Is your Doctor Treating Acne when He Should Be Treating Steroid Abuse?

Anabolic steroids may be all the rage-literally. Uncontrollable anger and rage are just two of the side effects of the use and abuse of anabolic steroid use.

Steroids act in a similar way to testosterone and these days are also used to treat those who have problems gaining and retaining weight and muscle mass such as people with AIDS or other muscle disorders.

Sadly, these drugs are also popular amongst some professional athletes, Hollywood stars and other celebrities and since teens are intelligent but impressionable if they see a popular figure taking them and looking good they may be tempted to try them.

The unfortunate thing about steroids is that they have many positive effects, at least initially. They increase muscle mass and strength, endurance and stamina. These effects may be very addictive to the teen with low self-esteem.

With prolonged use, however, steroids cause many serious physical side effects as well as mental changes like suicidal behavior, severe depression, and rage-commonly known as “roid rage”.

Many of the effects are irreversible and this is why it’s so important that you talk to your teen about the dangers of steroid use. But which teens are at risk? Any teen that participates in sports like weight training and any sport where muscle mass, strength, speed and stamina are important at a school, club or professional level may be vulnerable. Teens that have poor self-image are particularly vulnerable as are those who are unrealistically competitive.

In young people suicide is already a significant risk-it’s the third leading cause of death among people aged 15-24. Steroid use will aggravate already existing mental disorders like depression and bipolar disorder as well as teenage acne-which already a significant risk factor for suicide during adolescence.

“It can be difficult to detect when adolescents or young athletes are using steroids, so parents and coaches need to know what to look for,” says Professor Brower, associate professor of psychiatry at University of Michigan Health System.

“One of the reasons it can be difficult is because some of the things that you see, such as mood swings, teenage acne and weight gain, are things that you would expect to see in adolescents.”

This makes it doubly important that parents of teens with acne, depression, bipolar disorder and suicidal behavior are very vigilant and ensure that their doctors are not treating acne or mental health problems when the real problem is steroid addiction and abuse.

While treatment for adult acne might be straightforward, with teens we always need to suspect other causes and eliminate these. The best treatment for adult acne will not help teens using steroids.

Parents should make sure to monitor their teens dietary habits, noting any severe or rigid dietary regimes coupled with intense training. An athlete may become obsessive about workout and food regimes.

If they are prevented or inhibited in these aims they may get increasingly irritable and angry. They may stop eating or sleeping or talk about suicide. Their peer group may include drug abusers.

The physical signs of steroid abuse are also very important. Some physical signs of steroid abuse include male pattern baldness, increased facial hair and deeper voice in girls, severe facial and back acne and oily skin.

There may also be injection sites on the body, particularly on the thighs, buttocks and shoulder. In boys the testicles may start to shrink and female organs may start to appear more masculine than feminine.

Often a teen may not tie these physical or mental health problems to his/her steroid use. They may for example seek facial and back acne treatment for severe acne or treatment for facial hair, and fail to seek treatment for their steroid abuse problem.

In fact, they probably don’t think they even have a problem! As we mentioned previously the drugs improve their performance and this might override their health concerns and/or perspective.

Professor Bower notes: “We like our sports heroes because they’re celebrities, they’re famous, they look well, they perform well,” Brower says. “And when that becomes associated with anabolic steroids, it adds to the positive image of steroids”.

The media has been vociferous about how common steroid use is amongst famous baseball players and this does not help a teen who may idolize the player and want to be just like him.

It may be hard for a teen to tie the image of a wealthy, healthy and famous player to serious effects of drugs. Sadly this is even further complicated by the fact that steroids are easy for teens to obtain!

If you think your teen may be using steroids or considering using them here are some facts you might want to share with him/her and his peer group:

Anabolic steroids can be addictive and may cause depression and rage. Physical effects might include: muscle and tendon tears, face and back acne, liver toxicity and damage, mood problems and anger/rage, shrinking testicles, impotence, decreased sperm count, larger breasts in men, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, male-pattern baldness in both sexes, jaundice and facial hair growth in women.

If you suspect your teen might be using steroids start by talking to him or her. Opening up a dialogue is vitally important and keeping it open might mean the difference between helping your teen and aggravating the problem. Let your teen know that you’re not judging him but want to help.

Point out the serious health risks, both physical and mental and provide some reading material or informative website addresses where more information can be obtained in private.

If your teen confesses to steroid use, then remind him that there is help for the problem. It is important to consult a medical professional in order to ascertain exactly what permanent physical damage if any has already occurred and which effects are likely to reverse after the drug is withdrawn.

Remember that teens need positive role models and should surround themselves with athletes that are competing at realistic levels. Providing support, love and information will help them heal.

It’s often hard for a teen to feel good about themselves.  Media has portrayed some teens as thin, muscular, handsome and beautiful through movies and magazines. Teens look up to these actors, actresses and models and strive to become more like them, but they don’t realize what happens behind the scenes to make those famous people the way they are.

They don’t wake up one day to a perfectly unflawed face and a body with no fat on it.  No one has the ability to do that. Hard work has to be taken to get the results these famous people do. Trainers, surgery and altered pictures all have a hand in giving a teen idol the “look” that others scramble to achieve.

Those who look up to these idols will face certain letdown when they don’t achieve the same results. Those feelings fester and eat away at your teen’s self -esteem and confidence. If those negative feelings continue to have a stronghold with your teen, you may be faced with issues you never want to have face; like suicide.

As a parent, you will want to help your child to have a positive body image of themselves. It’s also important for your teen to keep their self pride up as well. They need to know that they may not be like those models and actors, but they have qualities about themselves that are just as special.

The teen years are an important time in your child’s life. This is where they will build and tune the self images they have. Here are some tips to help you support your teen in building a positive image of themselves:

Watch what you say- An offhand comment on your part that pertains to their weight, abilities or intelligence may seem inconsequential to you, but it could have more of an impact on your teen than you realize. It’s important to handle the situation at hand, but make sure your comments don’t have a direct effect on the child. They may be overweight, so you will want to focus on helping them eat better and exercise, not on pounding the point of them being overweight into their minds.

Watch what you do- Your behaviors should be a model for your teen. Most children look up to their parents, because their unaware of how to handle what life throws at them. If you’re hard on yourself, your teen will likely be the same. If you turn to food during stressful times, your ten probably will also. Practice positive behaviors on yourself and let your teen follow suit.

Don’t think your teen is immune- Some parents think that since their teen is a boy, they don’t have to worry about their child’s self image. Society has brought a girls’ poor self image out into the limelight, but in reality, boys suffer too. Gender makes no difference when it comes to a child’s confidence.

Encourage their abilities- The best thing you can do to improve how your child feels about themselves is to compliment their good attributes. If they’re good at sports or singing then encourage them to do things that show those talents off. It helps them to feel good and gives them some self-worth. When they can see that there’s something they can do well, they will have more confidence to try out new things.

Helping your teen to build and keep a positive self-image will not be an easy task, since they will still have peers and others within their community to deal with. The best thing you can do for them is focus on supporting them the best way you can and encourage them to talk to you anytime they’re feeling down and out. Your teen’s best defense against a poor self- esteem can be found right in their own home- with you.

Today’s teenagers are often thought to be selfish, uncaring, and disrespectful people who don’t have any redeeming qualities.  That image of teenagers is wrong in most cases.  Talk with your teen about sensitive issues and you’ll see how they really do depend upon you, as parents, for guidance.  It’s never too early to begin opening the doors of communication about sensitive topics, but unfortunately it can be too late.

You may be surprised to find that your teen actually wants you to establish boundaries.  They may rebel against them a little bit, but they’re really just testing you to see how serious you are about the boundaries you’ve set.

They need to know where you stand on issues such as sex, drugs, alcohol, dating, and others.  However, they also need to know that you care about their feelings and opinions; you need to discuss issues, not just give them a list of rules they must obey.  They need some freedom to explore and grow.  You want to make sure they know that they can come to you to discuss anything and everything and that won’t happen if you’re just a dictator.

* Let them know what you expect from them at home and in public.
* Respect them as individuals and they will be more respectful of you.
* Be supportive when they do come to you with problems or concerns.
 
Expect that your teen will have questions about drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence.  Don’t make your teen feel like their concerns are trivial or don’t avoid these topics.  You need to be open and honest with them, sharing your concerns and your experience with the topics at hand.  Do some role playing with your spouse asking questions your teen might.  Then come up with answers that will address their fears or concerns.

Quite often teens will ask questions at the most inopportune time, much like a toddler will.  Try not to be caught off guard too much.  Be straightforward with them rather than pushing the question to the side.  Address it when it comes up rather than having to contradict the information they get from their friends who are willing to talk with them about it.

Let your child know that you may not be entirely comfortable discussing a topic, but that your relationship is more important than a little bit of discomfort.  They may be uncomfortable bringing the subject up as well.  You don’t have to spell out to your teen every detail of your own teenage years, but using examples and lessons you learned may help them see that you’re not totally out of step with them.

Teenagers don’t know everything they need to know as they grow into adulthood.  Your responsibility as a parent doesn’t stop when your child becomes a teen, in fact you’ve just graduated to a new level of relationship.  Take every opportunity to talk with your teen about sensitive issues now while they’re still at home, and before it’s too late to have an influence on them.

Statistics on teenagers suffering from depression and other mental ailments are alarming. Various studies suggest that 1 in 4 teens suffer from some sort of mental illness. Teenage mental illness, to include depression, can have dire consequences. Teenage suicide is on the rise. It is the third leading cause of death in the age bracket of 15 to 24 years. Dealing with depression in teens is an important step in reducing these numbers in our society.

Many things can lead to depression. A teenager is just learning how to handle the pressures and emotions of an adult. Only 30% of teens suffering seek help. The others just suffer through and do their best to get through. Adults have difficulty dealing with many things, asking a teenager to deal with it on their own, is not be the best option.

Learning the signs of depression for our youth can be difficult. Depressed teenagers are often just seen as being a teen. Signs of irritability, fatigue, withdrawal and changes of eating and sleeping habits, are seen as normal signs of growing up and hormone surges. They are also signs of depression. Learning the difference in your teen’s behavior may be key in getting them the help that they need.

Learning to talk to your teen may be your best investment in their mental health. Parents and adults in a teen’s life struggle with this aspect. They often want to see the teen as still a child where the teen wants to be seen as an adult. Learning to bridge this gap and communicate efficiently may be a daunting task, but can be managed.

An adult should learn to offer support when conversing with a teenager. Let them know you are there for them. Ensure them that you are available to them at any time. Show them that you can listen without being judgmental. Don’t try to talk them out of the way that they feel. Show them that you can understand and give them the help that they need to deal with how they are feeling.

Trust your own instincts. If you have a teenager that is showing signs of depression get them help. Trusting your own feelings and emotions may be what sets the teen on the road to better mental health. They may resist getting help at first. Be firm. Let them know you are there for them and willing to work with them, but insist that they find someone they can work with to help them through this difficult time in their life.

Often a teen will find it easier to speak with someone other than a parent. Consider a peer mentor for your teen. These are teens that are trained to work with others. They become a positive influence. Teen mentors can become a confidant and will be there for the teen that may be in trouble otherwise.

Teenage depression is a serious problem, but can be treated. Learn to recognize the symptoms and get help as soon as possible. Turn the teen in your life into a success story instead of a statistic.

Aurelia Williams is a certified life coach and author of Real Life Guidance to Understanding Your Teen. Learn how to make sense of what’s going on with your teen and be able to offer them the help they need.

To many parents, their teen is a closed book, with a padlock, and poison spikes, and maybe a big dog in front of it.  At times it seems impossible to get them to open up and talk about their lives.  But talking to your teen and knowing about their lives is one of the best ways to protect them from danger.  Spying and snooping around isn’t the best way to get that information either, it will only upset matters if your teen finds out. 

Here are a few tips to help your teen open up:

Start young.  Keeping a relationship going with your child is easier than starting one when you haven’t had one before.  You may find them trying to pull away once they hit a certain age; just keep at it.

Find common ground.  Search for things that you and your teen are both interested in.  It’s easier to talk about something that you both have in common.  That way, you can ask your child about a band’s new album rather than the same old “how was school?”

Be open to what they say.  When you get your teen talking, don’t be surprised if they say some things you don’t like.  Just be open to what they’re telling you instead of being judgmental.  You can tell them you don’t approve of something without attacking them.  If they feel comfortable talking about serious things, they’ll be more likely to come to you if they have a problem.   

Spend more together.  A recent study showed that many teens rate not having enough time with their parents as one of their top concerns.  Many teens feel they can’t talk to their parents because they’re always at work or busy doing something else.  We often forget to take time out from our hectic lives to pay enough attention to our kids.  Some suggestions for spending extra time with your teen are:

* Set up a specific time every week to spend time with your teen
* Have dinner at the table with the whole family as often as possible
* Work out or engage in a sport with your kids
* Drive your teen to school instead of sending them on the bus

While your teen may be reluctant to talk to you at first, keep trying.  Likely, you’ll eventually break them down and they’ll look forward to talking with you and spending time together.