Steroids and Steroids Treatment

Steroids are a broad class of substances, but when people refer to steroid abuse, they're referring to Anabolic Steroids. Anabolic Steroids are a class of natural and synthetic steroid hormones that promote cell growth and division, resulting in growth of muscle tissue and sometimes bone size and strength. Testosterone is the best-known natural Anabolic Steroid, as well as the most often used natural androgen.

It wasn't until the 1990s that Anabolic Steroid use became a national concern, as its use in competitive sports began to rise dramatically. Steroid use for these purposes is illegal in the United States as well as other nations. Steroid use has also risen among high school students, and is not limited to male use. A 1998 Pennsylvania State University study found that 175,000 high school girls reported taking steroids at least once in their lifetime.

While Anabolic Steroids are used for the treatment of actual medical conditions, they are also illegally distributed and subsequently abused on a high level. As with any abused substance, Anabolic Steroids are very often addictive.

Steroid withdrawal can include depression, as well as headaches, and muscle and joint pains. Many of those who wish to break the bonds of steroid addiction find that just stopping the abuse on their own is not enough. Steroid abusers may relapse and begin to develop the same patterns of behavior and experience the devastating side effects that cause destruction to their health, their family and other relationships.

While treatment may seem to be an "easy out" for steroid abusers, allowing the individual to experience withdrawal in a controlled, comfortable environment lets him or her to more quickly begin to learn how to live without steroids. When addiction treatment is combined with relapse prevention and treatment, the individual is given a strong foundation on which to build a new life that is fuller and steroid-free

As with any addiction, anabolic steroid addiction is treatable. You can find help. A call to Challenges at (888) 755-3334 can be made for a confidential screening or referral to another appropriate center or agency.