Performance enhancing drugs are often used by people who engage in sports or other physical activities such as bodybuilding. However, despite the spread in their use, they can be dangerous, too. If you use them too often, you can even become addicted to these substances.
What Are Performance Enhancing Drugs?
There are two main types of performance enhancing drugs: steroids and nootropics. Steroids are focused on body enhancement while nootropics are mind-focused.
Steroids are very common and somewhat easy to find. Some gyms encourage their use as they enable faster muscle growth. They often mimic the effects of testosterone and make your body grow quicker.
The nootropics are far less common and work with cognitive enhancing. They are mostly used by students looking to improve their performance in academic-related activities. Also, their use tends to be more sporadic than continued in some cases.
While there are obvious benefits in using these substances, it should be remembered that they should not be abused. Not only the abuse itself might be an issue, though. Some of these drugs are not properly regulated and can be obtained in illegal ways. In these cases, they may contain harmful properties as well since they have not passed control measures.
Can You Get Addicted to Performance Enhancing Drugs?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an “undetermined percentage” of the users can suffer from an addiction. Addiction is defined by the need to keep using the substance and by requiring higher dosages in order to see its effects taking place. In most cases, this drives the side effects up as well and can cause several health issues.
What Are The Side Effects Of Using Performance Enhancing Drugs?
There are several side effects which are directly linked to the use of these drugs. They are mostly divided between the drugs that act on the body and the ones that act on the mind.
Side Effects of Steroids
- Breast growth in men: some of the men who used anabolic steroids for a long time were reported to see an abnormal increase in their breast size.
- High blood pressure: the continued use of steroids affects the blood pressure. In some cases, it can make the amount of fat present in the blood go up, too.
- Extreme tolerance to steroids: the more someone uses the steroid, the less effect it will have. This often leads to exaggerations in the dosage that cause secondary issues.
- Irritability and aggressiveness: people using these drugs are more likely to be aggressive. The behavior, which is more prominent in men, can also affect women.
- Heart diseases: the mood swings combined with blood issues can lead someone to develop heart problems if the steroids are being taken for too long. The worst cases can be fatal, especially for people who already had heart issues before.
- Doping ban: several of these drugs are prohibited in professional sports. Because of this, several competitions ban athletes for doping.
Side Effects of Nootropics
- Anxiety: the generalized feeling of anxiety is one of the most common side effects of using nootropics. This problem can also get worse in the long term.
- Increased alertness, insomnia and reduced fatigue: nootropics are generally used to let someone stay awake and attentive. Because of this, it may become harder to simply “shut down” and rest after prolonged use. The person will try to rest but the brain won’t let it do it.
- Dizziness, nausea and headaches: as the drug directly affects the mind, some people will suffer from these symptoms, which may come together or one at a time.
- Paranoia: some people who use these drugs for a long time tend to become paranoid with the idea that people around them are going to harm them in some way.
- Heart diseases and increased blood pressure: similar to steroids. This drug also messes up with the blood and can cause life-threatening issues.
Can Performance Enhancing Drugs Cause Withdrawal Effects?
Unfortunately, all kinds of addictive drugs are able to cause withdrawal effects on the user. As soon as the use is discontinued, the effects tend to appear shortly. Drugs focused on enhancing performance are not any different in this regard.
Steroids and other physically enhancing drugs can cause loss of appetite, a reduced sex drive, restlessness, fatigue, insomnia and craving when they are stopped. In several cases, there is also a loss of muscle mass, as well as the appearance of symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Cognitive enhancing drugs are likely to cause withdrawal effects which will be similar to the ones caused by opioids such as heroin or cocaine. They can include hallucinations, depression, anxiety, tremors, nausea and insomnia. The craving is also present during this phase.
How To Treat The Addiction to Performance Enhancing Drugs?
Treating the addiction to performance enhancing drugs is not really so different than treating other kinds of addiction. The best way to do it is by looking for a specialized treatment program.
There are several types of programs and they generally cater to the different needs of different patients. While some are longer and restrict the patient to a hospital or facility, others can be done at home or have a shorter duration. The best idea is to choose the one that fits your needs best.
These programs have professionals who are equipped to deal with all your needs and can help with the issue. They generally consist of a detoxing process in which you are going to clean your body from the drug, followed by therapy and care.
It is important to follow all the treatment and to have psychological help in order to deal with the aftermath of stopping. The addictive potential of the drug can often lead to rebounds.
Generally, treatment programs can last for a few weeks and their goal is to overcome the withdrawal process and learn how to deal with the cravings for the substance. After that, the person can start living a more fulfilling life.
43 comments
I dated a guy who would shoot himself up with steroids. He weighed over 100 pounds more than his normal body weight (he used to weigh 150 pounds, then weighed 250 pounds). The 100 pounds was pure muscle. He looked a bit ridiculous but I think he was so unhealthy. He would be out of breath easily, was so tired and often irritable. When I see someone who is clearly on the roids, I always think of my ex and wonder if he ever stopped. These things are no joke and are TERRIBLE for your health! His vanity was more important than his health.
Great! What an interesting write up. I do really like this contents and appreciate it.
Thank you guys for sharing this. This is a top notch article and helpful to the society.
This has alays been there since ancient times. It is human nature to strive for being the best, Otherwise why are you even there? We all wanna win. That being said I am against this but I know it will never be gone, As a good doctor once said ” WHY WOULD I WANNA BE CLARK KENT If I can be Superman….
This is so educative, hearing about enhancing drugs for the first time. I think people should tread cautiously so as not to fall in to addiction
This article is very interesting and well structured. Straight side effects and solutions to these addictions. I’m blessed for reading this.
Really a eye-open story . I will recommend everyone to visit this post once. Commenting for reach++.
Excessive consumption of performance enhancing drugs has a very bad effect on our life. we should take a certain amount of medicine. Thanks for sharing this blog.
Let share this information to those into drug addicts out there and tell them the important of the life after recovery. Thank you for sharing this educative information here.
It means that without the addiction, such a person cannot perform. Reliance on influencer is a bad habit.
No wonder some men grow Brest. This must be avoided at all cost so as not to pay for it later
This kills the in born talent. Care must be taken so as not to get involved in this menace.
This action can destroy lives. People should do away from it.
I never knew about nontropics drug that can used to deal with the mind but I don’t think l like the side effects that even anxiety. We need to be careful of addiction.
This is one of the reasons why some of these sprinters are disqualified. It must be avoided at all cost.
This isn’t last because there is a possibility for such a person to misbehave. Thanks for this piece of information.
Enhancement drug usage destroy lives. There will be a time you will not be able to do the same job without the drug.
This performance drug I think like vitamin ,but if too much consume it’s to be addicted, too risky
This is unhealthy. It must be ran away from by everyone. Thanks.
The end of this act is a regret. One will leave in it for the rest of his or her life.
Performance ehanced drugs is not good. Because it causes a great havoc to the body and leaving the person very hopeless and restless.
Performance enhancing drugs can make someone become addictive. Most sports athletes are discouraged from using it coz it serves as a cheating drugs for sports.
Some think it is when they are high by being addicted to drug is when they can perform well. But this doesn’t work sometimes. So it is not encouraged to get addicted before one can perform.
This is devilish. It isn’t a good approach to life.
Reading all these negative effects about steroids is enough to discourage someone. Do not do more than what you can do, there is no need to endanger yourself through performance enhancer.
Some love to take this enhancement drugs so as to make them perform more and way better. But in a right sense it isn’t good.
Performance enhancing drugs is not good for the body system. But people use it to calm themselves which leads to different havoc of the body.
Doing drugs is dangerous. It is better to go for reformation.
Performance enhancing drugs has many effect on its users. Though the drug has its benefit in the short run to its users but negative effect in the long run.
Performance enhancing drugs is really not good. Thank you so much detox for finding out time to educate us.
This is very bad. Using drug to enhance performance at the expense of others is a really bad thing to do. And apart from that the drugs take side effects on the users which isn’t good
Getting addicted to performance enhancing Drugs is really dangerous to one’s Health and social Life,some Victims of this feels they can’t do anything without PEA
Being addicted to PEA isn’t something easy to get over.
I feel getting the proper Help and Treatment is what could help Addicted ones Effectively.
Definitely, you can get addicted to drugs, if you take any in high doses and ofcourse the enhancement drugs are no exception. But this act needs to be stopped to avoid bad side effects
This was a sweet and educating read. Performance enhancing drugs has more disadvantages than advantages when overused or misused. Going overboard with anything is naturally unwise afterall.
It is best to stay healthy at all times. Have time to do exercises to keep body healthy. That is enough.
I had no knowledge about this enhancing drugs are in use . This a informative and educative piece of article and I’m glad I came across it.
This is educative. Informative and nice one. Thanks
This drugs make people to be hyper active. It isn’t the best way to productivity because of its negativity.
Many people allover the world really on the use of drugs to enhance their performance. This isn’t too good for their health.
The use of performance-enhancing medications in excess has a negative impact on our lives. A particular amount of medication should be taken. Thank you for bringing this blog to our attention. It’s no surprise that some men develop Brest. This must be avoided at all costs in order to avoid paying the price afterward.
Despite the listed side effect of these performance enhancing drugs, people still use them. There should be some form of restrictions to the use of such drugs.
pressure from coaches, team, country and most of all from our self can cause abuse from these kinds of drugs. Athletes are the most vulnerable due there willingness to win.