Youth Advice - Men

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Youth Advice - Men

"I hope [boys today] have a better understanding of what is actually a weakness in men, which is not lack of muscle, height, intelligence, penis size or confidence. But instead it is arrogance, pride and selfishness." (Luis Gonzalez Anguiar cited at The Guardian, posted and accessed 13 November 2020)

Steroids

Anabolic Steroids are drugs that allow your body to exercise for far longer and far harder and repair itself far quicker. If you put in the physical work, your body can look jacked and huge and it can be very physically strong.
Even without any physical effort the body still makes massive gains in muscle mass.
But there are serious physical side-effects, like infertility, aggression, risk of heart attacks and strokes. Watch this. Also see here, here, here, here.
If you feel the need to get an (illegal) edge in sports, maybe you need to ask why you need to do so. Can you find self-worth in other ways?
A fascinating documentary about this is Bigger, Stronger, Faster* [I watched it on Netflix; also on YouTube] which explores the early use of steroids. One clear takeaway from it is that many masculine idols - like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hulk Hogan and Sylvester Stallone - got there through steroids. These sorts of guys were the face/body for many nutritional supplement marketing campaigns, where it was claimed that the supplement was key. But it was all an illusion. Steroids were the foundation.

“Don’t go there [steroids]... Any time you abuse the body, you’re going to regret it later on. I want young people to know I have seen people getting kidney transplants and suffering tremendously from it.” (Arnold Schwarzenegger, interviewed at Men’s Health, posted 24 May 2023, accessed 29 June 2024)

Resources

Bigger, Stronger, Faster* (YouTube, 2018) [1h46m34s video. Chris Bell 2008 documentary on how steroids relate to the American Dream. Also see Wikipedia.].
Steroids can benefit athletes for a decade after use (BBC, 2013) [Research suggests a lifetime ban for athletes that have used steroids, even if only briefly].
Steroid abuse 'raising health risk for thousands' (BBC, 2017) [Risks = damage to organs especially the heart; heart attacks; strokes; infertility; mood swings].
Why the phrase 'man up' is so destructive (BBC Ideas, 2018) [3m26s video].
Mental Health Awareness Week: The five things men don't talk about enough (BBC, 2019) [Crying; Breadwinner; Social Media; Expectations; Body Image].
Looking for Mr T: the politicisation of testosterone (Sam Wolfson, The Guardian, 2019) [Alt-right activists believe low testosterone is resulting in a crisis of masculinity. But is ‘low-T’ really to blame for making men ‘soft’ – or is the politicisation of the hormone more sinister?].
The Dark Side Of Hollywood Body Transformations (Josh Brett, YouTube, 2021) [Zero transparency about secretive PEDs. Instead the results are said to come from: unsustainable diets, supplements, overtraining. When fans try to replicate the results, they fail. Low mental health is likely. 15m6s video].
Arnold Schwarzenegger Explains His Olympia-Era PED Use (Men's Health, 2023).
How Much Muscle Can You Build With & Without Steroids? (Jeff Nippard, YouTube, 2023) [13m46s video. Get informed. Learn about the risks.].
‘Someone will die’: more warnings issued about drug-fuelled Enhanced Games (The Guardian, 2024) [PEDs link to early death, to deformities in children of the PED user].
‘Natty or not?’: how steroids got big (Stephen Buranyi, The Guardian, 2024) [And how dangerous is it?].
‘Imagine if a 60-year-old broke Usain Bolt’s record’: the story behind the Enhanced Games, the Olympics where everyone dopes (Adharanand Finn, The Guardian, 2024).

Also see:-

Youth Advice

Drugs

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