Steroid Use and Mental Health Linked in New Dual Diagnosis Research

A new study from Griffith University finds that higher-risk anabolic steroid use is strongly associated with depression, anxiety and impulsivity.

This combination points directly to the need for dual diagnosis treatment in behavioral health settings.

For the millions of people navigating both substance use and mental health struggles, the findings highlight a pattern that has long gone undetected in standard care.

The Study at a Glance

Researchers at Griffith University’s School of Applied Psychology analyzed service data from nearly 19,000 adults collected between 2022 and 2025, with 521 individuals reporting anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use.

Most participants did not enter treatment primarily for steroid use. Methamphetamine and alcohol use were more commonly identified as the main substances of concern.

That detail matters. It means AAS use was often a secondary, unaddressed issue sitting alongside more obvious drug problems, and mental health symptoms were piling on top of both.

The results showed that individuals in the moderate- and high-risk groups reported significantly higher depression and anxiety symptoms, as well as stronger impulsivity traits.

Why This Gets Missed in Standard Treatment

One of the study’s most important findings is not just what is happening to these patients, it’s that current treatment models may be structurally set up to miss it.

According to researcher Ben Bonenti, AAS use is increasing globally and is often secondary to other substances, meaning it may go unrecognized within standard treatment models.

This is the core challenge of co-occurring disorders: when one condition overshadows another, the hidden condition keeps driving poor outcomes long after the primary issue is addressed.

Someone seeking help for meth or alcohol use may walk out of treatment with their steroid use, and the depression and anxiety fueling it, completely untreated.

Bonenti noted that many individuals may not realize that higher-risk patterns of steroid use can co-occur with depression, anxiety, and impulsive tendencies, meaning important support needs may be overlooked.

The Mental Health and Addiction Connection

Anabolic-androgenic steroids are not typically discussed in the same breath as alcohol and opioid use, but the mental health overlap is real and well-documented.

Steroid use has been associated with a range of negative mental health effects, including higher risk of developing symptoms of psychosis, depression, anxiety, and aggression.

This matters enormously for dual diagnosis treatment. When someone enters a behavioral treatment center for drug use but is also experiencing depression or anxiety, whether caused, worsened, or masked by steroid use, treating only the primary substance rarely produces lasting recovery.

Co-occurring mental health conditions need to be identified and treated at the same time.

The Griffith study reinforces this by suggesting that routine screening for steroid use, alongside mental health assessment, could help services identify risk earlier and provide more tailored care.

What Integrated Treatment Looks Like

Dual diagnosis treatment, also called co-occurring disorder treatment, addresses both substance use and mental health conditions within the same program, rather than treating them separately or sequentially.

For someone whose steroid use is intertwined with depression and impulsivity, integrated care makes the difference between short-term symptom management and genuine, sustained recovery.

Effective behavioral health treatment for co-occurring disorders typically includes:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — Helps patients identify and reframe thought patterns that drive both substance use and mental health symptoms like depression and anxiety.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) — Particularly effective for individuals with impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, and self-destructive behaviors, traits this study found elevated in higher-risk steroid users.

Psychiatric evaluation and medication management — Essential when depression or anxiety reaches clinical levels, particularly in cases where substance use has altered brain chemistry.

Comprehensive mental health screening — The Griffith research specifically calls for this as a standard intake step, not an afterthought.

Finding the Right Mental Health Treatment Facilities

If you or someone you love is using substances and also struggling with depression, anxiety, or mood instability, the right starting point is a program equipped to treat both, not one or the other.

Mental health treatment facilities that specialize in co-occurring disorders will conduct thorough assessments at intake, looking beyond the primary substance to understand the full clinical picture.

Residential treatment centers offering dual diagnosis programming provide the structured environment and around-the-clock clinical support that complex cases require.

Outpatient programs can be the right step-down option for those with strong support systems and lower acuity.

The key question to ask any program: “Do you screen for and treat co-occurring mental health conditions alongside addiction?” If the answer is no, or vague, keep looking.

You can search treatmentcenterdirectory.com’s listing to find verified treatment centers near you. Call 800-908-4823 (Sponsored) to speak with a specialist about dual diagnosis treatment programs today.