roid rage

[chanmanfoo]

Effects of supraphysiologic doses of testosterone on mood and aggression in normal men: a randomized controlled trial.

Pope HG Jr, Kouri EM, Hudson JI.

Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02178, USA. [email protected]

BACKGROUND: Field studies of illicit anabolic-androgenic steroid users suggest that some develop manic or aggressive reactions to these drugs-a potential public health problem. However, controlled laboratory evaluations of these effects remain limited. METHODS: In a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, we administered testosterone cypionate for 6 weeks in doses rising to 600 mg/wk and placebo for 6 weeks, separated by 6 weeks of no treatment, to 56 men aged 20 to 50 years. Psychiatric outcome measures included the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (a computerized provocation test of aggression), the Aggression Questionnaire of Buss and Perry, the Symptom Checklist-90-R, daily diaries of manic and depressive symptoms, and similar weekly diaries completed by a "significant other" who knew the participant well. RESULTS: Testosterone treatment significantly increased manic scores on the YMRS (P = .002), manic scores on daily diaries (P = .003), visual analog ratings of liking the drug effect (P = .008), and aggressive responses on the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (P = .03). Drug response was highly variable: of 50 participants who received 600 mg/wk of testosterone cypionate, 42 (84%) exhibited minimal psychiatric effects (maximum YMRS score, <10), 6 (12%) became mildly hypomanic (YMRS score, 10-19), and 2 (4%) became markedly hypomanic (YMRS score, > or =20). The 8 "responders" and 42 "nonresponders" did not differ significantly on baseline demographic, psychological, laboratory, or physiological measures. CONCLUSIONS: Testosterone administration, 600 mg/wk increased ratings of manic symptoms in normal men. This effect, however, was not uniform across individuals; most showed little psychological change, whereas a few developed prominent effects. The mechanism of these variable reactions remains unclear.

Publication Types:
Clinical Trial
Randomized Controlled Trial

 

[collegiateLifter]

a post that i saved, from supertraining a bit back

Message 28864
From: "Ken O'Neill" <koneill@d...>
Date: Thu Feb 13, 2003 8:38 am
Subject: Re: [Supertraining] Re: Roid Rage

My two cents worth.

Over the decades I've noted a number of individuals said to be suffering
from 'roid rage. the problem with the term 'roid rage is that it merely
points to a symptom and assumes testosterone use/abuse is the causal agent.

In many cases, steroids are not the only substance individuals are abusing
without medical supervision. A number of these guys I've witnessed were pot
heads, boozers, and frequently used meth to crank their energy levels,
occasionally venturing further into realms of dissociative states with lsd.
bottom line is we're dealing with troubled persons of low emotional
intelligence.

These days we don't talk about multiple personality disorders, instead of
dissociative identification disorders. One step forward in clinical
psychology and diagnostics has been a recognition that classic multiple
personalities are an extreme case of dissociative phenomena - the milder
cases, you might say in lay terms, can and do characterized so called
"normal persons".

From what I've witnessed since the 60s of 'roid rage in relation to the
personality development of a number of these guys is that we're dealing with
persons who are markedly dissociative yet rather capable of making a living,
engaging in serial monogamous relationships supplemented with serial
episodes of unfaithfulness to partners, generally narcistic, often overly
compensating - in other words, rather normal people - the kind who don't do
well in meditative work. Roids elevate their testosterone levels (especially
those with longer half lives), effecting the brain's operations in ways not
complimentary to the problems they already have - in other words, amplifying
subpersonalities that are prone to being Macho Man.

So, the key as far as I'm concerned is dissociative tendencies. Not a lot of
therapies take that into consideration - for example 12 step programs are so
outdated in their psychology and closetted religious convictions they don't
even entertain the harsh realities of dissociative behaviors, instead often
engaging in pure and simple symptom substitution rather than remediation.
Dissociative personalities, like gasoline and booze, do not mix and are
dangerous combinations. roids, like lsd, are perfectly capable of catalyzing
the worse in coming out of a a person. Robust transpersonal therapies aim at
evolving clients through and beyond paralyzing emotional immaturity.

 

[Watson]

Yeah, I get crazy when I do meth while on cycle. Now gas is a totaly different story, you don't even want to know the rage I let out on my loved ones and friends, let alone strangers. I'm trying to cut the gas to "only on the weekends" but it's tough. The shits everywhere you look.

In all seriousness, I see roid rage more in amatuer users who are usually on thier first or second cycle, and they expect it to happen so as a result they try to act like its happening. A year ago I would have agreed totally that I had increased aggression while on, but the more I do the less it seems to effect my attitude. I think it's all about the big head roids give you when you are an amatuer to the experience.

 

[PBR]

one of the things I frequently see is the result of a "false sense" of confidence in newer users, bigger, stronger, more energy, and "I can kick your -ass for looking at me like that you know?" attitude....such as post-pubecent behavior in young teens with high test levels...sound familiar???

 

[Sinistar]

there is no doubt in my mind that you get edgy and snappish oncycle, but i see these motherfuckers slapping the piss outta women and blame it on the cycle there on. im a maniac for the first3 days, after that, im just confident and yes more agressive.

 

[MrTechno]

I am fucking sick and tired about hearing about roid rage...........

All these young punks start taking steroids then they think that because they are using steroids that they are some sort of fucking God...........

They feal that nobody can kick there ass that they are some sort of fucking super hero that is wen people hear about roid rage, fucking bulshit..................

Same thing with alcohol they get all drunk then they think that they are umbetable............

80% of BB use more narcotics than they do steroids that is were the problem is..........

95% of all serius crimes ever comited in History were comited by people that never touched steroids in there lives.............

Yes it is true that steroids will cause someone to get a litle irratated at times but it is nothing like the media shows the World to be...........

 

[Slugfast]

The way I see it is that Alcohol lowers inhibitions, and mixed with a cycle, that is disaster waiting to happen... my buddy instructed me to take any drinks away from him that I ever caught him with, and yes, some people are predisposed to what you call "road rage", and they tend to be like my buddy who gets "Beer Muscles" when he drinks and thinks he is a badass, and gets more aggressive.

I dont think that steroids cause the roid rage, but mixed with people who have personalities that are predisposed to aggression, or are really stressed out, the increase in Testosterone can make them overally aggressive.

But that tends to be the reason that people like me don't use steroids, not due to me being overally aggressive, but the fact that I like to drink on the weekends, and if I was to drink while on a cycle, that would be disaster... so untill the point that I am ready to quit drinking for around 8-9 weeks, I m not going to consider steroids. I briefly did at one point, but decided against it.


-slugfast

 

[Zyglamail]

Drug response was highly variable: of 50 participants who received 600 mg/wk of testosterone cypionate, 42 (84%) exhibited minimal psychiatric effects (maximum YMRS score, <10), 6 (12%) became mildly hypomanic (YMRS score, 10-19), and 2 (4%) became markedly hypomanic (YMRS score, > or =20). The 8 "responders" and 42 "nonresponders" did not differ significantly on baseline demographic, psychological, laboratory, or physiological measures.

So basically put, the AAS had a minimal affect overall and chances are the people who did exhibit an affect were unstable to begin with.

 

[PBR]

Yes Zyglamail..problem I see with this research is its all paper-work...real life situations have real-life effects...because you take a test doesnt mean real application will be done in a given true life experience.....I mean we are on this board with "users." We know exactly what happens because we all live it....its hard to argue the point when experience shows otherwise, not to say that these tests are not valid or accurate...lets face it when you are taking a test you have time to think about answering..true? real life doesnt give you time to think about reactions ,all of the time..thats the difference..primortial instincts can and do take over at times of stresses...and stresses are different for all of us..

 

[chanmanfoo]

Re: Re: roid rage

So basically put, the AAS had a minimal affect overall and chances are the people who did exhibit an affect were unstable to begin with.

exactly.
foo

 

[kwik95gt]

i notice slighter shorter temper in the first couple weeks of my cycles-but im usually frontloading and running dbol at the same time. after that i mellow out pretty good. the big thing that i have noticed-as weird as it may seem-is that before i started using steroids at all-i was a much colder, meaner person. now im MUCH "nicer and sweeter" which is what ive been told as well. maybe its a result of the test aromatizing?oh well, for the most part-roid rage is a result of being a n00b.