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... of energy, reduced levels of drive and ambition, apathy, depression, agitation, and withdrawal from previous interests. It's believed that this syndrome can be reversed by abstinence. Marijuana affects most people socially too... Some take place internally and some are irreversible.
Males who take large doses of anabolic steroids typically experience changes in sexual characteristics. Some possible side effects are shrinking of testicles, reduced sperm count, impotence, balding, difficulty in urinating, development of breasts, and enlarged prostate. Females may experience masculinization as well as other problems. They experience growth of facial hair, changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris, deepened voice, and breast reduction. Although there are many different effects on the male and female, both may suffer from acne, jaundice, trembling, swelling of feet or ankles, and bad breath. There are also psychological effects caused by steroids.
A few examples of professional athletes that use steroids are Brian Bosworth, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and John Kordic. American Danny Harris ranked number one in the hurdles in 1991, failed a drug test, and could be suspended for four years. The best known case of steroid use is Lyle Alzado. Lyle, the former defensive end, had an inoperable brain tumor that left his once-massive body ravaged. The main weapon that organized sport associations possess to protect the health of those who participated in sports, as well as to ensure that competitions are fair and natural, is drug testing. Rules and methods of testing vary from organization to organization, but the means for discovering whether an athlete has used a prohibited substance are more discerning than ever.
Testing is routine in international and Olympic competitions. Many of the amateur and professional teams try to detect the use of banned substances use the same tests, some which cost up to $ 200 each. Each athlete is asked to give a urine sample in the presence of a testing official. This separates the urine into different components. After the gas has dissipated, technicians decipher the coloration's left on the column to determine if any banned substances are present (Meer 93). A more accurate but somewhat more time consuming test than the gas chromatograph alone is the use of a mass spectrometer.
In this instrument, some of the original urine sample is vaporized by a gas chromatograph and then ionized (converted to electrically active forms). By passing the gas through an electric current and a magnetic field, the different ions can be separated from each other by weight. Every substance has a unique " signature" in the mass spectrometer because it has a characteristic combination of an "invasive" technique (a tester must get a blood sample directly from an athlete's vein) and is usually used only if athletes are suspected of tampering with the urine sample or of substituting someone else's urine for their own. A fourth technique for drug testing also shows great promise. The EMIT (enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique) test may eventually prove more accurate than either the gas chromatograph or the mass spectrometer.
The substance that is being tested for (THC or cocaine) is injected into an animal in order to provoke its immune system into producing antibodies. An antibody is a substance produced by animals (including humans) that attacks a specific substance invading the body. These antibodies are collected, purified, and placed into a substance that allows them to remain active outside the animal's body. This constitutes the testing substance, which is then combined with a sample of the urine from an athlete to be tested. If the urine contains a banned drug, an immediate and visible reaction occurs. Because the body responds with a unique antibody 1 for each threatening substance, it is possible to test with great accuracy for the presence of a specific substance.
EMIT is emerging, for example, as the most sensitive test for the Some drugs stay in the body longer than others. Recognizable by-products of the active ingredient in marijuana can remain in the urine for up to 10 days after smoking, for example, while long-term users of marijuana may show traces of THC substances into which it is broken down up to 30 days after the last use. Cocaine, on the other hand, is usually completely eliminated from the body three days after being used (Meer 95). In 1982 the NFL Players' Association and team owner adopted a procedure calling for all players to undergo a mandatory drug test before the season starts, as part of the normal preseason physical. If a NFL player tests positive for a banned substance or if the team doctor has reasonable cause to believe any player is using drugs, tests may be ordered during the season. If a player is found to using a banned substance, he is required to undergo drug counseling.
Since then, the testing procedure has changed in some ways. Now, each player must take at least three urine tests per season- one at the beginning of the season and two other at unscheduled times. In 1986, on opening day of baseball season it was announced that players would take four drug tests each year for cocaine, marijuana, and the narcotics heroin and morphine. Some athletes feel that drug testing is violating their Civil Rights. Although, testing does intrude on a person's right to privacy, guaranteed to all Americans, if an athlete wants to participate they have to be tested (Meer 104).
The best treatment for drug abuse is prevention. The process for treating an addict is usually divided into two stages. The first is "detox. " During this period of a few days (that can sometimes stretch to a few weeks), drug users stop taking the drug or drugs which they have become accustomed and are helped through any overdose complication or withdrawal symptoms they may suffer. The second phase of treatment usually involves psychotherapy. Some therapy takes place in a psychiatrist's office. The therapists help users understand the nature of their problem and how it has come to run their lives.
Therapists are responsible for helping addicts plan their own recovery strategy, to set up specific goals and expectations for themselves. This sometimes means dealing with other problems-such as abnormal sexuality, poor care for oneself, lack of assertiveness, uncontrolled impulses, and impotence-that sometimes accompany drug addiction. In 1984 Cork and Hazelden jointly established a $ 6. 9 million state-of-the-art facility in Center City, Minnesota, for the treatment and education of drug abusers. There athletes can learn to cope with life without relying on alcohol and In 1981 Operation Cork created a drug-treatment program for the San Diego Padres.
Since then Cork has established similar programs for a variety of companies, institutions, and organizations. They established a program called "Employee Assistance Program, " or EAP. Any player with a drug problem may, without penalty or cost, refer himself to professional treatment and counseling, put in place by the team. In August 1986 the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reported on 480 companies in six states that have EAPs covering more than three million employees...
Drug abuse costs the businesses of the United States at least $ 85 million every year in lost productivity. Thus, there is a drug problem among professional athletes today. Although, it has existed for many years due to a variety of circumstances efforts are being made to eradicate its use by making people aware of the harmful effects that drugs can have. Many athletes for the price of not saying "no, " is the highest price of all. Bibliography:
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