Oh Ben ... Not Again!!

[AnnieH]

I'm totally heartless.

How much more help does this bloke want??

He's had WAY, WAY MORE opportunity thrown his way to sort out his problems than your "average" druggo has ever gotten, yet keeps spitting in the face of that opportunity.

He should give up his spot to someone who really needs help.

[goswannie14]

Annie, there are many people in rehab that have been there 10-15 times before. That's the nature of the beast. Some take less time to get on top of their problems, some take way longer.

[Big Al]

While I've always thought Cousins to be an arrogant tosser I wouldn't wish this illness on anyone. When your brain starts betraying you it can have horrendous results for the individual and everyone close to the individual.

[wolftone57]

I'm totally heartless.

How much more help does this bloke want??

He's had WAY, WAY MORE opportunity thrown his way to sort out his problems than your "average" druggo has ever gotten, yet keeps spitting in the face of that opportunity.

He should give up his spot to someone who really needs help.

The percentage of psychological illness incurred while using is approximately sixty eight percent. In other words injecting drug users are 68% susceptible to psychological illness due to drug use. The average recovery time is 5 years. The average busts is 3/person who kicks drugs and that is not counting the ones who don't as those stats would cloud the issue and drag the benchmark far higher. Illicit drugs are the biggest social problem of our time with 68% of people under 25 admitting to either using regularly or occasionally. At the moment the governments of Australia and most governments of the world are at a loss as how to handle this problem. Campaigns that paint an ugly picture don't work and psychological studies tell that positive messages have a far better reception value. In other words if the governments started campaigns which gave positive messages about the non use of drugs the message has a better chance of being absorbed and adhered to.

Negative messages are never absorbed as people see. hear and sense so many negative things today. Don't Smoke, Don't Drink, Don't Drive while on your mobile, Don't Drug and Drive, Don't Drug. Let Ben get on with trying to get it together it may take sometime but I hope he gets it together.

[GongSwan]

Drug use is a health issue, probably should be treated as such. The incidence of mental health issues has increased with the advent first of Hydro grown pot, and again with Meth use, as opposed to the old speed which took longer to make u nuts. I've watched this happen since my first trip to rehab in 1982, and the situation now is that the average user is at least on anti depressants, long term meth users, Ben's fav, are more likely than any other drug, to create psychosis, with cannabis second, opinions are many and varied among the so called experts, but little agreement can be found in the books

[Plugger46]

I'm totally heartless.

How much more help does this bloke want??

He's had WAY, WAY MORE opportunity thrown his way to sort out his problems than your "average" druggo has ever gotten, yet keeps spitting in the face of that opportunity.

He should give up his spot to someone who really needs help.

He obviously made a bad choice initially (he's not the first or the last person to do drugs) and drugs got the better of them. It doesn't necessarily make him a bad person. He's clearly addicted to drugs and people in that state don't think rationally and consider 'how many chances they've been given'.

It's not as simple as just deciding to stop.

[AnnieH]

I didn't say he was a bad person... I don't know him personally.
I implied that he's a stupid person.

[wolftone57]

I didn't say he was a bad person... I don't know him personally.
I implied that he's a stupid person.

The stupidity is being young and wanting to be a part of the youth culture at the time and being sucked into taking drugs in the first place. He was very good friends with an ex Eagles player who was renowned for his partying and is now deceased. The problem is that we forget that these guys are basically just kids when they first start playing for our clubs and very vulnerable. Think of what the pressure of AFL footy must do to these lads. They have to have some way of releasing that pressure and unfortunately some get into trouble releasing it. Drugs are a part of Youth Culture today, more's the pity, but they are and have been for some years. The trick for the clubs is to build a network for the players that protects them from the more uncouth influences. This doesn't always work and previous friendships come into play here. Remember the case of a certain footballer with links to very well known organised crime figures with whom he grew up. Ben also had links to some of these sorts of people but got away from that scenario but unfortunately was already addicted to drugs.

[AnnieH]

ben cousins arrested on d-d-d-d-d-drug charges

Ummmmmmmmm mmmmaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[AnnieH]

Who wants to keep making excuses for him?
Enablers.

[ScottH]

arrested twice.
Once for possession and supply,
Once for trying to do a runner.

[Big Al]

GS14 said it before that addicts fall off the wagon many times before they beat the addiction. It's a bit like any addiction really. Binge drinkers, smokers,Binge eaters all fail at times before they beat their addiction.(I have some experience sadly so I know what I'm talking about) Drugs is no different.

[AnnieH]

C'mon Al ... seriously??
That's a very long bow you've drawn there.

There's trying to beat your addiction; then there's trying to take drugs with you to a rehab centre.

First rule of rehabilitation .... the rehabilitatee must want to be rehabilitated.

Me thinks he don't want it.

(Backyard lawyers ... a) how much of the stuff do you have to carry before they charge you with "intent to sell or supply"; and b) do we have a "three strikes" law here?)

[Big Al]

That maybe true Annie and your 100% right the addict needs to want to be "cured" but the pull of addiction by its very nature means even the most committed can fall off the wagon. That doesn't mean we give up because if treatment ends up failing he will either kill himself of overdose and I don't think anyone wants that.

[AnnieH]

Unfortunately, that's exactly the way he's headed. We can see it and I'm 100% certain that those who are closest to him can definately see it.
Only problem is the little tool can't see past his next fix.
People should stop blaming "addiction" and start blaming "Ben".