Are Steroids Addictive? Signs, Symptoms & Treatment

Can athletes get addicted to steroids?

It is a question some athletes ask, considering how prevalent steroids tend to be in the world of sport. Many athletes take anabolic steroids in an effort to grow muscle mass, increase strength, and minimize the amount of time needed to recover between vigorous workouts. Steroids may even help athletes improve their overall performance in their field of choice.

As helpful as steroids might be at giving athletes and bodybuilders a boost in their particular sporting event, they also come with side effects, many of which are well-known. For instance, studies have shown steroids to cause acne, increased growth of body hair, aggression, a decrease in testicle size and sperm count in men, deeper voice and menstrual cycle changes in women, and even heart disease and certain types of cancer.

In addition to these side effects, anabolic steroids might even be associated with an increased risk of addiction.

Can Steroids Use Lead to Addiction?

Steroids are not exactly the type of supplement that gets a person “high.” In fact, that is not why steroids are taken at all. Because steroids do not actually have a psychoactive effect on a person’s mind, people may believe that they cannot get addicted to them. After all, there is no high to which to get addicted.

What many people might not realize is that steroids can be addictive, especially for those who are prone to addiction. Many people who use steroids to take advantage of their muscular and athletic performance benefits can eventually become physically and psychologically addicted.

As far as a physical addiction is concerned, anabolic steroids can cause users to develop a physical dependency on the drug once their system has become adapted to steroid presence in the body. If steroid use suddenly stops, users can actually feel the effects of withdrawal. In fact, a number of physical withdrawal symptoms may be experienced, including:

• Cravings for steroids
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Pain in muscles and joints
• Decreased muscle size and strength
• Headaches
• Decreased sexual drive

In terms of psychological addiction to steroids, users can actually mistakenly believe that their bodies look deformed when steroid use stops. They may feel as though they are fat, weak, and muscularly inferior, even if they are not.

RELATED: The Dangerous and Underreported Health Consequences of Steroid Abuse

What Are the Signs of Steroid Addiction?

The following are signs of an addiction to steroids:

• Consistently requiring more and more steroids to achieve the desired effects
• Withdrawal symptoms such as those listed above
• Taking steroids in an effort to alleviate withdrawal symptoms
• Foregoing other activities in favor of using steroids and working out to continuously build more muscle

If you or any of your loved one are exhibiting any one of the above signs, steroid addiction might be a problem. In this case, professional help from an Ohio drug rehab facility may be required in order to effectively eliminate the need for constant steroid use.

Ohio Drug Rehab For Steroid Addiction

Rehab is not just meant for addiction to traditional types of drugs such as opioids, cocaine, or alcohol. There are plenty of things that people can get addicted to that can ruin their lives and negatively affect those around them, and steroids are one of them.

In Ohio drug rehab, those who are affected by steroid addiction can benefit from Ohio addiction treatment programs that are meant to address the drug habit. Whether through group therapy, individual therapy, inpatient/outpatient recovery, or medications, different recovery programs are available to help addicts wean off their drug of choice.

If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with addiction to anabolic steroids, contact us today.