Oh Ben ... Not Again!!

[Xie Shan]

Yeah, having been through music scenes and the poetry/writers' communities in a few cities around the world, I can vouch for mental instability & addictions going hand-in-hand quite often ('artistic types' indeed). The two feed off of and fuel each other.

Yuri, what do you think of the 27 Club? When Amy Winehouse died, it was suggested that musicians and other performing artists are more at risk of dying in their 20s because they are more likely to live a life of excess. And 27 seems to coincide with the time when we transition from youth to maturity, as we put the more carefree days of our early 20s behind us and start to take on more responsibility. As for the higher incidence of mental instability among performing artists, it's certainly true that you find more of the sensitive souls in the music scene and in writers' circles, who are more vulnerable to mental illness.

[wolftone57]

Since when was his problem "mental"?
Drug addiction and mental illness are two different things.

Drug addiction can lead to psychological illness Annie. The usual suspect is what is termed 'Drug Induced Psychosis' and many drugs can develop this illness including pot. I have seen people trying to scratch holes in the walls because some nonexistent person is attacking them through the wall. This is a particularly troubling development and I hope Ben recovers but his recovery is going to be years not months. He might always have psychosis and be on anti-psychotic meds for the rest of his life. By the way I thought your attitude a little heartless in your second post. I hope he recovers and beats addiction or 'Black Dog' as it is called.

[DamY]

Agreed

[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.