Anabolic steroid addiction is a growing health concern across Britain. People that start using anabolic steroids might develop a growing sense, over time, that they can’t stop using them as easily as they might have thought.
This may even be the first time they have heard that it’s possible to become addicted to steroids. Understanding what steroid addiction looks like and the harm can it cause, ensures that those who need help can find the necessary support.
What are anabolic steroids, and why do people use them?
Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of testosterone. Doctors sometimes prescribe them to treat conditions where the body doesn’t produce enough naturally, but most people using anabolic steroids in the UK aren’t doing so on prescription.
A 2019 UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) report estimates between 330,000 and close to one million men in the UK now use anabolic steroids, with the most common starting age being 20 to 24. The main reason is to build a certain body type, using steroids to enhance workout performance.
It’s important to note that women also use anabolic steroids, with lifetime prevalence estimated between 0.1% and 1.6%.
Are anabolic steroids addictive?
Anabolic steroids are addictive, just not in the way you might think of the word “addictive”. They don’t produce a high like alcohol or cocaine, but you can still develop a physical dependency.
Over time, your body can stop producing – or produce less – testosterone naturally, because the synthetic version has been doing that job.
This is called steroid-induced hypogonadism.
As with other addictive substances, you can crave them, need more to get the same effect, and experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop suddenly. And so, when you stop, your body can’t reverse it straight away. The adjustment period causes steroid withdrawal.
Psychologically, use and addiction can come down to body image. Those using steroids keep doing so because stopping means losing progress that they’ve worked hard for, and that outweighs any worry about longer-term health.
Signs of anabolic steroid addiction
The NHS notes that a person addicted to anabolic steroids will keep using despite unpleasant physical side effects and signs of addiction.
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Physical signs
- Persistent acne, particularly on the back and shoulders
- Breast tissue development in men (gynaecomastia)
- Voice deepening or facial hair growth in women
- Rapid, disproportionate muscle gain
- Sleep disruption
- Soreness or infection at injection sites
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Psychological and behavioural signs
- Out-of-character irritability or aggression (“roid rage”)
Mood swings, particularly when cycling on and off
A growing preoccupation with training, diet, and physique
Secrecy around use
Continuing to use despite knowing the cost
Finding it harder to cycle off or stay off
- Out-of-character irritability or aggression (“roid rage”)
Learn more about anabolic steroid addiction
The health risks of anabolic steroid addiction
Anabolic steroids affect almost every system in the body. Some effects are visible and well known – such as acne, changes to your physique, and mood shifts. Others develop more slowly, over months or years.
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How anabolic steroids damage the liver
Long-term anabolic steroid use can be linked to serious liver conditions. A 2018 review in Current Sports Medicine Reports describes these as including:
- Peliosis hepatis: blood-filled cysts that can rupture and cause fatal internal bleeding
- Hepatic adenoma: benign liver tumours with a risk of becoming cancerous
- Hepatocellular carcinoma: primary liver cancer
- Fibrosis and cirrhosis: scar tissue that, in chronic cases, causes permanent, irreversible damage
Many of these changes reverse when steroid use stops, but some can continue to be life-threatening long afterwards
Men using non-prescribed steroids are more likely to have liver abnormalities than men on prescribed testosterone. Yet most have no idea, because the early harm causes no pain or obvious symptoms. -
Other health risks of anabolic steroid use
Beyond the liver, anabolic steroids place strain on several systems. The NHS lists:
- Cardiovascular: heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure
- Hormonal in men: reduced sperm count, infertility, testicular shrinkage
- Hormonal in women: voice deepening, facial hair growth, and menstrual disruption, many of which are irreversible
- Mental health: aggression, mood swings, paranoia
- Injection risks: HIV, hepatitis B and C, vein damage
Women face specific risks that are often irreversible. Research suggests females may be more susceptible to toxic effects, partly because of lower natural testosterone levels. Most studies have focused on adult males, so the full picture for women and adolescents isn’t yet clear.
Why anabolic steroid addiction isn’t just about the drug
For many, steroid use can start because they’re unhappy with the person they see in the mirror. The substances and the visible effects may differ from person to person, but the underlying dynamic is often the same.
If you spend a lot of time on social media or in the gym, you’ll be familiar with the relentless pressure to look a certain way. For men, this typically presents as muscle dysmorphia. For women, those same pressures can drive equally compulsive use, sometimes alongside disordered eating.
A 2025 systematic review found that over 50% of steroid users have experience of muscle dysmorphia – an obsessive belief that they aren’t muscular enough. The review identified social media exposure and influencer comparisons as primary drivers.
For some people, steroids feel like the only way to keep up, but the goal is unrealistic for the majority of people. A review in the British Journal of Pharmacology found that the muscular body type now promoted across media “rarely exists in nature” without chemical assistance.
Anabolic steroid withdrawal symptoms
Research into steroid-induced hypogonadism shows that hormonal recovery depends on your age and how long you’ve been using:
- In the first day or two, headaches, tremors and palpitations are common
- After that can come fatigue, low sex drive and muscle pain as your body tries to produce testosterone on its own again
- Depression, cravings, body dysmorphia, and insomnia are also all documented. One study found that within three months of stopping, five out of 41 participants developed major depression.
Some people turn to other substances to manage the withdrawal. If you’re thinking about stopping, speak to your GP first, or call Castle Craig on 01721 546 263.
Seek Help Today
Treatment for anabolic steroid addiction at Castle Craig
Steroid addiction treatment at Castle Craig begins with medical detox where needed, including support for the hormonal instability that follows stopping.
The focus then moves to the psychological side, including body image, muscle dysmorphia, social pressure, and mental health issues that brought you to steroids in the first place. Our therapists work with you through individual and group therapy, in a residential rehab setting away from the pressures that kept you using steroids.
Many people with anabolic steroid addiction are also living with depression, PTSD, disordered eating, or other substance use. Our addiction and mental health programme treats these together. You can read more about our approach to addiction treatment and about rehab cost.
Get in Touch Today
If you are ready to seek support for steroids use, contact a member of the Castle Craig team today.
Frequently asked questions about anabolic steroid addiction
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Are anabolic steroids legal in the UK?
Anabolic steroids are Class C drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. It’s legal to possess them for personal use, but illegal to supply, sell, or import them without the correct licence.
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Which anabolic steroids cause increased appetite?
Some steroids, particularly oxymetholone (Anadrol), can increase appetite. The effect depends on the steroid type, dose, and individual response.
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Can you use anabolic steroids safely under medical supervision?
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is a legitimate, monitored medical treatment. Without medical oversight, there’s no way of knowing what the drugs are doing to your liver, heart, or hormones.
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How long does anabolic steroid withdrawal last?
The acute phase begins within one to two days. The longer phase, driven by hormonal suppression, can last months. Full physical recovery may take months to years depending on age and duration of use.
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Do women experience anabolic steroid addiction differently?
The psychological drivers for women to become addicted to anabolic steroids can be similar, but many physical effects differ, and some are permanent.
