Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are increasingly used outside of medical settings. New research is now shedding light on a side of this trend that rarely makes headlines: the link between steroid use and mental health.

A 2026 study published in Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy analysed data from nearly 19,000 adults. These adults attended alcohol and other drug treatment services across Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, Australia. Of those, 521 reported AAS use. The findings carry real implications for how we respond to steroid use in the community.

The Connection Between Steroid Use and Mental Health

Higher AAS-related risk strongly predicted depression and anxiety. People in the moderate-risk group were over seven times more likely to show elevated depression scores than those in the low-risk group. Those in the high-risk group were more than twelve times more likely to do so.

Anxiety followed a similar pattern. Higher anxiety scores made someone over five times more likely to fall into the moderate-risk group. For the high-risk group, that figure rose to nearly eight times.

These are not small differences. They point clearly to a relationship between steroid use and mental health that many people simply do not see coming.

Impulsivity and Age Also Play a Role

Beyond depression and anxiety, the study found impulsivity to be a significant factor. Three traits stood out: positive urgency (acting impulsively when in a good mood), negative urgency (acting impulsively when distressed), and lack of perseverance (difficulty following through on tasks).

Positive urgency showed the strongest link. Those with higher scores were nearly 12 times more likely to fall into the moderate-risk category. They were almost 30 times more likely to sit in the high-risk group.

Younger age also mattered. Younger participants were around four times more likely to fall into the high-risk group than older participants.

Most People Using Steroids Present for Something Else

Here is where things get particularly important. Most participants were not attending treatment because of steroid use. Methamphetamine was the most common primary concern (49.3%), followed by alcohol (23.2%). Only 8 of the 521 AAS-using participants listed steroids as their main issue.

This means that anabolic steroid use and psychological wellbeing concerns often sit quietly in the background of someone’s treatment journey. Nobody addresses them formally. The study’s authors noted that AAS risks can remain unrecognised within standard assessment frameworks.

Put simply, someone might seek help for alcohol and leave without anyone ever raising their steroid use or the depression connected to it.

Why This Matters Beyond Treatment Settings

The study focused on people already in treatment services. But its findings reach much further. Many people who use AAS in the community never seek professional help at all. Research cited in the paper found that only 45.6% of AAS-using men sought medical care for side effects. The majority stayed away, often because they did not see their symptoms as serious enough or did not trust that healthcare providers would understand.

Awareness is another problem. Many people who use AAS do not realise that higher-risk patterns of use commonly occur alongside depression, anxiety, and impulsive tendencies. The mental health impact builds gradually. The person rarely links it back to their steroid use.

This gap in awareness is exactly why education matters.

What the Research Suggests About Steroid Use and Mental Health Risks

Researchers point to a potential feedback loop. People may start using AAS to manage low mood, anxiety, or feelings of inadequacy. Over time, continued use can worsen those very symptoms. The cycle becomes self-reinforcing. Breaking it is harder when the connection between anabolic steroid use and psychological wellbeing goes unrecognised.

AAS use also rarely happens in isolation. Combining steroids with alcohol, methamphetamine, or cannabis is common in this population. Each added substance compounds the physical and psychological risks.

Understanding this pattern matters for anyone working with young people, fitness communities, or other groups where steroid use is present but rarely discussed openly.

A Final Word

Steroid use and mental health are far more connected than most people realise. The evidence now points to a clear relationship between higher-risk AAS use and poorer psychological outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and impulsive behaviour. Getting that message to the people who need it, before the risks escalate, is the real challenge.

Source: dbrecoveryresources