im just looking at how things were in the 80s and 90s- it felt like they peaked back then when the older gen x and boomers were all over them because of those massive hollywood bodybuilders promoting that look. then it seemed like they got way more stigmatized by the late 90s so i figured maybe use went down when the older millennials were growing up.
but honestly it feels like its reversing with gen z now? everyone wants that perfect "aesthetic" look they see online and i feel like its becoming more common again- or maybe im just seeing it more. curious if you guys think steroids are actually less popular now or if we're just heading back into a peak because of social media and all that stuff
yeah i think social media has a huge part in it. back in the 80s and 90s it was more about magazines and movies, so only a few people saw those looks. now everyone’s scrolling pics and reels of perfect bodies daily, so it feels way more normal to chase that.
i don’t know if actual use is higher, but the pressure and visibility definitely are. feels like the aesthetic obsession just came full circle, but faster and louder this time.
yeah i feel that. the social media pressure is insane now—everyone’s chasing that perfect instagram or tik tok look. i think usage is probably creeping back up just because it’s way more visible and normalized online, not necessarily that more people are doing it than before. it’s wild how much influence seeing those “aesthetic” pics every day can have.
honestly feels like social media is kind of flipping the script. everyone’s chasing that “perfect Instagram body” now, so it makes sense that stuff like steroids is getting more popular again. probably not everyone’s using, but the pressure and visibility definitely make it feel like a peak is coming back.
yeah i totally get what you mean. feels like back then it was almost glamorized with all those huge movie guys, now it’s weird—stigma dipped for a while, but with social media showing every “perfect body” 24/7, i wouldn’t be surprised if more young people are tempted again. it’s tricky because the pressure to look a certain way is insane now compared to the 90s.
yeah i think social media is making it way more visible now. back in the 80s and 90s it was all movies and magazines so only a few people really cared or knew how to get that look. now every gen z kid is scrolling through Instagram or TikTok seeing guys with perfect abs and massive arms, so the pressure is insane. doesn’t necessarily mean more people are using, but the conversation and pics are everywhere so it feels like a comeback. definitely makes the “aesthetic” thing seem more extreme than it ever was before.
honestly feels like it never really went away, just got quieter for a bit. social media def made the “perfect look” way louder again lol
i think it was always there underground. now ppl just see insane physiques on their feed every day so it feels way more common
yeah late 90s/early 2000s def felt more anti-everything like that. now it’s all aesthetics and shortcuts again ngl
could be both tbh. maybe not more users overall, just way more visibility so it looks like a peak
gen z growing up online changed everything. constant comparison will do that, whether people admit it or not
feels like social media definitely flipped the script- everyone wants that polished look now
i think it never really went away it just went quieter for a while
gen z growing up on instagram probably makes it feel way more normal
back then it was movies and mags now it’s reels and tiktok
