something to have pride in and celebrate. Your life matters and there is no reason why you should allow a drug to dictate the rest of your life when help is available.

Payment Options for Steroid Abuse Treatment

Remember, choosing to go into a steroid rehab treatment center for steroid abuse will help you rid yourself of the horrible side effects you’ve had to endure, extend your life span, and most importantly place you on track towards regaining you own life. So don’t fight addiction alone. Instead allow us to help you live the life you deserve to have.

More than likely, your addiction will require inpatient treatment, which most insurance providers cover. Reach out to us and one of our representatives will verify the benefits of your insurance and give you a rehab quote.