The Effects Of Muscular Dysmorphia On Adolescents

As with females, body image among males is a prevailing symptom and underlying motivation for the development and continuation of the disorder.

Performance-enhancing substances have been a hot topic in professional sports for many years. Although most people have heard about them, they do not realize that they can be a major problem for adolescents. Steve Pasieb, the President and CEO of Partnership for Drug-Free Kids stated, “‘Young people are seeking out and using performance-enhancing substances like synthetic hGH- and supplements purporting to contain hGH- hoping to improve athletic performance or body appearance without really knowing what substances they are putting into their bodies (Feliz).”’ Adolescents using performance-enhancing drugs are likely to be harmed, due to the dangers that come with taking them. Taking PED’s can be a huge problem for teens. These drugs can affect

Anabolic steroid abuse has become a huge concern among high school athletes. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of athletes using performance enhancing drugs in high school, almost double the number since the 1980's. Student athletes feel that steroids give them a competitive edge that they think they need to boost themselves past competition. Athletes, whether they are young or old, professional or amateur, are always looking to gain an advantage over their opponents to come away with the biggest win, our society views winning as something more important than the game itself. Success in competition brings status, popularity and fame, not to mention college scholarships. Today's athletes are looking for an advantage over the competition that will make them winners. Unfortunately, today student athletes are getting caught up in this competition frenzy and because of this, teenage use of performance enhancing drugs is growing to be very popular. At all levels of play, from peewee wrestling to professional football. Successful athletes rely on skill, practice, and hard work to increase their speed, power, and ability. Today, high school and even middle school students are using steroids illegally. The United Institute of Health reported that 2.9% of twelve graders in high school have used anabolic steroids. These drugs may also have been called: roids, juice, gym candy, pumpers, stackers, balls or bulls, arnies, or anabolics. High School students of our

Steroids is abused by a range of athletes and students. “In a 2002 National Institute of Drug Abuse study, 2.5% of 8th graders, 2.5% of 10th graders, and 4% of 12th graders admitted to using steroids at some time.” (Steroid Abuse Moves Into the Scholastic Arena, 2008) Steroids abuse is not only found in athletes but also those who struggle with body image.

A national survey stated that American teens use drug to perform better at athlete events; They also use drugs to improve their looks. Another confidential survey that was taken, in 2013, used 3,705 high school students. The survey’s results showed that possibly 11% of the students used synthetic HGH once at the minimum amount, and the amount of students taking steroids increases from 5% to 7% perecent while doing the survey. Drugs can be dangerous that’s why school officials and parents are worried. This drug issue might cause student athletes to get drug tested.

Most high school students are using drugs to help enhance themselves for sports or any athletic school team.There has been human experimentation with human growth hormones by America’s teens more than doubled in the past year, as more young people look to drugs for help with their athletic purposes and to improve their appearances according to a new, high-scale national survey. In a secret survey of 2013 3,705 high school students, were released on Wednesday by the Crew for Drug-Free Kids, 11% reported using synthetic HGH at least once — up from about 5 percent in the four preceding annual surveys. Teens use of steroids has increased from 5% to 7% over the same period of time the the survey has found. Since drug use can cause horrible physical

Typically a girl is under pressure to lose weight and become thinner, while a boy is under pressure to gain the weight and be more buff and muscular. Another study has revealed that the behavior of muscle-enhancing is more often happening between the boys in middle and high school. The need to look that specific way causes adolescent boys to consume a high unhealthy number of powder protein, steroids, and other muscle-enhancing substances. Just like the need to look that way, the consummation of muscle-enhancers have negative effects; such as anger and rage attacks, suicidal tendencies, depression, and heart problems. In a survey, it has been revealed that about 20% of men and over 40% of women would consider having cosmetic surgery in the

In a recent study conducted by Jay Hoffman from 2005 to 2006, he surveyed 8th through 12th grade students on how teens mimic professional athletes who use steroids. The survey involved more than 3,200 students in 12 states, most of them from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico. Other states included Iowa, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Missouri, Ohio, Colorado, New York, Minnesota and California. In the overall study 1.6 percent of the students, which is roughly 50 children, mostly boys, reported using some form of anabolic steroids regularly. Of that, 57 percent of kids that reported using steroids said that they were influenced by professional athletes. Also out of the children in that study, 65 percent of current users and 6 percent of non-users said that they would take it as long as long as the results were guaranteed despite the health side effects. Also, 57 percent of the current users and 4 percent of the non-users said they would take it even though they knew it shortened your lifespan. In that study, 6 percent of the children were in the 12th grade. The study also looked at the children that were on already on supplements that help promote muscle growth and tone, and 17 percent of children reported that they would use some form of steroids to gain muscle. The study also looked at children that want to gain lean muscle that

In order to resolve this issue, ATHENA and ATLAS create “squads” with leaders to create a positive peer influence against the use of steroids (“Athletes” Promising). ATLAS and ATHENA’s belief is that things such as scare tactics, and even drug testing aren’t enough of a scare to stop young athletes from using steroids (Kaminski). In order to end the use of performance enhancing drugs in high school athletes, ATHENA and ATLAS has created peer-lead programs within high schools in 31 different states to influence other students to avoid steroids, and rely on healthier alternatives to achieve greater athletic

Performance enhancing drug abuse is a growing problem in adolescents and athletes. According to the Partnership for Drug – Free Kids, more than five percent of teens use performance enhancing drugs, or steroids increase muscle. Performance enhancing drug abuse creates addiction, the mental tension and pressure that coaches and peers bring to inferior athletes this draws teens and athletes to engage in these products, further encouraging teens to partake in the use of performance enhancing drugs, with long-term and short-term use leading to insufferable effects, like kidney failure, depression and stunted growth.

There was an official investigation that led to finding high school athletes in Veronia School District in Oregon participated in illicit drug use. The school officials were concerned that drug use would and can lead to increase of sports-related injuries. The school districts adopted the Student Athlete Drug Policy which authorizes random urinalysis drug testing of its students athletes. A student, James Acton, was denied participation in his school's football program when his parents and him refused to consent to the drug testing. The drug testing was completely private. The results were viewed only by limited authorities. Furthermore, the governmental concern over the safety of minors under their supervision overrides the minimal, if any,

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is currently the most commonly used type of psychotherapy (Peterson & Mitchell 1999). It is based on the cognitive view of bulimia nervosa, which weighs attitudes towards shape and weight as most significant for maintenance of the disorder. Therapy actually includes a combination of behavioral and cognitive directives aimed at changing patterns of behavior, attitudes of shape and weight, and cognitive distortions such as low self esteem (Fairburn et al. 1993).

Bigorexia as know as muscle dysmorphia and both have definitions. Bigorexia is defined as “a mental disorder characterized by a normal person´s obsession with an imagined defect in physical appearance; also called muscle dysmorphia” and muscle dysmorphia is defined as “a mental disorder primarily affecting males, characterized by obsessions about a perceived lack of muscularity, leading to compulsive exercising, use of anabolic steroids, etc.” in dictionary.com.

Anabolic steroid is widely being used by young teens throughout middle school and high school. Studies reveal that children in fifth, sixth, and seventh grade, aging from 9-13 are using anabolic steroids.(isteroids) Think of a number that would represent the percentage of middle school students that have taken an anabolic steroid at least once. “According to steroid stats of various studies, 5.4% of all middle school students are reported using steroids. This includes 2.6% male students, and 2.8% female students.”(isteroids) “Steroid use is growing among 12-17 year old males, and the average adolescent begins

Athletes use steroids in hope that they will help enhance their performance while growing muscle to look more appealing.Steroids are looked to by athletes who are willing to risk their health to simply cheat a workout while still gaining muscle. (Walker 17) With high school and collegiate sports, athletes must push their mind and body to the limit to achieve their goals which are set by coaches, parents and even peers. Though teens have some insight that steroids are dangerous, they only know the surface information about the risk of steroids. In today’s health classes, schools focus on sex education, STD, pregnancy and nothing about steroids. We must educate students more about these harmful drugs and show them what they can do to one's body and life. Once teens see how dangerous these drugs are, a decrease in user will surely occur because students will be scared to get involved with these