Thread: Ben Cousins

Addiction is not a choice, it's a stupid decision that ruins your life and the people around you. Ben Cousins didn't set off in life to become what he is today. Yes, he has to take responsibility and control, and if history teaches us anything, drugs are hard to kick.

In the '80's I recall everyone saying the same about Robert Downey Jnr. - junkie, waste of space, squandering talent. It took him 2 decades to get straight and now he's back, being the brilliant talent he is.

Other famous junkies include John Lennon, Sigmund Freud, Eric Clapton, Oscar Wilde, the list is endless and no doubt, more will follow. Last week the surf legend Michael Peterson died at 59 after years of battling heroin addiction
and mental health issues.

Ben Cousins hasn't hit rock bottom yet, some never do and die as a consequence, so I hope he's close to it and really recognises he needs to kick the drugs.

What annoys me about a lot of comments on here is the shear ignorance and self-righteous attitudes, do you think Ben Cousins really wants to live like this? Drugs are easily addictive to the point where, to the addict, nothing else matters. The impact on friends and family is disastrous.

Ben Cousins is not alone out there as the only addict, he unfortunately represents every addict who squanders their life through drug addiction and breaks the trust of those around him/her.

If, in your life, you don't suffer from addiction of drugs, alcohol, gambling etc or suffer from any issues of mental illness or disability them you're one of the very lucky ones. Don't use it as a moral high ground and surround it with a sea of ignorance, try and understand it from the other side.

Good luck Ben, you don't have my sympathy, but when you really see that you have to change, you have my support.

Yup, don't agree with pom's every day but that was pretty well said pole-on-pom.

The guy has ****ed up, no doubt about it, but why do we castigate him for it? It is the press that are the ones that make money out of the story by dragging it up out of the mud every few months and it's us who keep watching it like the rubbernecks that we are.

"Schadenfreude Train Crash" - that'd be a good name for a rock band.

When Ben bought the ICE did the dealer tell him "to go home and take in in the back passage. Or was Ben hoping for a cavity search at the clinic. Then he would of wanted a second opinion.

The poor innocent former sportsman has been arrested again. ABC News: New drugs charge for Ben Cousins

GO TO GAOL, GO DIRECTLY TO GAOL, DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200.

Glad my mistakes and health problems aren't splashed all over the media and discussed by the public at large.

Wonder how many doing the judging have ended up in the drunk tank? Same thing in my opinion, i.e. the reason people like to get intoxicated on their poison of choice often stems from the same places methinks.

I hope!

me thinks a stint in the army would do him the world of good

Originally Posted by richard4u2

me thinks a stint in the army would do him the world of good

Police News • View topic - Army drug tests deliver 'disappointing' results

First things first. Ben Cousins football career should be seperated from his personal life....Ben played with a fire, passion and skill that most footballers would only dream of. Yes it's true that he made a lot of money but the clubs and the AFL made a lot of money off him as well (bums on seats and club marketing and the free publicity good or bad). Admittably he forced his own demise at the Eagles, but was good enough to resume at Richmond and showcase his skills for another couple of years.....The game (AFL) is a pleasure to watch when people of his skill are playing.

I'm a firm believer that you are a Drug user whan you choose to participate in taking any matter of drug by choice, but you become an addict when you try to quit and it overides your choices and will power and it all becomes about the next hit. There is a distinct difference to the two.

Australians unfortuanetly hold thier heroes on a very high pedestal, and everybody is entitled to an opinion. In Bens case the calm, decisive, determined assurity he had on the field doesn't translate to his personal life. Added with this the public scrutiny must add to the pressure he is feeling, driving him to more use as he has only known drug use as his only escape for so long.

I'm not defending him or his decisions, but help can only be given if it's asked for. He needs to take stock of his life, look at his wife, young child, supportive family and admit he can't do it alone.....he needs no media, no documentaries, and help from the people who can help.

Only he knows how deep a hole he finds himself in. I only hope he is able to climb out of it before it's to late.

Rich