Substance Abuse in Sports - Coursework Example

Substance Abuse in Sports Affiliation Substance Abuse Substance abuse refers to the use of a substance for other purposes other than the intended one. Substance abuse in sport has been a common occurrence mostly by the sportspeople. There has been argument worldwide to ban use of drugs in sports since the performance enhancing they offer to sportspeople is contrary to the virtues of sports: fair play. Moreover, the risks associated with substance abuse to affect future generation to continue using performance-enhancing drugs and hence may cause other physical or psychological damage. There have been allegations and evidence that most of athlete have been practicing substance abuse in order toenhance their performance and appearance. Commonly substance abused by athlete is anabolic androgenic steroids that are synthetic derivatives of testosterone in male sex hormone. Athlete has used anabolic androgenic steroids to increase blood testosterone levels for increasingstrength, lean body mass and sexual performance. A combination of psychological factors, technical skills, tactical insights and state of the mind determines sports performance of an athlete. These four factors are very importance for peak performance with the state of mind performing most critical part. However, substance abuse by athletes has interfered with their mind performance causing negative side effects such as heart attack, stunt bone growth cancer and stroke. Women may develop a deep voice and irreversible breast enlargement. They may also induce a sense of invisibility and sometimes, attacks of rage or psychosis. Moreover, the most adverse effect to substance abuse by athlete is depression and addiction that end up causing a misery life to them. Effects of Substance Abuse to Sportspeople Prospect theory implies that, often education programs merely provide information on health risks and other consequences associated with use of performance-enhancing drugs and ensures that athletes are aware with the latest banned substances and testing requirements. According to prospect theory, the main efforts of the policy maker and sporting authority is to prevent the use of banned substances and potential harmful drugs within professional sports have focused on testing and penalties to athletes who are caught practicing substance abuse.These measures are difficult to make them effective and evaluation shows that there is evidence that use of performance-enhancing drugs is still widespread. Bingham andPetroczi (2008) investigated and concluded that continuation on substance abuse evidenced in sport medicine and sport science is because prospect theory is only concern with examination of the relationship that exists between attitude and behavior for prohibited drugs. Differbach and Moffett, (2002) investigated that Prospect theory claims that goals and inspirations of an athlete can influence an athlete to assume utility of an outcome. For example, an athlete can decide to use performance-enhancing drugs and prepare to make a risk with his or her health in order to guarantee a win. Prospect theory therefore, accounts for decisions made by sportspeople. Perceptual deterrence theory explains the deeper insights of athletes who practice substance abuse are able to escape detection. This shows the role played by the legal sanctions in regulating human behavior.According to this theory, the cost associated with crime committed is highly capitalized in legal terms or formal sanctions such that the offender faces two options; fined or prison sentenced. Since many of the athletes are financial well, they pay the fines and get back to the society. This cannot be an effectively solution to the problem of substance abuse by athletes since they will continue using the drugs. Therefore, finding permanent solutions for substance abuse by sportspeople would be the only way that can enable them solve what the drug abuse have cost them. Perceptual deterrence theory, drug dependency and addiction resulting from substance abuse acts as a hindrance to athletes who may want to stop using drugs and shows that many sportsmen and women have become dependent to drugs. They spend most of their money to buy substances such as; 1). Alcohol; which has made a lot of athlete to lose their career as sportspeople worldwide. Alcohol has been taken as a likely drug that causes anti-social or violent behavior among many athletes. Although sports authorities have been on the spotlight to protect health of sportspeople participants by banning a wide range of drugs that are used to boost the performance of athlete in order to portray a fair play, there has been widespread consumption of alcohol by sportspeople. Little has been done to protect these sportsmen andwomen from addiction problems during and after their sports career. The research about substance abuse shows that there has been a form of hypocrisy existing in the different ways in which alcohol and other drugs have been dealt with in the sport area. Bill Hick (2008) who is a late American comedian investigated and mocked the issue that ‘It is OK to drink your drug’ andsaid this is a tendency usedin wider society since drugs are also taxed. It has shown that the health and moral benefits of sport is currently undermined by the use of alcohol that has killed more sportsmen and women than any other drug used by them each year.2). Use of anabolic androgenic steroids is also another drug that has been commonly been used by sportsmen and women to enhance their performance. They have been using it in order to enable them to perform excellent by strengthening their muscles such that they are able to splint at a high speed without getting tired. They also take substances that enhance oxygen uptake and haemoglobin substitutes to enable them gasp for oxygen and can run even in long races without getting tired.3). Sportsmen and women have also used hard drugs such as heroin which continuous use affects the mind of athlete by interfering with the neurotransmitters hence causing psychological disorder to the mind of the athlete. We have seen a lot of sportsmen and women who have gone insane due to use of these hard drugs that have affected their mind. Consequence, they end up losing their career due to possible psychological disturbances such as depression, delusions, hostility and aggression and physical disturbances such as fluid retention, liver disorders, high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure while others ends up losing their life. A psychologist can therefore, use the method of creating awareness by offering knowledge through education programs. This will help the athletes to know the effects of substance abuse to their health and career. The education programs should corporate training athletes who have already started substance abuse on how to stop drugs abuse. For example, medication to remove drugs concentration in their body and encourage them to take diets rich in beneficial nutrients instead of using drugs such as steroids. From the prospect theory,another purpose why sportsmen and women have been practicing substance abuse is for recreational purposes. Since there is many pressures on athlete’s time at work, training and competition, commitments means that there is often little or no time left for the athlete to socialize with other people that he or she like. Therefore, due to continuous pressures in their schedule and even from their coaches and ending up having no time to socialize with friends to release this pressure, they end up using drugs such as cannabis to try to cope with pressures and stresses to achieve goals that are not even within their control. When they use cannabis, they do their things in an extraordinary way such that they do not consider damaging effects of the recreation drugs they use. These drugs end up causing side effects such as hallucinations that damages the athlete’s psychological skills essential during training causing lack of concentration when training resulting to poor performance in the battle between success and failure during competition, Weise and Maureen (1991). Research on substance abuse in athletics by Baron D in (2005) implied that athletes practice substance abuse in order to have pleasure, relieve pain and stress, improve their socialization, recover from injury and enhance their field performance. Therefore, they use these substances in a higher rate than those people who are not athletes. Their higher rate of use results to addiction such that they become dependent on drugs hence they cannot function without taking the drugs. Researchers have used methods such as use of diuretics drugs that increase the urine flow and sodium excretion have been used on sportsmen and women to adjust the volume and composition of body fluids. This method has been used to screen those athletes that might use drugs thatareagainst virtues of sports of fair play in a competition. After regular screening, it was found that most athletes practice substance abuse. Barroso et al 2008 indicated that, as long as sporting activities have existed, athletes have always been with the desire to gain competitive edge due to the huge financial incentives and the pressure to excel. Therefore, use of performing-enhancing drugs have only been at an increasing rate but strict use of these diuretics drugs for all participants in sports have decreased substance abuse by the sportsmen and women. Therefore, a psychologist can use another method to determine the reason most athletes practice substance abuse such as interviewing drug users to get their responses then find solutions to their reasons causing them to use drugs to enhance their performance. This will help athletes to stop substance abuse since the problem will have been solved from the source. Theory of planned behavior invented by Ajzen and Fishbein (1991) investigated about the key influence on behavior by focusing on behavioral belief that lead to outcome of a chosen behavior, normative belief that encourage compliance with others expectations and control belief.From the theory, it implies that substance abuse can be a result of behavioral, normative or control belief of the athlete towards drugs, for example, a belief possessed by an athlete that he or she cannot win without using performing-enhancing drugs. Research through the method ofdrug testing to all athletes competing at international level where professional sportspeopleundergo testing regularly shows that most of sportsmen and women have reduced substance abuse. This method has gone even to down level to include young athletes. Those drugs that do not portray fair play during competitions are banned. Use of this method has been found that, it has reduced substance abuse by discouraging the professional sportspeople and those young athletes that are upcoming from the ground level.Psychologists can also come up with another method from Ajzen 1991 investigation to curb the substance abuse by behavioral, normative and control belief by offering guidance and counseling to prevent spread of substance abuse by beliefs. Psychologists can encourage athletes to belief on their ability without using any drug. When athletes are encouraged to belief on their potential and achieve their set goals, they get inspired and abstain from using performance-enhancing drugs. Moreover, psychologists can come up with a strategy of using athletes who have successfully been able to stop substance abuse to motivate those who are still using drugs when they share with them the consequences of drug abuse out of experience. Strelan and Boeckmann (2003) identified one of the four categories of deterrence theory, about legal sanction that take the form of fines and suspension of athletes caught using performance-enhancing drugs. The investigation showed that this legal sanction could reduce the number of athletes that practice substance abuse. On the other hand, research shows that due to an increased substance abuse some of which are drugs prescribed by the doctor to a patient for example, use of analgesics to treat injuries sustained by athletes have been found as an appropriate medication for the sportspeople since they are non-steroids but some athletes have been using this chance to take drugs to enhance on their performance. As a result, issuing of a therapeutic use exemption to anathlete for a temporary exemption from participation for a single spell or longer duration in sports due to illness has reduced substance abuse by the sportsmen and women. The issuing of therapeutic use exemption should be applied in good faith to an athlete. It has also reduced the collusion of the doctor and sportspeople in the provision of drugs or treatment with the motive of improperly enhance athlete performance in sports. Therefore, psychologists use this method of suspension or exempting sportsmen and women caught using performance-enhancing drugs to boost their performance in competition in order to reduce the cases of unfair play. Those athletes suspended and exempted from participation in professional sports competition will feel that they have lost one of the important activity in their life career hence this action can make them stop substance abuse therefore, assisting athletes in their performance in their career. As a psychologist, discouraging athletes from using stimulant drugs to enhance their training can improve performance. Instead, a psychologist should encourage athlete to adapt training in high altitude area that will help them improve on oxygen up take since they will have more red blood cells with high amount of dissolved haemoglobinthat oxygen. This will assist athlete cope with oxygen deficit when running. Waddington (2000) investigated the use of anti-doping policy method to curb substance abuse by athletes as a category of deterrence theory that is theoretically based on criminal decision-making. Law and orders were passed to try to reduce substance abuse by athletes and at the end, it was found that, this method was effective since a decrease in number of athlete who used drugs to enhance their performance had reduced by the year 2003. It was found difficult to completely stop substance abuse by sportsmen and women due to great rewards of success both financially and in terms of personal glory and also there is a lot of pressure for athletes to train for a long time and it is hard to maintain a continuous improvement performance in sport. Therefore, athletes are now encouraged to adapt very possible methods to improve their sport performance by using scientific approach to better nutrition and training methods instead of using drugs for biochemical and psychological advantage, Petroczi( 2005)Research on the legal action that can be implemented as a policy to ensure fair play during competition by introducing drug doping that has been able to spot athletes who participate in competition when the have used performance-enhancing drugs. The victim is permanently banned from participating in sports by the sport authorities. A psychologist can assist an athlete caught using performance-enhancing drugs by using another method other than completely banning the athlete from further participation in professional sports for example, by trying to rehabilitate him or her by putting the athlete away from substance abuse for a certain duration. During this period of rehabilitation, a psychologist tries to introduce the victim in another world of drug free by encouraging the athlete to take diet that can assist him or her. Psychologist can also guide and counsel the athlete during this rehabilitation period. According to Strelan and Boeckamann(2003), they investigated and claimed that, “Deterrence theory, assumes that individual make conscious decision that are well-informed, planned and rational to maximize the decision maker’s best interest”. Unfortunately, external forces such as need to be popular in the society, negative peer pressure and long-term financial security make the athleteto be centered on winning no matter the cost and hence they end up using performing-enhancing drugs to secure their win. On the other hand, coaches that are ambitious and charismatic, a doctor who is sympathetic to the athlete also influences the decision of substance abuse by the athlete for the chance of becoming a celebrityand need to demonstrate one’s masculinity respectively. Research investigation indicated that another method that could be used by an athlete enhance performance instead of practice substance abuse is to increase oxygen uptake during training is considering scientific methods of nutrition in additional to training in high altitude areas. Psychologists can also enhance the performance of an athlete by encouraging them to adopt taking diets that are nutritional rich and can boost their health. For example, eating food rich in iron can assist an athlete to increase amount of haemoglobin that acts as the carrier for oxygen dissolved in red blood cells since iron increases the amount of blood in the body. Sportspeople should also avoid diets rich in simple sugars. Although simple sugar diets provide energy peaks and crashes, they have a limitation that they are not easily absorbed. In case athletes decide to take diets with simple sugars, they have to be less concentrated with sugar.Moreover, psychologists should train athletes on how to control their ego that can also be a reason why some athletes use drugs. For example, teaching them to socialize with their friends or family and share their challenges with other athletes for encouragement since the challenge would not be facing them only but others do experience the same challenges but they do not take drugs. Westerbeek and Smith (2003) argued that the theory of deterrence has contributed greatly on substance abuse influenced by economy and technology that has deepened the political and ideological dimension of sport which have increased the importance of winning for nation states. They believe that winning expectation by the nation has increased the pressure on athlete to win, he or she will therefore, use any means in order to take to his or her nation a medal. This means that the nation expectation from the athlete thus serve as control belief for the athlete. Research by using the method of identifying the sporting climate of an athlete showed that political support significantly influences an athlete performance. Therefore, many elite athletes believe adopt drug use as an appropriate way to achieve a competitive performance level and as a way of securing government support and financial sponsorship. As a psychologist, one can improve performance of an athlete by intervening between government and athlete and try to encourage the government as it offer support to national athletes, should simultaneously condemn substance abuse by athletes.Psychologist can also educate professional athletes and those young at the down level of sport on the consequences of substance abuse to their health. Athletes get the knowledge on how substance abuse affects them psychologically especially their mind that is an important organ for their concentration during training and competing. Moreover, as psychologists, performance of an athlete can be enhanced with not necessarily using drugs by educating people in the society who influence athletes to use drugs due to high achievements they expect from athletes by advising them to stop criticizing athletes if they lose or make mistakes. Instead, they should encourage athletes that there is always next time. From the discussion above, we can conclude that the system to the substance abuse problem in sport is basedon three premises. The first range on the fight to substance abuse is based on impact of decisions made about sport and substance abuse. It is clear that sport authority aims at ensuring a virtue of fair play therefore, they are against use of performing-enhancing drugs by the athlete by introducing the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that act as central international agency for regulating substance abuse in sport and is funded the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It has also the list of all banned substances by sportsmen and women. Secondly, decision made by sportsmen and women are not always rational or bound clear motive. This shows that decisions made by many athletes are due to their goals and inspiration without considering the consequence of their health risk. Thirdly, development of models that account for contextual variables fully explains how substance abuse or avoidance by athletes and require to be always be encouraged to enable athletes to make positive decisions to avoid substance abuse in their professional career. Therefore, when we combine the three factors, we are assured to win the fight of substance abuse in professional sports and the young athletes at down level of sports competition. References Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1980).Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior. Englewood: Prentice Hall press Journal. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior: Organizational Behavior and Human Decision. Journal of Public Health Bill Hicks. (2008). “Chemical Dependency and the Athlete: treatment Applications.” London: International Journal of Sport Psychology.. Caulkins, J. P., & Reuter, Petroczi. (2005). Re-defining the Goals of National Drug Policy: New York American Journal of Public Health Dunning, E., & Waddington, I. (2003). Sport as a Drug and Drugs in Sport: London International Review for the Sociology of Sport Mugford, S., Mugford, J., & Donnelly, D. (1999). Social Research Project: Athletes’ Motivation for Using or not Using Performance Enhancing Drugs. Canberra: Australian Sport Drug Agency Westerbeek, H., & Smith, A. (2003).Sport Business in the Global Marketplace. London: American Journal of Sport Psychology. Wiese, Maureen R. (1991). Sport psychology. London: Journal of sport psychology. Read More