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Sport Psychology(psy407)

Lesson 45

DRUG ABUSE IN SPORT AND EXERCISE

We have learned of athletes who have succumbed to eating disorders for purposes of performance

enhancement. We have also learned of athletes who over train and experience burnout in an effort to

perform at a level higher than that of their competitors. In this lecture we learn of athletes who turn to the

use of drugs in an effort to gain an unfair advantage over their competitors.

There appear to be three fundamental problems associated with the use of drugs to enhance athletic

performance. The first problem has to do with ethics. Because drug use for purposes of performance

enhancement is illegal, it is ethically wrong to take them in an effort to obtain an unfair advantage over the

opposition. Amateur and professional sport organizations publish and continually revise their own list of

banned substances. The second problem has to do with the potentially addictive properties of drugs. Once

an athlete starts taking a drug for performance enhancement purposes, it may be difficult for her to stop

taking them later on. Drugs may be physically and/or psychologically addictive. A third problem is related

to the potentially lethal effects of drugs on the health and well-being of athlete.

Psychophysiological Effects of Certain Banned Substances

Each of the drugs or banned substance that will be mentioned in this brief review has both a hoped-for

benefit (the reason it is taken by the athlete) and a negative consequence. In some cases the negative

consequences are well documented, but in other cases, due to limitations of research, they are not. We will

first address the use and abuse of anabolic steroids because of their widespread use by athletes seeking

greater size, aggressiveness, and strengths.

Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids

Anabolic steroids are hormones that stimulate protein anabolism in the body. Athletes ingest anabolic

steroids because they believe that they are responsible for alterations in body composition that result in

greater size, strength, and power. They have both an anabolic effect (increasing muscular strength and size)

and an androgenic effect (masculinizing) on the user. Research clearly shows that anabolic steroids use is

associated with increased body weight and mass, altered body composition, increased muscle size and

strength, increased blood volume, and increased number of red blood cells.

Negative physiological consequences associated with anabolic steroid use include increased risk of heart

disease, certain cancers, and undesirable sex-specific effects. Many sport psychologists believe that long-

term use of this drug will lead to poor health. Organs that are particularly susceptible to negative

consequences of anabolic steroids abuse are those, such as the kidney or liver.

Stimulants

Stimulants, such as amphetamines and cocaine, increase the rate and work capacity of the central nervous

system, respiratory system, and heart. The neural-stimulating and cardiac-stimulating effects of these drugs

can provide a physiological advantage to the athlete by inhibiting mental and physical fatigue.

Theses drugs are physically and/or psychologically addicting and their use may lead to serious health

problems.

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Sport Psychology(psy407)

Depressants

Depressants, such as barbiturates, sedative-hypnotics, and alcohol, are designed to relieve tension,

depression, and anxiety in the athlete. Theoretically, this could help the fearful and anxious athlete by

providing a steady effect. Theses drugs, however, do not always have the desired effect on the athlete.

Depressants may actually have the effect of reducing inhibition, reducing judgment, and heightening risk-

taking behavior which may in turn result in poor as opposed to superior performance. Theses drugs are also

highly addictive, making it difficult to quit using them without severe withdrawal symptoms.

Other Banned Drugs

Other drugs that have been banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) include diuretics,

hallucinogens, and beta-adrenergic blockers.

Creatine Use by Athletes

Creatine is a naturally occurring energy-producing substance. It is a food supplement extensively used by

athletes seeking enhanced performance as it is currently not banned by the International Olympic

Committee. Creatine serves as an energy buffer (shield) during periods of intense exercise.

Long-term negative effects on the liver, kidneys, and brain are only beginning to be investigated.

Combating Drug Abuse in Sport

Underreporting is a serious limitation of research involving drug use among athletes. It is even more

difficult to get accurate information from athletes about their coach's direct or indirect role in encouraging

drug use for purposes of performance enhancement.

Two basic approaches to combating drug use in sport are cognitive techniques and behavioral techniques.

Cognitive techniques utilize intellectual and psychological methods to influence behavior and attitude.

Behavioral techniques shape the athlete's environment in ways that will elicit desirable responses and

behaviors from the athlete.

Cognitive Techniques

Using cognitive techniques, the psychologists utilize support groups among the players to encourage drug

abstinence. The psychologist shows concern for athletes, sets limits on unacceptable behavior, develop team

policy, and teaches athletes specific coping skills to deal with the pressure to excel. The psychologists must

be aware of each athlete's mental status, both in and out of the sport environment..

Behavioral techniques

The focus of behavioral techniques is upon teaching athletes alternative ways to enhance performance that

do not include the use of drugs. These alternative to increased performance include teaching motor skills

and strategies that lead to increased performance.

Behavioral techniques that are effective include peer involvement in drug education and drug prevention

efforts. Young athletes are much more likely to take advice from an admired peer than from an adult.

Athletes are much less likely to take drugs for purpose of performance enhancement id they fear detection

through mandatory drug testing.

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Sport Psychology(psy407)

References

Cox, H. Richard. (2002). Sport Psychology: Concepts and Applications. (Fifth Edition). New York:

McGraw-Hill Companies

Lavallec. D., Kremer, J., Moran, A., & Williams. M. (2004) Sports Psychology: Contemporary Themes. New

York: Palgrave Macmillan Publishers

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