I would say Alcohol

Steroid usage is not addictive - but the drive to succeed at any cost is.

All the "mind altering affects" [sic] attributed to chronic steroid use are mostly indistinguishable with the monomania that often goes with competition at sports' highest levels.

The bottom line is that the main source of drug use and abuse problems revolve around "performance enhancing" usage.

...the biggest lure of abuse of drugs has to do with gaining an edge over others.

An internal, psychological drive is not the sort of thing that can be, or become, addictive, though it could be argued that it is a sort of addiction. Are you perhaps trying to say that steroids are not physically addictive but can be psychologically addictive?

I would state that drug abuse is connected with all sorts of mania related to competition. You bond with colleagues and clients - using drugs. You use drugs as a safety valve for stressful jobs. Those jobs are stressful because most people regard them as win-lose. When only the top producers get the big rewards in any field, there is high incidences of drug addiction and abuse. The higher the income the more drug dependency. Addiction is just the body's reaction to constant use - as is allergy.



And yet, I think it's safe to say that most steroids are consumed by folks who are not at "sports' highest levels." How do you account for this? And what's your basis for the claim of "monomania?"

Mostly personal experience with other amateur athletes. I had to make the decision: was I ready for the next level? I clearly did not want to focus my entire being on success and become a variation of the workaholic drug laden abusive parent that I had when growing up.




Really? So all of those heroin addicts are just trying to gain an edge over their co-workers?

Heroin addicts initially try the drug to "fit in". Bonding with drugs is as old as the hills. Pretending that some forms of drug usage are OK and acceptable and others are not is ludicrous and deceptive. Before heroin was banned its primary use was for relief of severe pain. Most people had no problems rejoining once the injury that caused that pain was healed. Some people found that the pain was more than just physical and kept on self-medicating. Others found that the injury did not heal.



I don't think "abuse" is alluring to (almost) anyone. And I really don't think that the primary allure of drug use is one's desire to gain an edge over others. I think the primary allure of drugs is the user's desire to positively alter her consciousness (e.g., to feel euphoric, to feel less pain, to have visions, etc.)

And you don't believe that feeling euphoric - rather than depressed is NOT an improvement? It's only when you become obsessed with maintaining this euphoria that it becomes a problem.

As for steroids in particular, while there certainly are competitive athletes who use non-prescription steroids to excel in their sport, I would speculate that most users of non-prescription steroids do so out of feelings of poor self-esteem.

I would state that drug abuse is connected with all sorts of mania related to competition.

You bond with colleagues and clients - using drugs.

You use drugs as a safety valve for stressful jobs.

Those jobs are stressful because most people regard them as win-lose.

When only the top producers get the big rewards in any field, there is high incidences of drug addiction and abuse.

The higher the income the more drug dependency.

Addiction is just the body's reaction to constant use - as is allergy.

Mostly [my] personal experience with other amateur athletes. I had to make the decision: was I ready for the next level? I clearly did not want to focus my entire being on success and become a variation of the workaholic drug laden abusive parent that I had when growing up.

Heroin addicts initially try the drug to "fit in".

Pretending that some forms of drug usage are OK and acceptable and others are not is ludicrous and deceptive.

Before heroin was banned its primary use was for relief of severe pain. Most people had no problems rejoining once the injury that caused that pain was healed.

Some people found that the pain was more than just physical and kept on self-medicating. Others found that the injury did not heal.

And you don't believe that feeling euphoric - rather than depressed is NOT an improvement?

So you don't believe that the differential in pay for a second tier athlete [who performs at a 98 or above % of an elite athlete] who earns less than 5% of an elite athlete has nothing to do with steroid abuse?

On a business level you don't believe that "smoozing with booze" with the boss and joining his/her inner circle and getting preferential access with your ideas has no appeal to someone with a family to support?

When you bond with drugs to achieve social status and access to more resources for yourself and your family the temptation is insane.

Yes, it has a false allure but perception usually trumps reality.

The bottom line is that the main source of drug use and abuse problems revolve around "performance enhancing" usage. Whether it is for social bonding with drugs to enhance career, usage to enable workaholic lifestyles, or just being able to vent frustrations without accountability while telling the world "it didn't count because I was drug-impaired", the biggest lure of abuse of drugs has to do with gaining an edge over others.

I think there are a few drugs that can sharpen your senses but with terrible side effects.