Used AAS to get off alcohol or other drugs? self-medicated TRT?

[MairUnderwood(Researcher)]

I would like to talk to people that fit into either or both of these groups:
1) people who have found AAS helped them get over problems with alcohol or other drugs
2) people who have used AAS to fix their own low testosterone i.e. people who have not gone through a doctor (for whatever reason) but instead have found their own supply of AAS and self-medicated their own TRT.

If this is you please comment or message me on here (be patient I am an old techno-retard still working out how these new-fangled forums work!) or message me through Facebook Messenger (Mair Underwood-Researcher) or email me on m.underwood@uq.edu.au.

Look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers,
Mair

Background info:
For those who don't know me I am an anthropologist who has been working with enhanced bodybuilders online for the last few years. You can hear me talk about my research on Advices Radio Advices Radio :: Advices Radio, Advices radio, episode 88 or YouTube Mair Underwood

I have been lucky enough to have the support of Mike Scally throughout my research.

Some of you on here have been kind enough to share your stories with me after Mike was kind enough to do a shout out (thank you all ).

I am currently writing up a whole bunch of papers from this research (e.g. on the practice of insulin in bodybuilding, harm reduction strategies used by enhanced bodybuilders, the boundary between risk and benefit as experienced by enhanced bodybuilders etc).

However, I have a couple of papers that I need a bit more data for, and they are both on the therapeutic uses of non-prescription AAS, which is why I am looking for the people described above.

If you choose to talk to me your confidentiality and privacy will be maintained at all times (I am bound by my university ethics agreement to conduct ethical research.

As you can see from my past research my mission e.g. is to increase understanding of, and support for, people who use enhancement drugs. (for example: The unintended consequences of emphasising blood-borne virus in research on, and services for, people who inject image and performance enhancing drugs: A commentary based on enhanced bodybuilder perspectives - ScienceDirect)

sorry for the long post but I am an academic

 

[Oldman.]

Bla bla bla. Try weed. Problem solved.
Getting off the weed is much easier. Ask me how I know.
I to am an academic and I don’t post a bible to ask an easy question. Are you drunk?

 

[weighted chinup]

Bla bla bla. Try weed. Problem solved.
Getting off the weed is much easier. Ask me how I know.
I to am an academic and I don’t post a bible to ask an easy question. Are you drunk?

This thread is about a researcher looking for participants for a study.

What in the damn hell are you talking about?

 

[Oldman.]

On a forum? Ok
Let me
Make this easy. No it won’t get you off drugs. Aas don’t dump dopamine like drugs do. Apples to oranges.

 

[The Terminator]

Bla bla bla. Try weed. Problem solved.
Getting off the weed is much easier. Ask me how I know.
I to am an academic and I don’t post a bible to ask an easy question. Are you drunk?

How exactly is weed going to help? How is it going to help get off opioids cause they sure as hell won’t make you feel better when you’re in withdrawals? Even in the post acute phase it’s still rubbish, tbh Idk of roids will help everyone but they’ll most likely help more than weed, especially in those suffering from lingering hormonal issues, although I think there are better choices than testosterone.

 

[Oldman.]

A

How exactly is weed going to help? How is it going to help get off opioids cause they sure as hell won’t make you feel better when you’re in withdrawals? Even in the post acute phase it’s still rubbish, tbh Idk of roids will help everyone but they’ll most likely help more than weed, especially in those suffering from lingering hormonal issues, although I think there are better choices than testosterone.

Are you Fucking kidding me? Omfg! I won’t even get into the stats in Co and other states with legal weed and how it’s affected there alcohol and opioid addiction issues. try google.

 

[The Terminator]

A

Are you Fucking kidding me? Omfg! I won’t even get into the stats in Co and other states with legal weed.

Yeah i don’t think you’re an academic lol. I live in a state where weed has been legal for a long time, but idk what that has to do with weed helping people get off drugs..

 

[Oldman.]

Yeah i don’t think you’re an academic lol. I live in a state where weed has been legal for a long time, but idk what that has to do with weed helping people get off drugs..

Um ok.

 

[weighted chinup]

On a forum? Ok
Let me
Make this easy. No it won’t get you off drugs. Aas don’t dump dopamine like drugs do. Apples to oranges.

I'm actually genuinely impressed at how you read the OP's thread and somehow this is the direction you took it.

Of course it becomes way less impressive when I realize you didn't actually read anything, except the title.

Either way, this is definitely a good look for the quality of potential research subjects from this board (only half srs).

 

[MairUnderwood(Researcher)]

Bla bla bla. Try weed. Problem solved.
Getting off the weed is much easier. Ask me how I know.
I to am an academic and I don’t post a bible to ask an easy question. Are you drunk?

I wanted to give people a bit of background - the actual question was quite short

 

[MairUnderwood(Researcher)]

On a forum? Ok
Let me
Make this easy. No it won’t get you off drugs. Aas don’t dump dopamine like drugs do. Apples to oranges.

It's worked for some people on here. Gave them a reason to be healthy (to make the most of their cycle), gave them confidence, enhancedd well-being etc

 

[brutus79]

On a forum? Ok
Let me
Make this easy. No it won’t get you off drugs. Aas don’t dump dopamine like drugs do. Apples to oranges.

You are a fucking embarrassment. What is it that bothers you? I have to believe you have learned how to cope with intelligent conversation being had in your vicinity... I imagine any two humans talking near you qualify as a conversation of a higher intellectual grade than you are capable of understanding or contributing to, so why the emotional response? This is life for you.

Perhaps it would take the edge off your jealousy if I convinced to op to do a study on people who turn to the gym because they have nothing else they can accomplish in life- that a heavy labor job coupled with steroids and weight training can snap a borderline down syndrome inbred like you out of that funk of knowing you are lesser than most. You can culminate your story in your now being able to run around on the interwebs and shoot off your ignorance like fireworks! It will be scintillating!

 

[Delt123]

Send me Pm

 

[JohnnyD]

A

Are you Fucking kidding me? Omfg! I won’t even get into the stats in Co and other states with legal weed and how it’s affected there alcohol and opioid addiction issues. try google.

All the marijuana has fried your brain.
Now you just sound like an annoying white kid with dreadlocks saying weed is good for you, it’s natural and makes me smarter

 

[JohnnyD]

To the OP, I know there are more than a few people on this board that can help you

 

[JP1979]

How exactly is weed going to help? How is it going to help get off opioids cause they sure as hell won’t make you feel better when you’re in withdrawals? Even in the post acute phase it’s still rubbish, tbh Idk of roids will help everyone but they’ll most likely help more than weed, especially in those suffering from lingering hormonal issues, although I think there are better choices than testosterone.

On the contrary, I know a minimum of 2 ex Heroin addicts who Dab and it has helped them get off and stay off H... they may be the only 2 but I doubt it.

 

[MairUnderwood(Researcher)]

To the OP, I know there are more than a few people on this board that can help you

I suspect you are correct about that, I just hope they contact me

 

[proken]

N=1,
I was a binge drinker AND an active user of AS for almost a decade, 2005-2015'ish. I did quarterly blood work, 3 CBC's and 1 complete, per year. My liver enzymes where within range on every test (average ALT of 30, range 0-44, AST 28, range 0-40). Not optimal but didn't feel the need to modify my behaviors. Until I had a liver scan and a heart calcification test. While my liver enzymes maintained a good look, my liver scan showed that I was borderline fatty liver disease, not close to NASH yet. Note, notice I did not say NAFLD, was definatly FLD as I would consume up to 30 units of alcohol per episode, typically once a week. Heart scan was 0, or a perfect score, zero heart damage so far. This put me into a head shake. My liver is very important, at least to me. Do I continue AS? Do I continue alcohol? Both?
Now in my mid 50's I'm glad I made the decision I did. AS won. Call it a "dopamine VS serotonin" battle. Alcohol is a great instant dopamine rush while it inhibits serotonin. Serotonin I believe is best in the long run rather than chasing the dragon so to speak.
So, yes. AS did help me to quit drinking. However, without the data of the liver scan, I imagine I would have continued drinking as long as my blood work showed I was good to go. Didn't mean to add another tangent to your equation but white papers are never easy as I'm sure you know.
Good luck in your research. I'm sure you will find more open people as time goes on.

 

[MairUnderwood(Researcher)]

N=1,
I was a binge drinker AND an active user of AS for almost a decade, 2005-2015'ish. I did quarterly blood work, 3 CBC's and 1 complete, per year. My liver enzymes where within range on every test (average ALT of 30, range 0-44, AST 28, range 0-40). Not optimal but didn't feel the need to modify my behaviors. Until I had a liver scan and a heart calcification test. While my liver enzymes maintained a good look, my liver scan showed that I was borderline fatty liver disease, not close to NASH yet. Note, notice I did not say NAFLD, was definatly FLD as I would consume up to 30 units of alcohol per episode, typically once a week. Heart scan was 0, or a perfect score, zero heart damage so far. This put me into a head shake. My liver is very important, at least to me. Do I continue AS? Do I continue alcohol? Both?
Now in my mid 50's I'm glad I made the decision I did. AS won. Call it a "dopamine VS serotonin" battle. Alcohol is a great instant dopamine rush while it inhibits serotonin. Serotonin I believe is best in the long run rather than chasing the dragon so to speak.
So, yes. AS did help me to quit drinking. However, without the data of the liver scan, I imagine I would have continued drinking as long as my blood work showed I was good to go. Didn't mean to add another tangent to your equation but white papers are never easy as I'm sure you know.
Good luck in your research. I'm sure you will find more open people as time goes on.

Thanks so much for sharing your story. It sure is a complex issue isn't it? No worries though as we social scientists love complexity! So faced with a choice you chose AAS over alcohol - can you please tell me a bit more about this decision? PM if you prefer

 

[proken]

I think first we should establish a baseline or common denominator in the equation for your question. People take AS for many different reasons creating so much noise in thier personal justification that a clear signal as a group is hard to find. In my 40+ years of lifting (starting age 13) over the years I can clearly see only two things that could be common.
Narcissism and OCD. I've observed the pesonalities of AS users tend to be binary.
In my case narcisism was the first signal. Even though the mirror showed bloat for a couple days after a binge I knew a week or so of abstinence would reflect my true physical image. A smoke screen at best but just enough justification to keep drinking.
After my liver scan my OCD seemed to perk up. Typical to my nature I pushed the whole stack to the center of the table and made the decision to quit entirely. Again, a binary, black or white, no grey decision. I've also noticed quite a few recovering drunks and junkies on variouse bodybuilding forums. Perhaps trading one OCD compulsion for another? Seems this is more prevalent than not.
Fortunately for me I could look at alcohol in a good vs bad context. AS = good, Alcohol = bad. The decision came easily, although that was kinetic. The hard part as usual was the application and practice of abstinence.