Cousins still in denial

[kimp]

I think you'll find that there are no physiological withdrawal symptoms with cocaine addiction, unlike pretty much any other drug or alcohol addiction, and so hence, to some degree, a large part of it is the willpower to not continue doing it.

Your brain wants it, but it's not as though you actually feel ill, or are unable to function without it.

Simply not true. Prolonged cocaine use affects the receptors in the brain. There is a physical change. This is why it is considered the most addictive drug.

 

[estibador]

Prolonged cocaine use affects the receptors in the brain. There is a physical change. This is why it is considered the most addictive drug.

Actually tobacco is the most addictive drug.

Unless you're one of those in denial that tobacco and alcohol are drugs because they're legal.

 

[Mozza1972]

Gotta love the way some hack reporter pulls a figure of 3000 bucks out of thier ring and the people who read that think its gospel, there is only one bloke who knows how much he was spending on the gear and I dont think he ll be telling anyone soon !!!

But keep arguing over it !!!!

 

[estibador]

Gotta love the way some hack reporter pulls a figure of 3000 bucks out of thier ring and the people who read that think its gospel, there is only one bloke who knows how much he was spending on the gear and I dont think he ll be telling anyone soon !!!

But keep arguing over it !!!!

I don't think there's many people here who really believe he has a longterm $3000 a week habit. That's what most of us are arguing against.

 

[campbell]

me thinks its the West Coast supporters and management that are still in denial as well.

Interesting to see the report that the AFL commission is meeting today, to discuss West Coast and all the goings on, the report said they could deregister players for bringing the game into disrepute......


Now that would see an explosion over West way.

 

[Notus]

Addicts of highly addictive drugs get over it with just the support of families all the time. I don't see why this suggests he is in denial. It is not like rahab is some sort of magic wand.

I don't see how it means he's in denial either. He simply might not want to go to a facility. Every chance he's already a week clean and attending daily counselling anyway.

 

[frankc]

Interesting quote from this article...

Sources close to him claim he is in denial that his problem is so serious it could be career and even life-threatening. He believes he can beat his addiction with his own strong will.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21438891-23211,00.html

If he honestly thinks he can beat a $3k a week drug addiction without rehab he is kidding himself. Until he admits he has a problem and seeks help he will always be a junkie.

Shows the maturity of the bloke, not man enough to admit his mistakes and take the appropriate steps to get healthy.

Do you still need to be sticking the boot in! The guy is addicted, of course he is going to be irrational.

He has the support of his family and hopefully he can get his life back in order.

This situation has nothing to with the WCE, the AFL or anybody else but Ben Cousins. I have been amazed with the apparent cheer that some BF member's reaction to this news and the many smart arse and sniping comments being made.

I hope those who have made these comments never have to deal with a situation where a loved one is addicted to drugs - they will soon realise what appears to be a hopeless situation.

I personally hope Ben returns drug free. But even if he doesn't make it back to the AFL, as woosha said, just as long as he gets over his addiction that is the main thing.

 

[sgbn77]

It's just the standard way reporters and police discuss the value of dr*gs. If they intercept a drug being trafficked into the country, they take the total weight, break it down into grams, estimate a "per gram" price, and then tally that.

It essentially means that the haul always sounds much larger than it will be in reality..."police have intercepted a record 14 kilo's of blah, blah, estimated to have a street value of $14 million".

If Cousins is smashing it like we are led to believe, he'd have (a) top quality gear, cos he can afford it, and (b) he'd probably buy it in bulk. Probably not $3,000, but is it worth squabbling over. Come-downs from coke are practically non-existent compared to E's...so there's every likelihood that he could have a big addiction and have got away with it for a while. The issues often start to come on after a couple of years.

And he will need help getting off it, mentally, it'd be very difficult.

 

[FreoGirl]

Do you still need to be sticking the boot in! The guy is addicted, of course he is going to be irrational.

He has the support of his family and hopefully he can get his life back in order.

This situation has nothing to with the WCE, the AFL or anybody else but Ben Cousins. I have been amazed with the apparent cheer that some BF member's reaction to this news and the many smart arse and sniping comments being made.

I hope those who have made these comments never have to deal with a situation where a loved one is addicted to drugs - they will soon realise what appears to be a hopeless situation.

I personally hope Ben returns drug free. But even if he doesn't make it back to the AFL, as woosha said, just as long as he gets over his addiction that is the main thing.

It's the fact that some of us have had to deal with a family member on drugs that makes us so angry! we've endured the impact it has had, the regular visits to Graylands.

Sorry, I don't have any sympathy for the 'user', but I do for the family and friends, who are left to pick up the pieces.

Today's West reported his denial as well. This shows he does have a long way to go.

I really wish he had been dealt with earlier. Problems like this just don't go away.

I really wish he would admit he has a problem, do his best to overcome it, then come out and help those who don't have the same love, support and resources he does. Then he truly will be a champion.

 

[Contra Mundum]

I did'nt realise he was doing his rehab in Egypt!!

 

[stefoid]

the education handed down to us by american sitcoms aside....

it should be pretty easy for cousins to stop using, he just has to want to stop. Now that he has been suspended and the media has him at 'deaths door', he will want to stop. and so he will.

previously he obviously thought he had no real problem with his drug use. and its pretty hard to argue that he did, with a premiership medallion around his neck. I mean really, a few stupid public indescretions and a missed training session does not amount to somebody whoose life is going down the toilet. if he wasnt a public figure, it wouldnt have amounted to anything.

cousins is on $800K a year and has amply demonstrated he has willpower - nobody can make it to an elite sports level without oodles of willpower, determination and whatever... he is a recreational drug user, not somebody who uses drugs to solve his problems - he doesnt have any problems, his life is pretty bloody good. contrary to american sitcom aducation, it is possible to be a drug user without being a drug abuser.

he has been pretty stupid, not being able to walk the line between recreational drug use and being a very public figure - a line that heaps of other footballers manage (obiviously). any 'rehab' camp he goes on will be purely a public relations exercise.

 

[roostersgal4eva]

Love the way he is being bagged for being in denial.

HELLO, that is what Druggies do, they deny the problem. It starts with the 'I am a casual user', moves on to 'I have it under control' to ourtight denial of the problem. Drugs make you delusional, at the moment he is deluded, he has fried his brain and it will take some time for him to begin thinking rationaly.
He still has to go through withdrawal and that is not likely to be pleasent.

About time people got of their high horses and just acknowledge he has a problem and wish him all the best in getting his life back on track. Forget footy for know, this bloke is in serious trouble and may be stuffed for life unless he gets it under control.

He is just one of many in Australia today dealing with the same issue.

NAIL HAMMER HEAD!

Great Post

 

[shacka]

Nothing to do with trivialising anything. All we ask is some truth and common sense in the reporting of these issues.

$3000 a week on ice/coke/ecstasy, complete and utter BS.

$1000 a week (which I definitely agree is too much and does make an addict) is more likely. All I ask for is that the "news" not be blown WAAYYYYYY out of proportion for a change.

$3000 a week is by no means out of the question. This is not so much common sense as fact (common sense doesn't always help as what is common is often wrong)

1g will go for between $300 and $450, depending on variables. So let's say he's on 8-10g a week at most.

For a fresh user a lethal dose can be as low as 50mg, but Cousins is not a fresh user. As i'm sure you know, as you speak about this with authority, the longer you use cocaine, the more the body accustoms itself and the more the user needs to use for the same high. Cocaine addictions of 5g a day are matters of fact, see the story in the paper today about the ex-banker who had a $15,000 a day addiction.

For a chronic user (which Cousins is) 1-1.4g a day is not an issue. I'm not saying that he is on this amount, but it is quite feasible that he is. To say otherwise is to say you know little about the drug and problems associated with its addiction and as such. The figure being used is realistic, if not totally correct.

 

[Bollox]

NAIL HAMMER HEAD!

Great Post

sure was wasnt it..brilliant stuff.

we are all much wiser now knowing that

1. Druggies deny a problem and can be delusional
2. He has to go thru withdrawal
3. There are others in Australia doing it.

Yes ma'am...i'm always grateful for these amazing insights into the bleeding obvious.

Personally i;d rather we stuck to the subject tho.

 

[shacka]

Actually tobacco is the most addictive drug.

Unless you're one of those in denial that tobacco and alcohol are drugs because they're legal.

True, the rate of users who are dependant on nicotine is far greater than that of any other drug (around 95% for nicotine, 30% for cocaine - i think- and arounf 15% for alcohol and heroin).

The difference in this context is that a person can be addicted to nicotine and not have it impact on their work. Furthermore the vast majority of workers are not told by their employers to not ingest nocotine as it will harm their performance.

 

[stefoid]

True, the rate of users who are dependant on nicotine is far greater than that of any other drug (around 95% for nicotine, 30% for cocaine - i think- and arounf 15% for alcohol and heroin).

The difference in this context is that a person can be addicted to nicotine and not have it impact on their work. Furthermore the vast majority of workers are not told by their employers to not ingest nocotine as it will harm their performance.

sort of related...

hands up if youve never had a few drinks at lunchtime and gone back to work completely useless for the rest of the afternoon?

hmm, not many hands I see.

now, for those that have done the above, do you consider yourself as having a substance abuse problem or being addicted to alcohol because of that kind of behaviour? course you dont.

 

[shacka]

sort of related...

hands up if youve never had a few drinks at lunchtime and gone back to work completely useless for the rest of the afternoon?

hmm, not many hands I see.

now, for those that have done the above, do you consider yourself as having a substance abuse problem or being addicted to alcohol because of that kind of behaviour? course you dont.

That would be a fair analogy if you were going to lunch and coming back to work drunk everyday. If this was the case then yes, people would say they have a problem and yes they would get fired.

 

[campbell]

These drugs hat have been allegedly taken are illegal under our laws, whether we like it or agree with it, it is fact.

Thats the problem, not only are they against the AFL drug code but they are illegal in whatever state they live in.

 

[EagleMan87]

True, the rate of users who are dependant on nicotine is far greater than that of any other drug (around 95% for nicotine, 30% for cocaine - i think- and arounf 15% for alcohol and heroin).

The difference in this context is that a person can be addicted to nicotine and not have it impact on their work. Furthermore the vast majority of workers are not told by their employers to not ingest nocotine as it will harm their performance.

Pfft. I used to smoke, and it isn't hard to quit at all. I have mates that do cocaine and despite saying they can 'stop whenever I want', everyone knows it's not as easy as that. It affects your brain to the point were you become dependent.
Remember people, we're talking about an alleged $3k a week habit here, very hard to stop.

 

[Angry Dragon]

Pfft. I used to smoke, and it isn't hard to quit at all. I have mates that do cocaine and despite saying they can 'stop whenever I want', everyone knows it's not as easy as that. It affects your brain to the point were you become dependent.
Remember people, we're talking about an alleged $3k a week habit here, very hard to stop.

A West Coast fan talking about their own drug culture. Outstanding!

I've just got out of a situation where someone I lived with was doing meth, they're bloody manipulative bastards. He's got everyone convinced that there is no problem and that I'm making it up to make him look bad. Stuff living with someone who is cutting up the light globes to smoke that crap out of.

 

[stefoid]

That would be a fair analogy if you were going to lunch and coming back to work drunk everyday. If this was the case then yes, people would say they have a problem and yes they would get fired.

so its a matter of degree. it is possible to use a drug and it is possible to abuse a drug, and the there is a spectrum of behaviour in between.

 

[stefoid]

Pfft. I used to smoke, and it isn't hard to quit at all. I have mates that do cocaine and despite saying they can 'stop whenever I want', everyone knows it's not as easy as that. It affects your brain to the point were you become dependent.
Remember people, we're talking about an alleged $3k a week habit here, very hard to stop.

your annecodtal evidence is compelling...

 

[coopers pale]

Why wouldn't he still be in denial?

He's been going about his business (likely for several years) using x amount of drugs and performing at a premium elite level (and basking in the glory and adulation that this provides).

Suddenly his drug use has hit the papers and everyone wants him to change years worth of behaviours overnight - because THEY think he should.

He has to decide HIMSELF that his behaviours need to change, that will take time, after the shock of his being "outed" subsides, and the emotions of anger, resentment, confusion etc die down, THEN he might be in a position to come to this conclusion. In his own time, and at his own pace.

People abusing/sledging him for not doing it quicker, IMO, are not considering the bigger picture of changing a pattern of behaviours several years in the making.

I wish him luck, and I hope he takes his time.

If he'd come out immediately and stated that he was going to change everything and give up the drugs I wouldn't have been convinced, cos it'd be a knee-jerk reaction, without the appropriate insight and introspection.

Just my opinion.

 

[likka]

He's been going about his business (likely for several years) using x amount of drugs and performing at a premium elite level (and basking in the glory and adulation that this provides).

Suddenly his drug use has hit the papers and everyone wants him to change years worth of behaviours overnight - because THEY think he should.

He has to decide HIMSELF that his behaviours need to change, that will take time, after the shock of his being "outed" subsides, and the emotions of anger, resentment, confusion etc die down, THEN he might be in a position to come to this conclusion. In his own time, and at his own pace.

I just hope that he stays away from football until he makes this realisation. He has already done enough damage to his club, it is the least he can do.

 

[Belgian_Tiger_Army]

<...> a person can be addicted to nicotine and not have it impact on their work. Furthermore the vast majority of workers are not told by their employers to not ingest nocotine as it will harm their performance.

And coke and speed/ice are functional drugs as well - You can take them and no one would notice a bit of difference.

That's the crux of the matter. Up until a point, you can do coke, you can do ice/speed and no one will know - unless they are *very* good observers or have some experience.

How do you think models, actresses, musicians, entertainers etc all continue to work - even though a lot of them have decent sized habits?

All of which raises the questions of how long Cousins et al have been weekend bingers vs needing a line or two to get out of bed. Love to have a doctor look at a few septums...