Anabolic Steroids Research Paper

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While there are many drugs in this world, anabolic steroids happen to be among the most commonly used addictive drugs. “Anabolic steroids refer to synthetic variants of the male sex hormone testosterone” according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse ("What are the Health"). Certain medical conditions can be treated with anabolic steroids. However the dosage taken by steroid abusers is anywhere from ten to one hundred times higher than that of the dosage prescribed for medical conditions. The abuse of anabolic steroids can negatively disrupt the hormonal system, cardiovascular system, and psychological state of mind.
Steroid abuse will result in noticeable physical changes. This is due to the steroid use disrupting the hormonal balance
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Steroid abuse has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The use of steroids changes the levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). These lipoproteins are responsible for carrying cholesterol in the blood throughout the body. Atherosclerosis is a condition caused by fatty substances, such as cholesterol, being deposited inside arteries and disrupt blood flow. Now if blood is unable to reach the heart, the abuser is not susceptible to a heart attack. Also if blood is unable to reach the brains the abuser is susceptible to a stroke. Both a heart attack and a stroke may result in long-term negative changes in the body and make the abuser more prone to an early …show more content…
Abusing steroids can have dangerous negative effects on the brain and cognitive thinking just as it does for physical effects. One psychological effect of anabolic steroid abuse is psychosis. During psychosis the drug user feels disconnected from the world. Steroid abusers will feel as though they are living in a world of their own. Another psychological affect would be depression. Depression is a common side effect of many drugs. It is also a very serious side effect that can even lead to suicide. Depression can occur when steroid users abuse other drugs to counteract the side effects of steroids. When a steroid user knowingly abuses other drugs, the severity of depression can worsen. Another very serious mental side effect of steroid use is Mania. Whitney Hooley stated, “Mania is a feeling of complete euphoria similar of psychosis” (Hooley). Drug abusers in a manic state will feel as though they are high. In this state the user may act more violent and make rash, impulsive decisions. Acting this way can negatively affect the abusers social life. Friends and family will not want to be around this high-strung, aggressive, paranoid monster. The abuser may become lonelier as a result of their behavior, which can also cause or worsen

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