Denver's women-only program for mental health, trauma and substance use.Call Admissions 833.754.0554
Women’s Recovery Call Admissions
Call 833.754.0554Verify Insurance

Anabolic-androgenic steroid misuse and intensive outpatient care (IOP) for women from Aurora

Your symptoms made sense. We treat what they were managing.

IOP is where you go next. You stay in a women-only space for part of the week, and you go home every night. Tell us what you’re carrying. We’ll walk you through the first step. Women from Aurora start at our Denver program.

Call Admissions · 833.754.0554 Verify Insurance

Call Women’s Recovery at 833.754.0554 or visit 3801 E Florida Ave, Ste 650, Denver, CO 80210 to begin a conversation.

For residents of Aurora, CO. Women’s Recovery lists its physical location in Denver, CO.

Lounge with purple chairs, cream sofa and table

A look at our space

These are rooms at our Denver office. You spend the day here, and you go home at night.

Seating area with a sofa, round table, plants and artwork at Women’s Recovery Lounge with purple chairs, cream sofa and table Lounge with purple chairs and dried flowers Dark sofa and coffee table in a furnished room Plum armchairs beside a window table Entrance to the Belcaro Place building with the number 3801 above the doors

What are anabolic steroids and other APEDs?

Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic substances resembling testosterone that promote skeletal-muscle growth and male sexual characteristics in women and men. Other appearance and performance enhancing drugs can include insulin, IGF, and HGH. Anabolic-androgenic steroid misuse and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) Addiction Treatment Guidance distinguishes prescribed medical use from non-prescribed misuse. See steroid misuse IOP education and women’s care context in Aurora, CO.

Supporting guidance: Anabolic Steroids and Other Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drugs (APEDs)

Lounge with purple chairs and dried flowers

What are anabolic steroids and other APEDs?

Anabolic-androgenic steroid misuse and intensive outpatient program (IOP) use treatment guidance for women in Denver addresses non-prescribed use of synthetic testosterone-like substances for appearance or performance. Steroids are prominent appearance and performance enhancing drugs, or APEDs. Explore anabolic steroid guidance and broader APED information for additional context.

01

Anabolic-androgenic steroids promote skeletal muscle growth and the development of male sexual characteristics in women and men.

Some related substances also have accepted medical roles, such as treating delayed puberty, disease-related muscle loss or certain low-testosterone conditions. The presence of a medical use does not make every use medically appropriate, but neither should prescribed treatment be labeled misuse. The important distinction is whether use occurs as directed for a health condition or nonmedically for enhancement.

02

APEDs also include substances that are not steroids, including insulin, insulin-like growth hormone and human growth hormone.

The body naturally produces these substances, and clinicians may prescribe them for legitimate reasons, yet they can also be misused to pursue performance changes. If you have concerns about something prescribed to you, involve the treating prescriber in medication decisions. An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) addresses behavioral health needs rather than replacing individualized medical management.

Why are anabolic steroids misused?

People report misusing anabolic steroids to build lean muscle, change appearance, increase strength, improve confidence or pursue faster recovery after strenuous training. No single motivation applies to every woman. Reading about steroid misuse and nonmedical testosterone use can help separate documented patterns from assumptions about your personal reasons.

01

Why are anabolic steroids misused?

For some non-athlete weightlifters, the goal is to reach a preferred body size or appearance after feeling that training alone no longer produces enough change. Muscle dysmorphia has been associated particularly with some male steroid users, but body-image distress should not be assigned to you based only on use. Individual care can explore confidence, identity, competition and social pressure while allowing your experience to guide the conversation.

02

Anabolic steroids may increase strength, making them attractive in strength-dependent sports.

Users also report believing that these substances speed muscle recovery, though animal findings on recovery are mixed. Steroid use can occur alongside protein powders, creatine, stimulants, estrogen blockers or other hormones. Coordinated care gains value by looking at the whole pattern, including expected benefits and possible harms, rather than treating one product as the entire story.

Plum chairs, table and flower painting

What side effects can anabolic steroid misuse cause?

Possible effects of anabolic steroid misuse include cardiovascular disease, hormonal changes, liver problems, skin conditions, tendon injury and psychiatric symptoms. Some effects improve after stopping, while others may persist. Review steroid health information and performance-product guidance as a basis for seeking appropriate care.

01

Effects documented in women include voice deepening, reduced breast size, coarse skin, increased body hair and male-pattern baldness.

Severe acne, cysts, oily skin or scalp and injection-site abscesses may also occur. These changes can affect comfort, identity and emotional well-being, but they do not define you. Medical care can evaluate physical effects, while behavioral support can address continued use, distress and the choices you want to make next.

02

Steroid misuse has been associated with high blood pressure, blood clots, impaired heart function, heart attack, artery damage and stroke.

Changes in cholesterol can contribute to atherosclerosis and disrupted blood flow. Liver tumors and peliosis hepatis are additional possible harms, and psychiatric effects may include aggression, mania or delusions. Because outcomes vary, an individualized medical assessment is more useful than assuming that one symptom proves a specific cause.

What could a woman from Aurora, CO expect when considering outpatient treatment in Denver?

Care for women from Aurora at our Denver program may involve traveling to the Women’s Recovery location in Denver for appointments and returning home afterward. Location and travel information can help you understand that practical consideration, while a care conversation can focus on your needs, safety, and preferences.

  1. 01

    Outpatient treatment generally involves scheduled appointments without an overnight stay

  2. 02

    Standard outpatient care may include individual counseling, group sessions, coping-skills education, medication support, or care coordination

  3. 03

    Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) care involves more intensive, coordinated support, while partial hospitalization or inpatient care may be appropriate when greater structure or protection is needed

  4. 04

    The right level can help you receive care that reflects your clinical needs, safety, and ability to participate while living in Aurora, CO

Seating area with a sofa, round table, plants and artwork at Women’s Recovery

Common questions

Explore care for women from Aurora at our Denver program and communities we serve for related guidance. Call admissions when you want to discuss your own situation.

Call Admissions
01 Does steroid misuse happen only among competitive athletes?

No. Athletes may pursue strength or performance, while non-athlete weightlifters may focus on appearance, muscle size or confidence. People’s motivations differ, and use alone does not reveal yours. Effective care listens to your experience and considers the role of training, body image, social pressure, health concerns and other substances.

02 Can an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) address co-occurring concerns?

An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) may combine individual and group therapy, mental health education and medication management. That coordinated structure can address substance use alongside emotional or behavioral concerns. Medical effects of anabolic steroids still need appropriate physical evaluation, because therapy and education do not replace care for cardiovascular, hormonal, liver or infection risks.

03 Is an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) residential?

No. An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is outpatient care, so you leave after services and do not stay overnight. It offers greater intensity than routine therapy while remaining below partial hospitalization or inpatient psychiatric care. This balance can be useful, but medical safety and your support outside treatment remain important considerations.

04 What travel connection is listed between Aurora, CO and Denver, CO?

Aurora, CO reports that the RTD A Line operates between Union Station in Denver and Denver International Airport, with two stops in Aurora, CO. This rail relationship can provide broad orientation only. It does not identify your nearest station, itinerary, current frequency, accessibility, or a connection to the Women’s Recovery treatment address.

05 What purposes do Aurora’s naloxone leave-behind program and Mobile Response Team serve?

Aurora Fire Rescue’s naloxone leave-behind program supplies naloxone after an overdose event and provides access to education, treatment, and recovery resources in Aurora, CO. For behavioral-health crises involving mental-health or substance-use concerns, the Aurora Mobile Response Team pairs a clinician with a paramedic or EMT. Call 911 in an emergency; otherwise follow non-emergency dispatch directions.

Evidence behind this page

Supporting health information

Read how we select health information sources and apply the Women’s Recovery editorial policy. These references provide general education and context; they do not establish an individual diagnosis, service, or treatment recommendation.

01 Anabolic Steroids and Other Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drugs (APEDs) nida.nih.gov View source 02 Treatment | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) nida.nih.gov View source 03 RTD A Line between Aurora stops and Denver Union Station auroragov.org View source 04 Aurora Mobile Response Team auroragov.org View source 05 Aurora Fire Rescue naloxone leave-behind program auroragov.org View source 06 Treatment Types for Mental Health, Drugs and Alcohol | SAMHSA samhsa.gov View source 07 Women and Mental Health - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) nimh.nih.gov View source 08 Managing Life with Co-Occurring Disorders | SAMHSA samhsa.gov View source 09 Mental Health, Drugs and Alcohol: How to Ask For Help? | SAMHSA samhsa.gov View source 10 Get help: Mental health, drugs, or alcohol | Behavioral Health Administration bha.colorado.gov View source
If you can't believe that yet, borrow my hope. Just long enough to find your own.

Women’s Recovery graduate

Start with one conversation. Tell us what you're carrying. We'll walk you through the next step and verify your benefits.

Call Admissions · 833.754.0554 Verify Insurance