Psychological Effects of Steroids

Many psychology along with physical effects occur do to the use, and misuse of steroids. Anabolic steroids use can cause many undesired characteristics in both males and females. However, steroids are often prescribed by doctors when the patient has an extremely irregular hormonal imbalance. In these cases, the psychological effects are not as great and often do not cause problems for the individual if the dosage is correct. The negative characteristics include aggression, hostility, irritability, mania, depression, addiction, emotional instability, impulsively, and many other undetermined characteristics.

The most commonly cited psychology effect of steroid use is unprovoked aggression all so known as, Roid Rage. Rage and aggression occur most commonly in males due to the higher testosterone levels in the hormones. The higher levels of estrogen in females neutralizes the urges of rage and aggression, normally not associated with females of the sex. When steroids are used, and more often, misused, the submissive hormone in that individual becomes dominant. In males, the level of estrogen increases. In females, the level of testosterone increases. This abnormal imbalance causes the brain to react quite strangely. Confusion and depression can occur due to the brain s inability to process these changes. Therefore, the physical effects of the drug often can determine the degree of the psychological effects.

Also, paranoia often occurs in steroid users. In fact, when an individual becomes paranoid, open hostility, irritability, and aggression often occur over insignificant events. Drastic personality changes develop in the user. Many behavioral side-effects tend to develop due to these personality changes. Emotional instability, sometimes causes abnormal emotional outburst, becomes very dominant. These outbursts can often lead to violence on the users part. The user very often becomes quite impulsive. Urges of anger, adrenaline, and other emotions can become prevalent.

One of the hardest psychological effects to overcome long after the steroid use has ceased is the effect of emotional instability and depression. Often, the user can become otherwise unexplainably depressed and overly emotional. This often occurs due to the hormonal imbalance which is abnormal to the body. These emotions are normally controllable, however, once steroids are introduced into the system, these feelings become overwhelming and the body cannot handle the effects. Often times addiction occurs. This further worsens the situation by requiring higher and higher dosages of the steroids for the mind to feel adequacy. The body and the mind then become more and more dependent, making it harder and harder to feed and later break the addiction.

Another psychological effect very important in steroid use is the feeling of loss of control. This anxiety can come in the form of panic attacks, compulsions, anxiety attacks, phobias, posttraumatic stress disorders, along with many other anxiety-related disorders. These disorders, when developed, often become life-long disorders. One of the worst results of this effect and depression is suicide. The numbers of deaths related to addictions of any kind of drug are astonishing.

Although the physical effects of steroids are very important indeed, the psychological effects can be far worse and more lethal. In fact, many times in the cases of steroid use, physical effects were not apparent. However, in most cases, psychological effects existed, if not in more than one characteristic. Even after steroid use has subsided or ceased, the psychological effects linger and haunt the individual, long after the physical effects have worn down. Many ex-addicts often have difficulties with other medications due to the psychological effects of steroid misuse. Also, the physical effects of the drug often can determine the degree of the psychological effects. Most importantly, the dosage of the steroids determines the degree of the physical and psychological effects. The higher the dosage, the worse the effects.