for years, all the way back to the first suspected high school use in 1950.( JAMA 1993). It was assumed that athletes playing football took these steroids to make them the invincible player, and today those same athletes are collage and professionals who are still using these very deadly drugs to stay on top, no matter what. Professionals, more than collage and high school athletes, have been know to take this drug to give them a rage or rush of energy, that at their age they lack.(Anderson 1994). But what is the downside of using the drugs? Are there mental and physical consequences to this rage or rush of energy? The answers is emphatically yes, they are harmful to the mind and body. Mental harms For the most part, individuals use anabolic steroids to significantly improve appearance, performance, or both beyond what is expected from training alone. Also, individuals who use anabolic steroids appears to believe that higher doses and continued use result in greater gains.(Anderson 1994). Also studies have shown, when individuals discontinue using anabolic steroids, there size and strength diminish, often very dramatically. This outcome, as will as any psychological effects of use that serve to create a new body image, improved self-esteem, heightened libido and general euphoria is thought to motivate renewed use of anabolic steroids. The effects of anabolic steroid use on the mental health has shown a wide range of reactions to the use of this drug. These studies were shown in NIDA research report series, were it stated (NIDA 1996) the following: Scientist are just beginning to investigate the impact of anabolic steroids onthe mind and behavior. Many athletes report "feeling good" about themselves while on a steroids regimen. The downside, according to Harvard researchers, is wide mood swings ranging from periods of violent, even homicidal, episodes known as "roid rages" to bouts of depression when the drugs are stopped. The Harvard...
