Stigma and the Use of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids by Men in the United Kingdom

The use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) has diffused from elite sport and competitive bodybuilding and is now commonplace in the gyms of the UK. People who use AAS are by no means an homogenous group but comprised of multiple sub-groups with varied motivations, characteristics, risk behaviours and engagement with services. While personal possession of AAS is legal in the UK, many people who use these drugs remain secretive, sometimes in response to the stigma fuelled by the mainstream media. Drawing on our own research and other published literature, we explore the stigma experienced by people who use AAS, together with the discriminatory and sometimes stigmatising behaviours exhibited by some members of this community.