scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Journal ArticleDOI

A qualitative study of anabolic steroid use amongst gym users in the United Kingdom: motives, beliefs and experiences

10 Jul 2015-Journal of Substance Use (Informa Healthcare)-Vol. 20, Iss: 4, pp 288-294
TL;DR: Anabolic steroid users’ drug use and associated behaviour were influenced by numerous sources of information, in particular, first-hand accounts of their peers, along with personal opinion and anecdotes on the Internet, which contributed to their belief that these drugs can be used relatively safely.
Abstract: The illicit use of anabolic steroids amongst the gym population continues to rise in the United Kingdom presenting serious challenges to public health. This study used qualitative interviews to explore the experiences of 24 users of anabolic steroids and investigate their motives and experiences. Body satisfaction was a motivating factor in the use of anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroid users’ drug use and associated behaviour were influenced by numerous sources of information, in particular, first-hand accounts of their peers, along with personal opinion and anecdotes on the Internet. As a result of this knowledge, users expressed their belief that these drugs can be used relatively safely. The prevailing viewpoint, that the harms associated with anabolic steroids can be managed and that this behaviour is part of a healthy lifestyle, contributes to the potential health risks.

Summary (2 min read)

Introduction

  • The use of anabolic steroids and, more broadly, prohibited doping substances in elite sport has been well-known, and thoroughly debated, for decades.
  • While doping techniques and specific substance use in competitive athletes varies tremendously (for example, depending on type of sport), the overarching aim of this form of drug use is to improve performance and to win.
  • Of note is that concerns have been raised regarding the accuracy of these estimates (ACMD, 2010; Evans-1 Brown et al., 2012).
  • Due to the growing use of anabolic steroids in the United Kingdom this study explores the experiences of the users and investigates their motives, beliefs and steroid-related experiences.

Background literature

  • Use in women can lead to growth of body and facial hair, deepening of voice, clitoris enlargement, increased libido, menstruation irregularities, and reduced fertility (EvansBrown et al., 2012).
  • Severity of effects is partly idiosyncratic, but would also appear to be dose dependent.
  • This knowledge, based predominantly on personal experience and anecdotes, includes information on methods to reduce or avoid adverse effects (Monaghan, 2001).

Method

  • Qualitative interviews with 24 users of anabolic steroids were conducted between 2009 and 2011 as part of a study of harm reduction services for anabolic steroid users in England and Wales (for an overview of respondents see Table 1).
  • The study had ethical 2 approval granted by Liverpool John Moores Research Ethics Committee.
  • Seven steroid users were recruited from fixed-site needle and syringe programmes; three from an outreach service; nine from steroid clinics; one from a gym; and, four from a prison.

Insert table 1

  • Semi-structured interviews were conducted, lasting between 30 to 75 minutes, including questions on body (dis)satisfaction, motivations for steroid usage; patterns of steroid use, sources of steroid-related knowledge and accounts of health harms.
  • Most interviews were recorded, and subsequently transcribed, except when prison regulation prohibited the use of electronic devices, or when respondents felt uncomfortable about discussing sensitive issues of using or supplying anabolic steroids.
  • In such cases, a written record was compiled immediately after the interview.
  • Written interview records were subjected to thematic content analysis in order to identify and verify themes relevant to the experiences of steroid usage (Burnard et al., 2008).
  • Themes were continuously 3 developed and refined as the study progressed (Miles & Huberman, 1994).

Body satisfaction and drugs

  • In line with previous research into the use of anabolic steroids (Grogan et al., 2006; EvansBrown & McVeigh, 2009), findings clearly indicated that anabolic steroid usage was linked to getting a better looking body.
  • Importantly, reasons to use these drugs may shift over time, providing further insights into why users behave as they do:.
  • At this moment in time, I’m not looking to get any bigger as a bodybuilder for example.
  • I wouldn’t wish to be any heavier than that, 4 because carrying more than 15 stone, you are just going to give yourself health.
  • The article presents quotes only from interviews recorded on audio.3.

Gaining and using knowledge

  • Drug using patterns were complex and highly personalised with no two respondents reporting identical regimens.
  • If I get problems with cholesterol, I’ll take statins, which is a drug that can lower cholesterol.
  • (Steroid user aged 35) More complex drug regimens included the use of various anabolic steroids together with synthetic growth hormones and insulin to enhance muscle size and lose body fat.
  • Additionally, some respondents included sexual enhancement products and skin darkening drugs in their drug repertoires (for an overview see Table 2).

Insert table 2

  • An important part of acquiring knowledge about anabolic steroids—commonly referred to by respondents as doing ‘research’—was to ask other users for advice: (Steroid user aged 21) In fact, there were no indications that any of the respondents engaged in the use of steroids on their own.
  • (Steroid user and competing bodybuilder aged 45) 8.
  • Who kept detailed records of their steroid regimes, users also revealed elements of irrationality as they ignored the commonly accepted ‘guidelines’ for steroid use and in spur-of-the-moment behaviour adopted practices based on rumours which they perceived as ‘emerging evidence’.
  • In other cases, recording specific regimes and doses of users presented difficulties (partly because of difficulties in remembering the exact duration of previous courses and partly because users were unaware of precise amounts or measurements).

Discussion

  • Numerous factors including perceptions of the ideal body, steroid knowledge shared amongst users, the function of the illicit market, and personal assessments of health influenced the motivations and beliefs amongst steroid users.
  • Overall, this appeared to serve multiple purposes, including questioning the trustworthiness of information about the potential harms of these drugs from health authorities, and coping with insecurities about the use of these drugs by increasing the sense of security and well-being (Wills, 1981).
  • The accounts of steroid users revealed tremendous inconsistencies in the perception of the harms of anabolic steroids between users and health authorities, the media and policymakers with serious implications for the promotion of public health.
  • This may also offer a potential opportunity to deliver accurate information via an established and credible communication network.
  • Considering these limitations is important when extrapolating the findings to the wider population of anabolic steroid users.

Did you find this useful? Give us your feedback

Content maybe subject to copyright    Report

King’s Research Portal
DOI:
10.3109/14659891.2014.911977
Document Version
Peer reviewed version
Link to publication record in King's Research Portal
Citation for published version (APA):
Kimergård, A. (2014). A qualitative study of anabolic steroid use amongst gym users in the United Kingdom:
Motives, beliefs and experiences. Journal of Substance Use, 20(4), 288-294.
https://doi.org/10.3109/14659891.2014.911977
Citing this paper
Please note that where the full-text provided on King's Research Portal is the Author Accepted Manuscript or Post-Print version this may
differ from the final Published version. If citing, it is advised that you check and use the publisher's definitive version for pagination,
volume/issue, and date of publication details. And where the final published version is provided on the Research Portal, if citing you are
again advised to check the publisher's website for any subsequent corrections.
General rights
Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the Research Portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright
owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognize and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.
•Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the Research Portal for the purpose of private study or research.
•You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain
•You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the Research Portal
Take down policy
If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact librarypure@kcl.ac.uk providing details, and we will remove access to
the work immediately and investigate your claim.
Download date: 10. Aug. 2022

A qualitative study of anabolic steroid use amongst gym users
in the United Kingdom: Motives, beliefs and experiences
Andreas Kimergård
1,2
1
Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
2
Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Correspondence: Andreas Kimergård, Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores
University, Henry Cotton Campus, Level 2, 15-21 Webster Street, Liverpool, L3 2ET,
United Kingdom;
E-mail: A.Kimergard@ljmu.ac.uk
Running head: Anabolic steroid use: Motives, beliefs and experiences!
1

A qualitative study of anabolic steroid use amongst gym users
in the United Kingdom: Motives, beliefs and experiences
Abstract
The illicit use of anabolic steroids amongst the gym population continues to rise in the
United Kingdom presenting serious challenges to public health. This study used qualitative
interviews to explore the experiences of 24 users of anabolic steroids and investigate their
motives and experiences. Body satisfaction was a motivating factor in the use of anabolic
steroids. Anabolic steroid users’ drug use and associated behaviour were influenced by
numerous sources of information, in particular, first-hand accounts of their peers, along
with personal opinion and anecdotes on the Internet. As a result of this knowledge, users
expressed their belief that these drugs can be used relatively safely. The prevailing
viewpoint, that the harms associated with anabolic steroids can be managed and that this
behaviour is part of a healthy lifestyle, contributes to the potential health risks.
Keywords
Anabolic steroids, gym population, motivations for use.!
2

A qualitative study of anabolic steroid use amongst gym users
in the United Kingdom: Motives, beliefs and experiences
Introduction
The use of anabolic steroids and, more broadly, prohibited doping substances in elite sport
has been well-known, and thoroughly debated, for decades. While doping techniques and
specific substance use in competitive athletes varies tremendously (for example,
depending on type of sport), the overarching aim of this form of drug use is to improve
performance and to win. Yet most people who use anabolic steroids do not compete in
organised sport (Baker et al., 2006; Pope et al., in press) and most studies into anabolic
steroid usage indicate that the main reasons to use these drugs are to enhance the
performance of muscle, for example by increasing strength, or improving the appearance
of the body (Evans-Brown et al., 2012).
The use of anabolic steroids amongst gym users has been reported in countries in
Europe, Australasia, and North America (Sagoe et al., in press), and, more recently, in
countries such as Brazil (Santos et al., 2011), the United Arab Emirates (Al-Falasi et al.,
2008), and Iran (Allahverdipour et al., 2012). The Crime Survey for England and Wales
found that 0.2% of those aged 16-59, estimated at 59,000, had taken anabolic steroids in
the past year (2012/2013) (Home Office, 2013). Data collected from needle and syringe
1
programmes in Merseyside and Cheshire, North West England, shows a significant
increase in the number of new steroid injecting clients attending such harm reduction
services from the 1990s onwards (ACMD, 2010). These data, along with arrests of illicit
retailers, seizures of illicit market products, media reports, monitoring of discussion forums
on the Internet, and case reports/series of adverse events, indicate that the use of
anabolic steroids and other drugs for the purpose of human enhancement is steadily
growing (Evans-Brown et al., 2012).
Anabolic steroid usage in the gym population presents a challenge to public health, in
relation to adverse effects (both acute and chronic) amongst users (Pope et al., in press)
as well as potential exposure to blood borne viruses from the sharing of contaminated
Of note is that concerns have been raised regarding the accuracy of these estimates (ACMD, 2010; Evans-
1
Brown et al., 2012).
3

needles, syringes and drug vials (Hope et al., 2013). Due to the growing use of anabolic
steroids in the United Kingdom this study explores the experiences of the users and
investigates their motives, beliefs and steroid-related experiences.
Background literature
Perceptions and management of anabolic steroid-related health harms
Case reports/series, along with observational studies, indicate that acute adverse
reactions from the pharmacotoxicological actions of anabolic steroids are diverse in their
characteristics and severity, and include acne, hair loss, gynaecomastia, disruption of
growth, damage to tendons and ligaments, testicular atrophy, erectile dysfunction, liver
damage (especially with oral products), and cardiovascular events (Pope et al., in press).
Use in women can lead to growth of body and facial hair, deepening of voice, clitoris
enlargement, increased libido, menstruation irregularities, and reduced fertility (Evans-
Brown et al., 2012). Adverse psychological effects have also been reported in the
literature, including increases in aggressive behaviour, and depression following the
cessation of use (Haug et al., 2004; ACMD, 2010). Severity of effects is partly
idiosyncratic, but would also appear to be dose dependent.
One survey conducted amongst members of 18 gyms in the United Arab Emirates
reported that 59% believed that the benefits of using anabolic steroids outweighed the
risks (Al-Falasi et al., 2008). A similar study included steroid users attending two needle
and syringe programmes in the United Kingdom, and found that nearly all of the
respondents said that they have been given information regarding the potential health
harms of anabolic steroids and yet more than half had no intention of stopping their use of
these drugs in the next 12 months (Walker & Joubert, 2011). While these and similar
studies are beneficial in determining the perceived hazards of steroid use, they offer little
insights into the reasons behind, and experiences with, the use of these drugs and the
potential impact on behaviour. In relation to motivation and drivers to use anabolic
steroids, a significant issue is the apparent relationship between social as well as cultural
ideals and body satisfaction in men (Mishkind et al., 1986). In terms of studies into body
image satisfaction, it has been shown that body dissatisfaction, along with the desire to
enhance muscularity, can prompt the use of anabolic steroids in men (Grogan, 2008). The
few existing qualitative studies show that users exchange anabolic steroid-related
knowledge and will often defer to opinion leaders (sometimes referred to as ‘steroid gurus’)
4

Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Personal and psychosocial correlates of AAS use identified in this study may be helpful for the development of preventive interventions.
Abstract: Aim: The use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs) by athletes has become a widespread problem in the developing countries. However, predisposing risk factors for AAS initiation among athletes are...

4 citations


Cites background from "A qualitative study of anabolic ste..."

  • ...…competition, coaches’ emphasis and pressure, and attempts to attract the attention of sports fans are the most important factors related to the consumption of illicit drugs (Bijeh et al., 2014; Jalilian et al., 2012; Atarodi & Rohani, 2012; Halabchi, 2007; Kimergård, 2015; Blank et al., 2016)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors implemented a methodological framework of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and a theoretical conceptualization of multiple selves to explore the subjective accounts of six amateur bodybuilders using appearance and performance-enhancing drugs (APEDs).
Abstract: In this paper, we implemented a methodological framework of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and a theoretical conceptualization of multiple selves to explore the subjective accounts of six amateur bodybuilders using appearance- and performance-enhancing drugs (APEDs). The participants made sense of their bodybuilding careers and experiences with APEDs in a way that showed a multiplicity and complexity of reasons for using APEDs, which stemmed from tensions they perceived between the context of bodybuilding and other life domains. The participants' reasons for the use of APEDs included not only enhancing their body, appearance and performance but also enhancing other subjectively important psychological characteristics, such as agency and self-control, the development of knowledge and expertise, sense of meaning, well-being, and quality of life. In the analysis, we integrated these themes through the concept of the "extraordinary self," based on which our participants strived for self-actualization through bodybuilding and the use of APEDs. In the sense making of our participants, a potential "exit point" subverting their APED use emerged from a tension between such "extraordinary selves" and the "ordinary selves" through which they perceived APEDs as preventing them from living normal, balanced lives outside the context of bodybuilding. However, success in balancing the two selves also created the possibility of the future use of APEDs.

4 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The widespread availability of doping and its growing prevalence among fitness groups has contributed greatly to the realization of an emergent public health issue as discussed by the authors, which is referred to as the "doping epidemic".
Abstract: The widespread availability of doping and its growing prevalence among fitness groups has contributed greatly to the realization of an emergent public health issue. Emanating from an ethnographic s...

4 citations


Cites result from "A qualitative study of anabolic ste..."

  • ...The results of this study further elucidate the variation in fitness doping experiences, reasons for commencing doping, and negotiation of the meaning of drug use practices (see also, Coquet et al., 2018; Kimergård, 2015; Sagoe et al., 2014)....

    [...]

01 Jan 2018
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined whether bullying victimization on school property or electronic bullying victimisation were associated with increased risk of anabolic-androgenic steroid misuse in adolescent males.
Abstract: Due to their potential for negative physical, psychological, and social effects, both anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) misuse and bullying victimization are significant public health concerns confronting U.S. adolescent males. Previous research examining the link between bullying victimization and AAS abuse has been limited and most studies have had insufficient sample sizes to detect low base rate risks such as AAS abuse. The current study examined whether 1) bullying victimization on school property or 2) electronic bullying victimization were associated with increased risk of AAS misuse in adolescent males. Our study utilized a nationally representative sample drawn from the CDC's 2015 National Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBS). Participants included 7,749 adolescent males in 9th-12th grade in U.S. public and private schools. Participants who reported victimization were found to be at higher risk of misusing steroids. This is the first study with a nationally representative sample large enough to establish a link between a history of having been bullied and misuse of AAS. These results suggest the need for the development and evaluation of interventions to prevent bullying and to prevent steroid abuse. Future research should further investigate the link between bullying or teasing victimization, specifically about physical appearance, and AAS abuse.

3 citations


Cites background from "A qualitative study of anabolic ste..."

  • ...advice of peers, in conjunction with their own personal opinion, users viewed the harms of AAS to be manageable and thus considered AAS safe to consume (Kimergård, 2014)....

    [...]

  • ...Although users of AAS do so because of perceived benefits such as improved body strength and increased body mass, many overlook the risky side effects resulting from the drug (Al-Falasi et al., 2008; DuRant et al., 1993; Kimergård, 2014)....

    [...]

  • ...Kimergård (2014) conducted a qualitative study of gym goers who used AAS and found that users generally did not express anxiety over possible side effects because they hear of other users also minimize the side effects....

    [...]

  • ...By seeking the advice of peers, in conjunction with their own personal opinion, users viewed the harms of AAS to be manageable and thus considered AAS safe to consume (Kimergård, 2014)....

    [...]

  • ...Although users of AAS do so because of perceived benefits such as improved body strength and increased body mass, many overlook the risky side effects resulting from the drug (Al-Falasi et al., 2008; DuRant et al., 1993; Kimergård, 2014)....

    [...]

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the motivations behind the first and the following anabolic androgenic steroid abuse, which may however also have an impact on the athletes ceasing to abuse AAS.
Abstract: Antidoping researches are focused especially on organised sports. The question of doping in gyms is rather specific, resulting in some non-competitive athletes abusing certain drugs. The present quantitative study focuses on evaluating the motivations behind the first and the following anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse, which may however also have an impact on the athletes ceasing to abuse AAS. The respondents under evaluation were 14 non-competitive bodybuilders who have admitted using AAS. They were male from three gyms in the Usti Region in Czech Republic. The study revealed that the major motivations behind the first use of AAS include the need to be admired and/or respected, dissatisfaction with one’s body, impatience in training, curiosity, excitements and other external factors. Such other factors were likewise stated in motivations leading to further use of these substances. They include positive changes in body structure, an increase in selfconfidence, increased interest on the part of other people, but also a temporary decrease in muscle mass, in physical strength, as well as a subjective feeling of a decreasing “firmness of the body”. Possible reasons for a potential discontinuation of AAS use include fear of health risks, of being revealed, and the high financial costs.

3 citations


Cites background or result from "A qualitative study of anabolic ste..."

  • ...Another important factor is probably psychological dependency with body image pathology, and in long-term AAS use also the development of muscle dysmorphia (Greenway & Price, 2018; Grogan, Shepherd, Evans, Wright, & Hunter, 2006; Kanayama, Barry, Hudson, & Pope, 2006; Kimergård, 2015; Papp, Urbán, Czeglédi, & Babusa, 2013; Santos & Coomber, 2017)....

    [...]

  • ...Motivations leading to the first and subsequent AAS use in our sample correspond to the results of other studies dealing with this topic (e.g. Kimergård, 2015; Petersson, Bengtsson, Voltaire-Carlsson, & Thiblin, 2010; Van Hout & Kean, 2016; Watt & Ricciardelli, 2012)....

    [...]

  • ...…dependency with body image pathology, and in long-term AAS use also the development of muscle dysmorphia (Greenway & Price, 2018; Grogan, Shepherd, Evans, Wright, & Hunter, 2006; Kanayama, Barry, Hudson, & Pope, 2006; Kimergård, 2015; Papp, Urbán, Czeglédi, & Babusa, 2013; Santos & Coomber, 2017)....

    [...]

References
More filters
Book
12 Jan 1994
TL;DR: This book presents a step-by-step guide to making the research results presented in reports, slideshows, posters, and data visualizations more interesting, and describes how coding initiates qualitative data analysis.
Abstract: Matthew B. Miles, Qualitative Data Analysis A Methods Sourcebook, Third Edition. The Third Edition of Miles & Huberman's classic research methods text is updated and streamlined by Johnny Saldana, author of The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers. Several of the data display strategies from previous editions are now presented in re-envisioned and reorganized formats to enhance reader accessibility and comprehension. The Third Edition's presentation of the fundamentals of research design and data management is followed by five distinct methods of analysis: exploring, describing, ordering, explaining, and predicting. Miles and Huberman's original research studies are profiled and accompanied with new examples from Saldana's recent qualitative work. The book's most celebrated chapter, "Drawing and Verifying Conclusions," is retained and revised, and the chapter on report writing has been greatly expanded, and is now called "Writing About Qualitative Research." Comprehensive and authoritative, Qualitative Data Analysis has been elegantly revised for a new generation of qualitative researchers. Johnny Saldana, The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers, Second Edition. The Second Edition of Johnny Saldana's international bestseller provides an in-depth guide to the multiple approaches available for coding qualitative data. Fully up-to-date, it includes new chapters, more coding techniques and an additional glossary. Clear, practical and authoritative, the book: describes how coding initiates qualitative data analysis; demonstrates the writing of analytic memos; discusses available analytic software; suggests how best to use the book for particular studies. In total, 32 coding methods are profiled that can be applied to a range of research genres from grounded theory to phenomenology to narrative inquiry. For each approach, Saldana discusses the method's origins, a description of the method, practical applications, and a clearly illustrated example with analytic follow-up. A unique and invaluable reference for students, teachers, and practitioners of qualitative inquiry, this book is essential reading across the social sciences. Stephanie D. H. Evergreen, Presenting Data Effectively Communicating Your Findings for Maximum Impact. This is a step-by-step guide to making the research results presented in reports, slideshows, posters, and data visualizations more interesting. Written in an easy, accessible manner, Presenting Data Effectively provides guiding principles for designing data presentations so that they are more likely to be heard, remembered, and used. The guidance in the book stems from the author's extensive study of research reporting, a solid review of the literature in graphic design and related fields, and the input of a panel of graphic design experts. Those concepts are then translated into language relevant to students, researchers, evaluators, and non-profit workers - anyone in a position to have to report on data to an outside audience. The book guides the reader through design choices related to four primary areas: graphics, type, color, and arrangement. As a result, readers can present data more effectively, with the clarity and professionalism that best represents their work.

41,986 citations


"A qualitative study of anabolic ste..." refers methods in this paper

  • ...Written interview records were subjected to thematic content analysis in order to identify and verify themes relevant to the experiences of steroid usage (Burnard et al., 2008).3 Themes were continuously developed and refined as the study progressed (Miles & Huberman, 1994)....

    [...]

01 Jan 1994

2,763 citations


"A qualitative study of anabolic ste..." refers methods in this paper

  • ...Written interview records were subjected to thematic content analysis in order to identify and verify themes relevant to the experiences of steroid usage (Burnard et al., 2008).3 Themes were continuously developed and refined as the study progressed (Miles & Huberman, 1994)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that downward comparison is a process evoked by negative affect, and that there is considerable evidence for self-enhancing comparison processes, which is involved in several areas of social-psycho logical research.
Abstract: The literature of social psychology contains a number of phenomena that appear to be paradoxical. For example, persons who face a threatening experience prefer to affiliate with threatened others rather than with nonthreatened others (Schachter, 1959), and persons in groups in which reward is equally distributed are less satisfied compared with persons in groups that include one particularly unfortunate member (Brickman, 1975). The purpose of this article is to show that these phenomena are best construed as social comparison processes and that various phenomena derive from one basic process termed downward comparison; the essence of this process is that persons can enhance their own subjective well-being by comparing themselves with a less fortunate other. In this article I show that downward comparison is a process evoked by negative affect, that there is considerable evidence for self-enhancing comparison processes, and that downward comparison effects are involved in several areas of social-psycho logical research.

2,430 citations


"A qualitative study of anabolic ste..." refers background in this paper

  • ...ness of information about the potential harms of these drugs from health authorities, and coping with insecurities about the use of these drugs by increasing the sense of security and well-being (Wills, 1981)....

    [...]

  • ...Overall, this appeared to serve multiple purposes, including questioning the trustworthiness of information about the potential harms of these drugs from health authorities, and coping with insecurities about the use of these drugs by increasing the sense of security and well-being (Wills, 1981)....

    [...]

Book
09 Dec 1998
TL;DR: Grogan as mentioned in this paper provides a comprehensive overview of the subject of body image, pulling together diverse research from the fields of psychology, sociology, media, and gender studies in men, women, and children.
Abstract: Sarah Grogan provides a comprehensive overview of the subject of body image, pulling together diverse research from the fields of psychology, sociology, media, and gender studies in men, women, and children. This second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect the significant increase in research on body image since the first edition was published, including new empirical data collected specifically for this text. In addition to examining evidence for sociocultural influences on body image, the book also reviews recent literature and includes new findings on body modification practices (cosmetic surgery, piercing, tattooing, and bodybuilding). It takes a critical look at interventions designed to promote positive body image and also attempts to link body image to physical health, looking in particular at motivations for potentially health-damaging practices such as anabolic steroid use and cosmetic surgery. The only text to date that examines the issue of body image, focusing on men and children as well as women, Body Image will be invaluable to students and researchers in the area as well as those with an interest in how to promote positive body image.

1,668 citations