While the media often sheds a negative light on this use, if often doesn’t get past teen athletes the fact that these athletes were able to achieve great things while using the drugs. Teens often see steroid use as a necessity to succeed in athletics and the need to not get caught is just an added challenge to the practice.
Why Do They Use Them?
Teens report many reasons why they use steroids. These reasons include frustration of getting “stuck” at a spot in their workouts and athletic training; curiosity of how steroids can help or affect them, and giving into pressure from peers to give it a try. Above all, teenagers often function under the theory of winning at all costs.
Teens put a lot of pressure on themselves to succeed. Teens also put pressure on one another to succeed. Additionally, young athletes often experience a lot of pressure from their parents and coaches to do well, to win and to push themselves past their physical limits. Some teens cannot handle the pressure, so they need to turn to something else for “help” to live up to the expectations put on them.
Oftentimes, teens get their information about steroids from websites, muscle magazines and from other teens in the locker room. Athletes are often likely to take risks in their lives and this risk taking can make them great athletes as long as the risks are healthy risks. When they take the dangerous risk of using steroids, they often gravitate towards information that can be skewed, incomplete or down right false to help them justify their use of steroids.
How Many Teens Are Using Steroids?
Studies have shown that steroid use among teenagers has been increasing in recent years and is at about three percent meaning that about three percent of twelfth graders admit to having tried steroids at least once. Even more shocking is that teenagers have reported to using steroids as early as eighth grade.
What Types of Teens Use Steroids?
Generally, steroid use is most prevalent among teen athletes, but that doesn’t mean that non-athletes don’t use them. Some teens simply use steroids to look better and improve how they feel about their appearance.
Are Steroids Addictive?
While there doesn’t seem to be any specific examples as to whether or not steroid use is addictive, some studies have shown that people who use large doses of steroids or use the drugs for a long time have been known to show cravings and withdrawal symptoms to the drugs. Additionally, teens tend to show the number one sign of addiction which is denial that there can be adverse affects to using the drugs.
What are the Alternatives?
Another important concern with teenagers steroids alternatives is the use of “prohormones” or “steroid precursors”. In short, prohormones and steroid precursors help increase testosterone in the body which, in turn, is thought to help increase lean muscle mass. The truth is, however, that prohormones and steroid precursors are illegal as well. They also have serious side effects similar to those associated with anabolic steroids.