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Table of Contents
Danger in physical health but also mental health
Let’s be clear – you do not have to take performance-enhancing drugs to develop mental health issues. But performance-enhancing drugs can highly increase/develop mental instabilities. We know steroids/SARMs to affect physical health to some degree and lead to death in some cases.
It is often not mentioned that these can have a serious effect on mental health. Indeed, these products will come with dangerous components that can lead to severe depressive symptoms, anger issues, and mess with your hormone levels.
I wrote this article simply to remind that if you already (or not) suffer mental health conditions, then taking steroids becomes a risk for yourself. Please re-consider your decision again and again.
It’s hard to get off it, it gets addictive quickly
They can clearly be seen as an addiction. Some people might say they are not that harmful if not taken for a long period of time, but once you take steroids – you are likely to take them again and again in the long term.
Stories of experienced bodybuilders who got trapped in this vicious circle are common. They warn others that once you start, you might keep using them for the rest of your life (cruising, testosterone replacement therapy). Making huge improvements in the gym with an obvious increase in muscle mass and testosterone makes you feel like a superhero! No one wants to stop feeling like batman!
What usually happens once you decide to slow down or stop?
There is a high chance to lose these benefits and that depressive episodes will follow you post-cycles, tempting you to go back at it. All in one, anabolics are drugs you can’t stop with a finger snap.
In the long term, it can seriously affect mental health. If you already have mental health problems – going the PEDs route can be the signature for a trip to hell.
Most gym enthusiasts already have body-image issues
To some degree, this is more or less normal. Who does not have doubts and self-conscious moments? With full transparency, it is hard to deny that most of the gym community gets into fitness to feel better about themselves and to try and overcome body image issues…
The odds are, fitness enthusiasts are already quite self-conscious and likely to have self-confidence issues before even getting started with the gym. If you already have mental issues and are going through tough times while being under substances, reaching out for help could be an option.
When looking at influencers on Instagram, we start to wonder if what they show represents reality and true happiness. They often post positive, self-conscious, and motivating quotes year-round but sometimes let us know about many obstacles they face, and how much they struggle with life when we expect it the least.
For sure a lot are living their life to the fullest but this is just to remind us again that no one should fall into the trap of social media comparison – everyone has their flaws and celebrities are no different.
Body-dysmorphia/Bigorexia is the king of the last decade!
Body-dysmorphia is a mental disorder that is often also linked with eating disorders. Muscle dysmorphia is a sort of body-dysmorphia which can sometimes also be called “bigorexia”, “megarexia”, or “reverse anorexia”. I have personally had bigorexia. To me, bigorexia simply is an exaggerated belief that one’s own body is too weak, too small, and not muscular enough. Although in a high number of cases, the person’s build is perfectly normal or even impressively large and athletic.
When talking about using steroids, it’s just really one of the last step you can do in the bigorexic journey. Once you reach your close-to natural potential, you usually won’t find any other idea than trying steroids. But that is where (personally) my limit stopped. Steroids was not an option, they can destroy you.
These graphs unfortunately speak for themselves.
It would be surprising if that were not correlated with the era of social media. Though, further research is needed to confirm these claims.
Conclusion
The use of performance-enhancing drugs can have irreversible effects on mental health considering those pre-factors. I hope that if you agree, you can spread the word so people don’t take further risks for themselves in their bodybuilding journey!
Give your opinion:
Have you ever felt bigorexic? What has helped you overcome this issue?
Do you think the fitness industry is unhealthy and most likely mentally affecting our society?
Feel free to comment!
Also feel free to read another related article to steroid use: how you should probably think twice before taking steroids!
