Ben Cousins in trouble - suffers fall in hospital

[Ron The Bear]

Why should people be made to feel like criminals for a personal choice?

You could say the same thing about owning illegal firearms. My uncle is a responsible man and a lifelong Liberal voter, but was disgusted when Howard forced him to hand in his rifles. It's a minority that causes the serious problems. 80/20 rule?

Of course there are users who consider themselves to be responsible and in control of their hobby, but the conduct of a minority ensures that all drug use is stigmatised. Plus, a certain amount will fall by the wayside, even through "responsible" use, due to a predisposition to addiction, psychosis etc. Are they to be regarded as collateral damage so that you can enjoy your fix?

 

[scottwade]

Does St Charles have a psychiatric unit? They're generally smaller and as a result better staffed than general wards, where there are smaller nurse to patient ratios, as it should be on a psych ward. They could have transferred him to this St Charles unit for a full three days before transferring him to the Joondalup facility, and simultaneously gotten him specific treatment, and minimised the risk to other patients in the St Charles ED.

It does.

http://www.scgh.health.wa.gov.au/Clinicians/Services/Psychiatry.html

Firstly it is worth remembering that reportedly Cousins first presented with a head injury, so the medical team would need to be satisfied that any behavioural issues weren't as a result of the fall.

Secondly the clinical team would clearly be making decisions in the best interests of Cousins.

Why they didn't transfer him to the psych facility at Charles Gairdner or sooner to the secure unit at Joondalup is something only they could answer. And I'd suggest any attempt by us to second guess their decisions would, in truth, be uninformed conjecture.

 

[10987654321]

Where is the proof?

There is ample proof that amphetamines help manage existing manic conditions.



I am talking about ending prohibition, not making drug use compulsory, or adding meth to the food pyramid.

For crissakes, just once, I would like to have an intelligent discussion with a pro-prohibition advocate that doesn't rely on absurd freakin distortions!!



- A supervised dosing regime
- Better and less distorted information/education.
- Better health/psychological management/care (illegality tends to keep issues concealed).
- Less social isolation
- No incarceration.
- The eradication of toxic by products associated with clandestine manufacture.
- The elimination of contagious diseases created by needle sharing
- The elimination of fiscal burden
- The elimination of criminal behaviour brought on by fiscal burden
- Billions of dollars freed up and put to better use by society.



You need to turn off your television, go out in to the street and rub some life on yourself.

You aren't talking about ending prohibition you're talking regulation. None of the things your talking about would happen with legalisation because all drugs are freely available if they're legal and you don't need to go to aa doctor to get them. And there are drugs that are inherently bad for you, for example meth which has ****ed up Cousins in a few years. Do you really think it should be available to people on demand?

 

[WA ROO]

What people are missing is that Cousins drug abuse was common knowledge(in WA) years before 2007
Something should have been done earlier

But hey he was still playing good football then and his problem could be covered up

 

[Rack Watts]

The quicker he OD's and dies, the better for his daughter.
What a father figure. Who could have a child and not rid themselves of anything like this?

 

[Flawed Genius]

It does.

http://www.scgh.health.wa.gov.au/Clinicians/Services/Psychiatry.html

Firstly it is worth remembering that reportedly Cousins first presented with a head injury, so the medical team would need to be satisfied that any behavioural issues weren't as a result of the fall.

Which are easy to detect through the performing of a CT or MRI scan. They don't take long to order or perform, maximum time from admission to dictation of images is somewhere around 3 hours if it's busy and non-urgent.

Secondly the clinical team would clearly be making decisions in the best interests of Cousins.

I would have thought after his initial psychotic symptoms failed to fade, the idea would have been to transfer him to a specialised area of the hospital where it's possible to treat any psychiatric problems. This would have been after the maximum time for a CT or any other scan, and after his symptoms failed to subside (6-8 hours). But unfortunately we can't say anything for sure, that's just my opinion.

Why they didn't transfer him to the psych facility at Charles Gairdner or sooner to the secure unit at Joondalup is something only they could answer. And I'd suggest any attempt by us to second guess their decisions would, in truth, be uninformed conjecture.

Very good. I agree. Do you think they should have removed him from the ED sooner? Transferred him to the St Charles psych facility?

 

[bomberclifford]

The quicker he OD's and dies, the better for his daughter.
What a father figure. Who could have a child and not rid themselves of anything like this?

While his initial decision to use these drugs was a choice made by him and him alone, it is obvious to all that he as long since passed the point where his drug use is a choice for him.

It is a very sad situation for all concerned.

 

[Tulip]

The quicker he OD's and dies, the better for his daughter.
What a father figure. Who could have a child and not rid themselves of anything like this?

Harsh.

Sad to hear that Ben's back on drugs, not that I've ever felt much sympathy for the ****

**I've been out of the state for over two weeks in Rugby territory, is he confirmed to be back on Meth?

 

[Silent Alarm]

The quicker he OD's and dies, the better for his daughter.
What a father figure. Who could have a child and not rid themselves of anything like this?

What a hugely insensitive thing to say. The circumstances of Cousins' drug abuse are saddening (much like almost all stories of serious drug addiction). To have a child and family adds weight to his issue. Nonetheless, you are in no position to decipher what is best for his child – another human being.

And who could have a kid and still be an addict? An addict.

That is why it's so serious. It crossed a huge boundary years ago. And that line is getting further from Cousins. The West article today pointed out that he had a recent bender, and it's getting truly shattering, depressing, and totally hopeless.

Though I do believe death is near for Cousins, as sad as it is.

 

[galindez]

What people are missing is that Cousins drug abuse was common knowledge(in WA) years before 2007
Something should have been done earlier

But hey he was still playing good football then and his problem could be covered up

Unfortunately, there's not much anyone could have done. The change can only come from the addict.

 

[Tulip]

If the media are reporting that he had an 8 day binge leading up to his fall and hospital admission, this can not be true, as I saw Ben running along West Coast highway 5 days before he was admitted. To be honest, he looked like s**t, but he was running at pace in 35 degree heat.

I really wish the media would back off and let Ben and his family deal with whatever is happening. I really hope he can pull through this.

I'd agree with this, the headlines are clearly what he craves and, voluntarily o not, abusing drugs has become the way to get them.

Feel sorry for the family too, he's let them down

 

[Lord Rod]

Seems to be getting to the point where he's either got to stop or end up like Mainy..surely this isn't fun and games anymore.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Harsh.

Sad to hear that Ben's back on drugs, not that I've ever felt much sympathy for the ****

**I've been out of the state for over two weeks in Rugby territory, is he confirmed to be back on Meth?

"Methamphetamine induced psychosis".

 

[Tulip]

"Methamphetamine induced psychosis".

Fair enough, have only been skimming over the articles. Enough is enough really, I don't see him lasting much longer

 

[Old Skool]

Seems to be getting to the point where he's either got to stop or end up like Mainy..surely this isn't fun and games anymore.

Meth will tend to fry you before it will outright kill you.

My guess is the young man needs to completely realign his value system and where he sits in relation to the universe.

A nice anonymous stint working out on a remote cattle station would probably do him a world of good.

"Before enlightenment chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water."

 

[Off The Couch]

The quicker he OD's and dies, the better for his daughter.
What a father figure. Who could have a child and not rid themselves of anything like this?

Your an out and out disgrace

 

[Lord Rod]

Meth will tend to fry you before it will outright kill you.

My guess is the young man needs to completely realign his value system and where he sits in relation to the universe.

A nice anonymous stint working out on a remote cattle station would probably do him a world of good.

"Before enlightenment chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water."

I agree. Perth is no place for him at the moment..

 

[Off The Couch]

"Methamphetamine induced psychosis".

Is that quoted somewhere. The psychosis could also be the result of a traumatic brain injury as well. Lots of presumptions - not saying its not drug related but could be a combination of both

 

[Flawed Genius]

Is that quoted somewhere. The psychosis could also be the result of a traumatic brain injury as well. Lots of presumptions - not saying its not drug related but could be a combination of both

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought it was drug induced psychosis with plenty of mentions of meth/heroin.

 

[Tulip]

Meth will tend to fry you before it will outright kill you.

My guess is the young man needs to completely realign his value system and where he sits in relation to the universe.

A nice anonymous stint working out on a remote cattle station would probably do him a world of good.

"Before enlightenment chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water."

As long as he isn't taking the job off anybody else. The world has moved beyond Ben Cousins, it's last chance Saloon for him and I desperately hope nobody else will sacrifice themselves to give it to him.

Bolded bit sounds right, and no clinic will do that for him.

 

[Geoffa32]

Next time someone robs your house bear in mind that it is to support their Meth habit.
I hope anyone who feels sympathy for Cousins feels the same for this guy, after he has taken your stuff and invaded your house.

The way Cousins is going he could end up being that guy with a TV under his arms running to Cashies to get his next hit.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Next time someone robs your house bear in mind that it is to support their Meth habit.

Stupendous generalisation.

 

[Old Skool]

As long as he isn't taking the job off anybody else. The world has moved beyond Ben Cousins, it's last chance Saloon for him and I desperately hope nobody else will sacrifice themselves to give it to him.

Who is talking about a paid job?

I would advise Ben to take the phone off the hook, rid himself of psychic vampires, sleep under the stars, and run his hands through the dirt.

Get rid of all the distractions.

Do something simple and repetitious, fix 100 kilometres of wire fence.

He needs to enter in to the meditative state of "being" and stay there for an extended period of time.

IMO, many addictions are manifestations of wanting to be somewhere else.

That's just my take anyway.

 

[Wildmanwok]

The quicker he OD's and dies, the better for his daughter.
What a father figure. Who could have a child and not rid themselves of anything like this?

Yeah because you are perfect

 

[Rack Watts]

Your an out and out disgrace

You may think that, you also have no idea about what I have been through personally, and it's very similar to what his daughter will go through.