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Psychological and Physical Impact of Anabolic‐Androgenic Steroid Dependence
Author(s) -
Ip Eric J.,
Lu Debbie H.,
Barnett Mitchell J.,
Tenerowicz Michael J.,
Vo Justin C.,
Perry Paul J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1002/j.1875-9114.2012.01123
Subject(s) - demographics , steroid use , anxiety , anabolic steroid , medicine , psychiatry , psychology , clinical psychology , anabolism , demography , sociology
Study Objective To contrast the characteristics of two groups of anabolic‐androgenic steroid ( AAS ) users—those with versus those without AAS dependence. Design Subanalysis of data from the A nabolic 500, a cross‐sectional survey. Participants One hundred twelve male AAS ‐dependent users and 367 AAS ‐nondependent users who completed an online survey between F ebruary 19 and J une 30, 2009. Measurements and Main Results Respondents were recruited from the Internet discussion boards of 38 fitness, bodybuilding, weightlifting, and steroid W eb sites. The respondents provided online informed consent and completed the A nabolic 500, a 99‐item Web‐based survey. Self‐reported data included demographics, exercise patterns, use of AAS and other performance‐enhancing agents, adverse effects of AAS use, behavior consistent with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM ‐ IV ‐ TR ) criteria for AAS dependence, history of illicit drug and alcohol use, history of sexual or physical abuse, and psychiatric conditions diagnosed according to the DSM‐IV‐TR. Behavior consistent with AAS dependence was identified in 23.4% of the survey participants. These AAS ‐dependent users were more excessive in their AAS use (e.g., higher doses, higher quantity of agents, longer duration of use), more likely to report a history of illicit heroin use in the last 12 months (5.4% vs 1.9%, p=0.049), and more likely to report a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder (16.1 vs 8.4%, p=0.020) or major depressive disorder (15.2% vs 7.4%, p=0.012) than AAS ‐nondependent users. Conclusion Data from the Anabolic 500 survey showed that almost one quarter of AAS users were dependent on these drugs. These AAS ‐dependent users had a higher rate of heroin use as well as anxiety and major depressive disorders compared with AAS ‐nondependent users. These findings can help clinicians and researchers better understand and address the potential illicit drug use and psychiatric comorbidities that may be present among AAS ‐dependent users.