Article for discussion - increasing steroid use

[Skinnyrunt]

Thought this would make for interesting discussion. On the BBC news today they were reporting on the increasing steroid use in the UK. One health expert interviewed said that 16 years ago the average user was in their 30s, but now the average age of users he sees are 23 years old. Why do you think this is?

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-31615269

[mentalflex]

I think this has to do with the mindset of this particular generation, which sadly enough, I can be considered part of.

This generation needs instant gratification and does not have the same work ethic as generations of the past. They feel if the can go from A-Z had skip steps b,c, d... Then why not? They don't want to partake in the effort and seem to be shortsighted in the long term effects. All they see is NOW... And it is really sad.

That's my take in a nutshell

[greensoup]

100% agreed with mentalflex

also the rise of the internet making everything easily accessible

[MyTMouse]

I will probably have a lot of people who disagree here... but here goes.

I think a lot of it is a case of too much of a good thing. That good thing is the knowledge that steroids aren't evil, super deadly drugs that make you want to smack your girlfriend around, rape her sister, murder her parents and serve them to your parents for dinner, who you then kill with a lawnmower blade before committing suicide by choking yourself to death with your own cock.

Unfortunately, things have gone too far in the opposite direction. Teenagers are learning through the internet that the drugs are safe when used correctly... but they forget to look into what the "used correctly" part means. All they hear is "safe" and say "well, it's safe, can't hurt me... no harm in doing something that just may get me what I want".

Couple that with keyboard warriors that claim all this knowledge and experience (at the ripe old age of 21-ish years old) that take the attitude "I did my first cycle at 17, and so did many others. That was 4 WHOLE years ago, and I'm perfectly fine".

I made piss-poor decisions in my early 20's, that's a fact. And it's almost your job at that age to just fuck up, lol. But as safe as I believe steroid use to be for mature, fully-developed adults, this knowledge gives a false sense of security to kids in their late teens, and that's a real problem.

I should mention that I believe this is just one problem, and I agree with what mentalflex said, as well. This is just my opinion.

[Ken "Skip" Hill]

I find their numbers (findings) to be quite odd. Maybe it was different in the UK but when I was a teenager there weren't a lot of 30 year olds using steroids as far as I knew. I would say early 20 somethings - college guys - more than anyone else.

I think that steroid use has simply become so much more popular that use is up in all demographics, I would bet. If you count TRT in there, you have use from teenagers to guys in their 50s.

I can't speak to the generation of instant gratification because I started at 16 and that was almost 30 years ago so ... I was no different.

Skip

[MyTMouse]

I find their numbers (findings) to be quite odd. Maybe it was different in the UK but when I was a teenager there weren't a lot of 30 year olds using steroids as far as I knew. I would say early 20 somethings - college guys - more than anyone else.

I think that steroid use has simply become so much more popular that use is up in all demographics, I would bet. If you count TRT in there, you have use from teenagers to guys in their 50s.

I can't speak to the generation of instant gratification because I started at 16 and that was almost 30 years ago so ... I was no different.

Skip

Well, you know how it is. More often than not, you can get data to say almost anything you want it to.

[Collabera]

What's worse, steroid use in your 20's or use in your 30s and 40s? I would assume your body can handle some of the health effects with responsible use better compared to someone older. And also recover from cholesterol issues and such faster. Many will say the health effects are the same no matter the age but what I mean is the recovery aspect say after use.

Also, we all know that these things are not as bad for your health and come with all the side effects that we were led to believe way back when. They have been demonized to the fullest extent to prevent the use of AAS just like any other drug. With that said, I think the mentality that we have about the "safety" of their use needs to be looked at. I see too many people feel way too comfortable using AAS and pretending there are no health issues involved. Not everyone but a lot. At times including myself. I think it's important to be just as concerned with TRT doses as we would be with blasting at 500mg plus. Which most are not. This is just my opinion but I feel strongly about it.

[rainjack]

I'd like to know how the BBC is defining 'steroids'. There was this whole scare scam going on in the news here in the states a few years ago where it was reported that something like 7 out of 10 high school athletes had taken steroids.

Come to find out their definition of steroids included supps like protein powder and creatine.

But back to the subject - I think that the BBC is full of shit. I think there are more older guys taking steroids via TRT than ever.

No offense to anyone from the UK, but I was over there a few months ago and I couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting some hipster wearing skinny pants and his sister's sweater. If the average age of a juicer in UK is 23, I think they're doing it wrong.

[Lonnie123]

I think the major thing in people starting younger is that "the cat is out of the bag" so to speak... I'm 30 now, been training 10 years and the message back then was to simply eat like a BBer and train like one, and you'll look like one. Probably in large part to the supplement industry, No one really mentioned that you essentially HAD to use steroids to look like Arnold or Ronnie Coleman or ANYONE you have EVER seen a picture of (prior to facebook here)... Seriously.

By the time I figured it out I didnt really care to look or live like a pro any more and couldn't justify the usage.

I think its a relatively known thing now a days that simply put, anyone with any notoriety in the BBing world is on juice and has been for a long time, its the ONLY way to really look like one. Shredded is easy... BIG and shredded is nearly impossible without steroids for most people in the gym.

Couple that with what other posters said above about the truth of the dangers being way overplayed and the internet making it more easily accessible and you have increased usage pretty easily I'd say.