TRUTH ABOUT STEROIDS PART 2

[thebrick]

It has been a damn good thread. I love reading how people try to rationalize all this.

 

[Johnny Smiles]

Alfresco,
i am always interested in your thoughts.
any 2 cents to share?
and "why am i yelling is totally applicable here lol.
-JS

 

[lakers10]

That's the point OuchTHATHURTS. You don't know me. Read back on your the reply you made to mine,and you will see why I'm coming off this. So I'll just leave it at that. No need to keep up the argument.

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Hi

I wanted to reply to OUCHTHATHURTS responce to my reply. I was just simple saying that it does make peole react to them the way rec drugs do. Me and my partners are all between 35-45, grown ass men who react act that way. SO as far as me trying to be part of intelligent conversion thats just a smart ass remark buy someone who is sitting behind a computer screen. I am very accomplished in life, so don't be so quick to try and put someone down brotha if you don't know shit about them. 5 bd.room 2 story home on a acre 3 grandbabys, 8 pitbulls. So don't bash people homeboy for there remarks. I did not join this to have people talking that type of shit behind a computer screen. Hommie!!!

He was not directing his comments at you at all........reread it and you will see.

 

[BigJB]

That's the point OuchTHATHURTS. You don't know me. Read back on your the reply you made to mine,and you will see why I'm coming off this. So I'll just leave it at that. No need to keep up the argument.

What's with these type of posts? Of course he doesn't know YOU specifically, but, he does know ur habit, hobby, and obcession from the simple fact that you visit this site. This site is too specific for you just to happen by, you had to search for "muscle forums" or something like that to find this.. Ergo, you obviously like to lift weight, or at least have some interest in bodybuilding.

 

[dragonfire101]

Its not too late...

**broken link removed**

 

[Johnny Smiles]

The short answer; yes, of course they are addictive.

My opinion . . . for people who are not "professional" bodybuilders,
bodybuilding and AAS are purely recreational activities.

And outside the professional arena, for the recreational user, they
are neither necessary nor required, are for purely psychological
reasons.

Now . . . like all addictions, it’s a matter of degree and how it
effects your life, your relationships, health, etc., and your ability
to cease such behavior.

:yeahthat: great post! i agree 100% sums it up nicely.
-JS

 

[myosin]

NICE....

"Addiction is a primary, chronic, neurobiological disease, with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include one or more of the following: impaired control over drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving.

Physical dependence is a state of adaptation that is manifested by a drug-class specific withdrawal syndrome that can be produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug, and/or administration of an antagonist."

Without getting into a lengthy and meaningless debate discussing the semantics of the term "addiction" as opposed to "dependence", we can start in directly and conclude that steroids are in fact addictive AND cause dependence. So in my opinion, Phil is correct. Marijuana can be addictive/cause dependency - then again, so can chocolate, work, sex, heroin, gambling, etc.

There can be little arguing the fact even if we had only this board as example. While steroids are not associated with immediate satisfaction or gratification, the subsequent effects most certainly are. Very often steroid users subject themselves, ignoring health considerations, to higher and higher doses to achieve the same or increased effects. Do not presume to say to yourself, "I avoid the harmful side-effects by doing x, y, or z." This is similar to someone with an eating compulsion feeling their binge is okay as long as they purge their stomach afterward. Sometimes the addictive and dependent effects are not even immediate.

I could give a hundred examples but I'll just give one to prove a point. Let's say you are person who maybe does not like his/her appearance. Maybe you suffer also from low self-esteem. Maybe you're just tired of getting pushed around or passed over. Whatever the reason, you decide to train and take steroids. Your appearance improves perhaps along with your confidence. You approach girls you formerly would have thought out of your league. You go for promotions that normally would have felt out of your reach. This 'new you' is more successful than the old you and your desire to maintain the 'new you' is very acute. So much so that you may have panic attacks or anxiety at the very thought of going back to your impression of your perceptively disabled former self (weak, cowardly, unattractive). This is now serious business to you. You take multiple chemicals per day, you lift often, you are living a lifestyle obsession. All this is chemical induced - whether it be the steroids themselves increasing your sense of well-being or maybe just the normal human 'rush' of grabbing a higher position at work or having an attractive woman at your side. You have made zero personal growth mind you. This is all a costume. Or maybe you get to play a more powerful role in your own life's play/drama.

Now, you try to get away from the steroids. You get the flu, you lose weight. You lose strength. Your confidence and esteem erode away as the chemicals erode away. You begin to feel those old feelings again. Unfortunately, now it's not as simple. Your girlfriend who loved your muscle and confidence is now wondering what happened to you. People at work maybe think you are ill, on drugs, or whatever and now comes the crash. You chase your girl away because of your insecurities that have now returned in full force. You hate your job or maybe people begin to start to treat you like before. Maybe you feel like your whole life is a lie or that it's too "big" for you. The sad part is, with the right amount of confidence, you could continue going along your way but you never had much to start with and what you gained came from a syringe or pill.

So, are you going to become addicted to steroids the way you would become addicted or dependent on pain killers or cocaine? No. But you are addicted to the lifestyle and rewards those drugs brought you for sure. Of course! Who wouldn't? Very few. You become so addicted/dependent on the juice that you just accept the fact that you are a "lifer" and that you are going to "blast and cruise" your way through life. Meanwhile, your hair has fallen out and started growing on your back, acne, liver, kidney, high blood pressure, insulin sensitivity problems, prostate trouble.... well, you know the rest.

The fact that you would continue to damage your body in this fashion for the rewards associated with a strong physique and good appearance implies addiction. It's reckless behavior. You become a steroid "junkie" for lack of a better word.

I understand that this does not apply to all people but as I said was meant as an example - one of many. And the temptation today is greater than ever. I recently read a "Top Five Ways To Increase Your Salary" and every, EVERY, single one involved physical appearance. Number 4 was start drinking! Based on the networking you might do at happy hour or your local watering hole. The rest were Go Blonde, Grow a Mustache, etc. Here, see for yourself:

Make More Money: 7 Ways to Boost Your Pay (Slide 1 of 7) - CBS MoneyWatch.com

It's pathetic. None of these were "develop a new skill" or "increase your education". I suggest we all, myself included, take a few days to really evaluate what you're doing. I think this is something that should be done often. Get back in touch with yourself and forget the cars, money, fame, fortunes for a moment. None of these are worth anything if you lose your very self in the process. But you have to live with you. You have to decide what you want in life. Is it a life of sincerity, reality, and sanity... or is it a life of falsehood, image, flash, bash, and run away with the cash?

Nice OTH... really. To other poster's... I am not saying you "have to" agree with OTH (or anyone else for that matter)... but PLEASE, I hope people will learn to read an ENTIRE post THOROUGHLY as well as WITHOUT an agenda so it can be read more "neutral" AND THEN reply (who know's, MAYBE even with you changing your mind/opinion on something <that's not weakness... that's actually rather mature>).

A common theme I see with poster's is that they read things only from their perspective/interest and reply with comments that had nothing to do with the replied to post hahahaha

OTH- I think you took much of this thread (and a few extra thoughts) and really "brought it together" nicely.