Athletes who take steroids may share syringes, needles, or other injecting equipment from time to time. Sharing this equipment puts a person at high risk of contracting HIV. 

HIV damages the body’s defensive system, making it more susceptible to infections and malignancies. HIV and AIDS do not have a vaccine or a cure. 

You can’t detect if someone has HIV merely by looking at them. 

Furthermore, because HIV infection can go unnoticed for years without causing symptoms, some people may be unaware that they are infected. Anyone who has ever shared a needle to inject drugs, even once, is at risk of contracting HIV and should get tested.

Hence, the risks of steroid use among young athletes can bring about some life-changing diseases in their lives, which is why people should steer clear from it.

The substance abuse treatment by Ocean Recovery also suggests the same thing because the rehab encounters hundreds of young athletes every year who suffer from steroid addiction. 

How Steroid Addiction Impacts Young Athletes?

Many young athletes in high school and college look up to their favorite athletes for motivation. The disadvantage is that these young athletes look up to these professional players for their conduct, which is frequently less than inspirational. 

According to a recent report, a growing number of medical specialists are worried about the consequences of anabolic steroids on young athletes who use them for personal gain in their sports. 

According to research by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2.2% of 12th graders acknowledged using steroids for at least one standard sports cycle, which can last anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks.

Despite the fact that steroids are classified as a restricted substance in the United States, many sportsmen utilize them to build muscle and gain confidence. 

However, with this added boost comes the risk of harming their general health.

Anabolic steroids have been demonstrated in studies to harm the heart and liver, delay bone formation, and cause severe mood swings, weight gain, and acne. Because steroids are tied to testosterone, using them and then stopping them can produce severe depression that can continue for months at a time. 

As a result, the frequency of suicidal thoughts may increase, and suicide is the third greatest cause of death among youngsters aged 15 to 24 years old, according to US government statistics.

Anabolic Steroids Are Changing The Course Of Addiction In Young Athletes

It is excellent to excel in sports competitions. 

Most high school, college, amateur, and professional athletes participate in sports to test their talents against those of their peers and to obtain the gratification that comes from doing their best.

Others do so in order to get popularity and notoriety. 

Unfortunately, this results in certain athletes who are hell-bent on winning at any cost. Despite the knowledge that anabolic steroids can cause irreparable bodily harm and have serious adverse effects, people may use that conclusion to rationalize their usage.

Anabolic steroids are very effective prescription medications. They are restricted drugs that athletes use in high dosages to improve their performance.

Anabolic steroids are not the same as steroid drugs like prednisone or hydrocortisone, which are used to treat asthma and inflammation of the skin and other body parts. Bodybuilding tissue is referred to as anabolic. 

Anabolic steroids work by mimicking testosterone, to help develop muscle tissue and increase body bulk. Steroids, on the other hand, have no effect on an athlete’s agility or talent. 

Genetics, body size, age, sex, food, and how hard an athlete trains are all elements that influence athletic performance.

Steroid Addiction And Professional Impacts

The male sex hormone; testosterone, is a chemical derivative of anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids can help cure blood problems, intractable arthritis, connective tissue disease, some malignancies, some sexual dysfunctions, and other serious conditions when taken properly. 

However, because of the possibility of major adverse effects, they must only be prescribed and administered under medical supervision. Anabolic steroids can only be administered by an authorized physician following a face-to-face evaluation of a patient.

It is unknown how many athletes utilize anabolic steroids. Because many sporting organizations prohibit their usage, few athletes are ready to acknowledge their usage. The NFL conducts drug tests on its players.

Players who come out with a positive result are suspended from the upcoming matches, and if they are tested positive again, they will be removed from the League. MLB players can be punished for up to ten days if they test positive. 

A player can be punished without pay for up to a year if they test positive after the first test. In that case, they will be recommended to the addiction support groups. 

Why Do Young Athletes Get Addicted To Steroids?

Uninformed or misinformed athletes, sometimes pushed by coaches or parents, abuse anabolic steroids to gain lean muscle mass, stimulate aggression, and raise body weight, believing that they can improve competitiveness and performance.

Some sportsmen combine two or more anabolic steroids, combining oral and injectable kinds and occasionally adding additional medicines like stimulants, pain relievers, or growth hormones. 

This is referred to as stacking. 

The athlete believes that utilizing a variety of medications will result in better strength or muscle size than the impact of only one substance. What they don’t understand, or prefer to overlook, is the physical impact that drug abuse may cause.

Dietary supplements sold over the counter, such as creatine, should be utilized with caution. Manufacturers say that they can help you gain muscle and strength without the negative side effects of steroids. 

Nutritional supplements, in modest dosages, may not be dangerous. 

Nutritional supplements can be harmful when taken in excessive dosages and mixed with alcohol or aspirin, or when used with stimulants like caffeine or ephedrine.

Conclusion

With countless news reports depicting professional sportsmen being accused of taking steroids, young kids are being presented with a false picture of the ideal image and are utilizing drugs to fulfill the expectations to seem athletically perfect. 

The fact is that these folks frequently require steroid misuse therapy. 

Steroid misuse may be just as harmful as being addicted to more prevalent substances like alcohol or prescription medications, and the consequences can be life-threatening and difficult to quit for young people.