Steroid Abuse

5 Shocking Celebrity Drug Abuse Revelations of 2009

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Rehabilitation, Steroid Abuse on February 11th, 2010

Celebrity status and drug abuse have often been somehow linked for years, even decades, now. Here’s our  list of the most shocking drug revelations for the year 2009.

drug abuseAndre Agassi

Yes, that would be the Andre Agassi who won eight Grand Slam singles tournaments and an Olympic gold medal during his very successful career. In his autobiography “Open” which was published in November of 2009, he admitted to have used crystal meth during his tennis playing years. Crystal meth or methamphetamine increases alertness and vigor, and is known to produce euphoria in high doses.

Michael Jackson

The shocking MJ death was a result of “acute propofol intoxication in combination with the use of sedatives”. Jackson who was scheduled to have a concert tour died of propofol intoxication in his sleep. His personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who administered propofol to the King of Pop, has already been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Steven Tyler

Front-man Steven Tyler checked himself in to a drug rehab facility on December of 2009 for abusing his prescription pain medication drugs. The 61-year-old rock star of the famous Aerosmith is allegedly making plans to leave the band after his recovery.

Whitney Houston

Whitney’s appearance in the Oprah Show shocked the world with her revealing confessions of her drug abuse. She even had her own Marijuana Rock Cocaine recipe: “You put your marijuana, you lace it, you roll it up and you smoke it.”

Lindsay Lohan

Not so shocked? Well, she’s been all over the news for quite some time now that her name has almost become a staple in the world of celebrity drug scandals. The year 2009 was no exemption for our little drama queen; being in and out of rehab for years mostly for alcoholism and abuse of prescription drugs.

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Steroids: Why It’s Just Not Worth It

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Steroid Abuse on February 8th, 2010

Steroid use is a rampant threat that hovers above the head of many athletes nowadays. Known to elicit fast results, steroids have been used by athletes to enhance performance, improve body physique, and boost recovery. Sure, it does sound very enticing. Who wouldn’t want an easy way to a better you or me, right?

steroidsThe truth about what steroids use does for you is this: it speeds up your own body in a pace where you can’t keep up. Eventually your body gives in, showing side effects that aren’t really worth it. Steroids only enhance physical performance in a short-term. Shooting up will give you up to a few years of great physical performance, but it will eventually leave you with complications that are very costly, ranging from a depressed immune system to a failed liver or kidney.

Being an athlete means you always will yourself to train harder, move faster and be better at what you do. You can’t really escape the fact that most of the athletes out there try their very hardest to do more than what they can already do. Baseball players want to get more home runs, track runners want a faster finish; all of the athletes want to be better and that’s pretty normal. What’s not normal is when they use performance-enhancing drugs to improve athletic performance, at the expense of their body. They shoot up; putting their careers, credibility and honor as athletes on the line for a quick remedy – that’s definitely not normal or even wise.

Taking steroids is taking the easy way, and sometimes, the more costly way to the finish line. It is important to remember that the reason great athletes are the way they are is because of good old-fashioned hard-work and discipline, and not because of any needle or pill.

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How to Spot a Steroid Abuser

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Steroid Abuse on February 7th, 2010

Using anabolic steroids is a dangerous and misguided measure to tap into the body’s potential. If your relative or friend is an athlete, it is wise to be knowledgeable about the dangers of steroid abuse. Do not take steroid use lightly; it is extremely risky and may cause severe damages to one’s body, and in some cases, even death. Watch out for these most common signs that indicate steroid abuse.

steroid abusePhysical changes are the most obvious and easy to spot signs, especially when dealing with novice users. Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin due to the damage to one’s liver, is an indication of abusive steroid use. Due to the steroid’s effect on a person’s hormones, gynocomastia, or an uncharacteristic excessive development of breast tissue in males, is also a clear sign to watch out for.

Other obvious physical changes are acne formations, persistent bad breath, excessive hair loss, skin infections such as abscesses and cysts, rapid or progressive weight gain, abnormal muscle growth, hyperactivity and discoloration or blood in urine.

Be wary of personality and psychological changes that happen out of the blue. Mood swings and increased aggression or irritability is a common sign of steroid use. Because of the irregularity of the hormones in the body, users have been known to become disrespectful or abusive, either verbally or physically to authority or peers, causing severe spurts of anger or lashing out. More severe mental illnesses on record are hallucinations, paranoia and depression.

If ever these signs and symptoms are evident to someone you know, never hesitate to exercise your responsibility as a friend or relative to try to prevent any more harm.

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Steroid Abuse of Teen Athletes

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Addiction, Steroid Abuse on January 23rd, 2010

The pressures of being in a sports team can prove too much for some young athletes, as the main point is to become better at what they can do, whether it is baseball, basketball or football. While working hard remains to be the best way to improve in the sport, some choose to turn to steroids to further enhance performance. The enhancements caused by steroids are mainly physical, but it is not uncommon to see mental breakdowns because of these.

teen's bodySteroids are often used to increase body mass, and these often deal with hormonal augmentation. While this may be benefit you if you’re trying to win a Mr. Muscleman competition, the long-term effects of steroids far outweigh its benefits. Not only do you risk damage to your liver, heart and kidney, but it can also affect your mental and emotional states. The worst part of it is that it can also affect your sexual development as a whole.

Getting caught using steroids is another thing to risk. It’s an act that’s generally frowned upon, simply because the pride of being in a sports team revolves around the concept of hard work and determination. While steroids may enhance physical strength, they can cause a lot of grief when people start talking about you and your drug problem. It would be a more difficult task to gain their trust again.

While there are physical benefits to using steroids, they pale in comparison to the set of disadvantages that surround their use.

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Steroids in Sports: The Pressures, The Risks

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Facts, Steroid Abuse on January 11th, 2010

Sportsmen are always subjected to enormous pressure not only to be on top of their game but also to keep a good public image.  They are expected to do everything right and be the best at their sport. However, there is a limit to the pressure that a person can take, and some athletes succumb to the pressure and resort to abusing steroids to improve their performance.

steroids in sportsInternational sports organizations are very strict in maintaining the code of honor in sports.  They conduct several drug tests to ensure that athletes do not use performance enhancing drugs to boost their game. Athletes found to be abusing steroids are banned from entering any event in the future or are fined large amounts of money, and a promising sports career can be cut short.

Anabolic steroid abuse may result to liver cyst or even cancer, kidney tumors, blood clotting, hypertension, heart attack and behavioral complications like aggression, and mood swings.  Male athletes on drug abuse are found to become impotent, have difficulty or experience pain while urinating, have enlarged breasts, experience acne and baldness, to name a few.  On the other hand, women experience hair loss, enlargement of the clitoris, lowering of voice, acne, receding hair line and baldness similar to men, increased facial hair growth, and breast degeneration.  For pregnant women, anabolic drug is found to causes retardation in fetal growth or death.

With the consequences being laid out, it seems that nothing is as important as healthy lifestyle and sound mind and body.

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Drug Abuse: A Serious Social Illness

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Prescription Drug Abuse, Steroid Abuse, Tobacco Abuse on December 26th, 2009

drug abuseIn modern society, desensitization is the name of the game. As long as media continues to advertise sex, violence, and drug use, more and more people will begin to think that these are acceptable modes of behavior. While it may be an extreme view to take, it cannot be denied the problems that society faces are grave, especially when talking about drug abuse. But here lies the trouble: since the process of desensitization has accelerated and intensified over the past decade because of the progression of media technology, how can we convince people, especially teenagers, to take this social ill called drug abuse seriously?

Perhaps the first thing to do in this situation is to continuously impress the fact that drug abuse is a serious social issue. Most of the time, we do not accept the realities that are right in front of us, and choose to believe that these things do not directly concern us. Quite the contrary — drug abuse not only has serious consequences on one’s body, but it also determines a person’s behavior within society. Those who are helplessly addicted to drugs find ways to obtain more of the substance, and this often results into their involvement in a life of harassment and/or crime.

Even if we are not directly involved in drug abuse, the process of attempting to eliminate it from our social system is a task that is of ultimate significance. Its social consequences are as severe as they come, and domestic violence and street crimes are just some of these.

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