Mental Health Issues VS Drug Addiction Issues

[LordLucifer]

I read a little bit of the interview with Dane Beams the other day and noticed this quote from him :

Last June, Beams even took himself to a mental health facility for three weeks.

“There‘s a lot of things that aren’t true that have been said about me,” Beams said.

“There‘s no doubt I had some addiction issues and there will be a time when I go into them and try to help people in depth, but at the moment I’m clean.”

Over the past 5-8 years, the number of players who have cited mental health as a serious problem in their life has risen quite sharply. In addition, there has been speculation around some players that they used the mental health status to cover over or get away with possible drug use (i.e. avoid the third strike).

For the record, I'm in no way suggesting that mental health issues do not exist within the AFL nor am I taking a potshot at Dane Beams either.

To the best of my knowledge (and I could be wrong here) but I seem to recall some cases where mental illness was cited at the time but later on down the track, drug use was found to be the actual issue.

This leads to a plethora of questions being asked like :

Does the mental health lead to the drug use or vice-versa ??

Are all of these mental health claims 100% legitimate ??

Does the AFL prefer for players to claim mental health instead of announcing they have a drug problem (i.e. its a better PR image for the code) ??


Given that drug use is way more common in society these days than in previous decades, this murky in-depth topic also has the potential to gloss over those in the community who have genuine mental health issues too.


As this subject has many angles and opinions, I do ask for some civility & perspective in the posts that follow.

 

[iBeng]

And the problem is mental health isnt a broken bone. You can SEE a bone is broken by Xrays, a cast, the bone sticking out. Mental health is not a visible health ailment. So no one can honestly say for sure if someone is lying about it so every situation involving it should be taken 100% seriously. Many see drug addiction as a symptom of mental health issues. Its an escape, a way to cope with other issues that are often mental health themselves.

 

[M Malice]

In my uneducated but with some real life experience people with serious addiction issues will inevitably have mental health problems and/or unresolved trauma.

 

[LordLucifer]

In my uneducated but with some real life experience people with serious addiction issues will inevitably have mental health problems and/or unresolved trauma.

If your view is around the money, then is it acceptable for players with a drug dependency to cite mental health as the issue ??

 

[iBeng]

If your view is around the money, then is it acceptable for players with a drug dependency to cite mental health as the issue ??

What part of: "Mental health issues can lead to a drug addiction as a way to escape said mental health issues." is difficult? At what line do you suggest we decide this reasoning is unacceptable and the person who is crying out for help is actually just lying and making an excuse of their drug use because they just like using drugs?

 

[Toump Ass]

I read a little bit of the interview with Dane Beams the other day and noticed this quote from him

More likely his "addiction issues" are gambling rather than pingers & blow.

 

[LordLucifer]

What part of: "Mental health issues can lead to a drug addiction as a way to escape said mental health issues." is difficult? At what line do you suggest we decide this reasoning is unacceptable and the person who is crying out for help is actually just lying and making an excuse of their drug use because they just like using drugs?

Everything about this topic is difficult.

 

[M Malice]

If your view is around the money, then is it acceptable for players with a drug dependency to cite mental health as the issue ??

Every case is different, you have to leave it up to the health professionals to diagnose, we as footy nuffies can speculate but that is all it is.

 

[iBeng]

Everything about this topic is difficult.

You are correct. And because mental health isnt an overly visible situation and has few outward signs its not something we can gatekeep reactions to. Each case is judged on its merits, and drug addiction is very much considered something mental health related.

 

[Luv_our_club]

Addiction is a mental health disorder. It is identified as such in the DSM.

The real issue is why "depression" is more socially acceptable than "addiction". That needs to change.

 

[Toump Ass]

Just because you use the word “likely” doesn’t mean you’re still talking out of your toump ass.

Do you want to try again in English?

 

[David Bondo]

Addiction is a mental health disorder. It is identified as such in the DSM.

The real issue is why "depression" is more socially acceptable than "addiction". That needs to change.

Addiction is not a disease.

Addicts aren't ill they just make poor, lazy decisions then try to try to make excuses for it by blaming addiction. No they made the choice to indulge in a particular activity.

Their problems are easy to solve they just need to make alternative choices.

Whereas if someone has cancer they have an actual disease. The tumour won't go away unless it's treated and operated on.

Whereas addiction and a lot of mental illnesses are self diagnosed.

 

[Luv_our_club]

Addiction is not a disease.

Addicts aren't ill they just make poor, lazy decisions then try to try to make excuses for it by blaming addiction. No they made the choice to indulge in a particular activity.

Their problems are easy to solve they just need to make alternative choices.

Whereas if someone has cancer they have an actual disease. The tumour won't go away unless it's treated and operated on.

Whereas addiction and a lot of mental illnesses are self diagnosed.

slow clap

 

[M Malice]

The "war" on drugs is a farce, drug addiction should be treated as a health issue not a criminal one, throw the money used for law enforcement, courts costs and incarceration costs at drug rehabilitation/counselling.

 

[La Dispute]

Addiction is not a disease.

Addicts aren't ill they just make poor, lazy decisions then try to try to make excuses for it by blaming addiction. No they made the choice to indulge in a particular activity.

Their problems are easy to solve they just need to make alternative choices.

Whereas if someone has cancer they have an actual disease. The tumour won't go away unless it's treated and operated on.

Whereas addiction and a lot of mental illnesses are self diagnosed.

Addiction is not easy to solve, and people who are suitably addicted can't just flick a switch to cure themselves. Once you are substantially addicted, you are always addicted and the best you can hope for is to suppress it so it lies dormant. It never actually goes away.

The link between mental health and addiction is obvious though. Addicts really on their source of addiction (drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, pornography, food etc) for comfort and to block out reality. At no point did they make the conscious choice to use whatever they are addicted to beyond what is reasonable. As soon as their is an emotional attachment ie the brain knows things will be for a lack of a better word -better- with the aid of drugs/gambling/sex, it will abandon anything in pursuit of it.

There is also a biological component. Addicts typically have very disrupted risk/reward centres in their brains, which makes hard work appear harder, effects their general focus and also makes them susceptible to other addictive activities, even if they are healthy addictions eg exercise. Addicts usually aren't just addicted to one thing, they are usually tiered addictions. Gambling addicts may also be addicted to alcohol, meth addicts addicted to video gaming, food addicts addicted to TV etc. Obviously some addictions are better/worse than others, but the principles are loosely the same.

At the end of the day it is up to the individual to sort themselves out and get help, but many will continue to succumb, and there's only so much that can be done for them.

 

[David Bondo]

Addiction is not easy to solve, and people who are suitably addicted can't just flick a switch to cure themselves. Once you are substantially addicted, you are always addicted and the best you can hope for is to suppress it so it lies dormant. It never actually goes away.

The link between mental health and addiction is obvious though. Addicts really on their source of addiction (drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, pornography, food etc) for comfort and to block out reality. At no point did they make the conscious choice to use whatever they are addicted to beyond what is reasonable. As soon as their is an emotional attachment ie the brain knows things will be for a lack of a better word -better- with the aid of drugs/gambling/sex, it will abandon anything in pursuit of it.

There is also a biological component. Addicts typically have very disrupted risk/reward centres in their brains, which makes hard work appear harder, effects their general focus and also makes them susceptible to other addictive activities, even if they are healthy addictions eg exercise. Addicts usually aren't just addicted to one thing, they are usually tiered addictions. Gambling addicts may also be addicted to alcohol, meth addicts addicted to video gaming, food addicts addicted to TV etc. Obviously some addictions are better/worse than others, but the principles are loosely the same.

At the end of the day it is up to the individual to sort themselves out and get help, but many will continue to succumb, and there's only so much that can be done for them.

Only in extreme, rare cases does someone form a physical dependency to a substance in which abstaining will kill them.

As for something like gambling you can't develop dependency to an activity.

Addiction isn't a disease and addicts aren't sick they are just weak people that have excuses made for their negative behaviours.

So called addicts have complete control of their behaviour.

Does an addict have control of his/her limbs or not? They choose to put the substance into their body or indulge in an activity through a series deliberate actions.

You can cure an addict by simply locking them in a room denying them access to their vice. Presto their "disease" has been cured.

 

[power09]

The "war" on drugs is a farce, drug addiction should be treated as a health issue not a criminal one, throw the money used for law enforcement, courts costs and incarceration costs at drug rehabilitation/counselling.

 

[John Who]

Only in extreme, rare cases does someone form a physical dependency to a substance in which abstaining will kill them.

As for something like gambling you can't develop dependency to an activity.

Addiction isn't a disease and addicts aren't sick they are just weak people that have excuses made for their negative behaviours.

So called addicts have complete control of their behaviour.

Does an addict have control of his/her limbs or not? They choose to put the substance into their body or indulge in an activity through a series deliberate actions.

You can cure an addict by simply locking them in a room denying them access to their vice. Presto their "disease" has been cured.

I think you're oversimplifying things a wee bit. Addicts by definition, often have some form of physical dependence with their addictive state, meaning without the substance or addicted behavior, they often will have symptoms of withdrawal eg. insomnia, cravings, sweats, tremors, palpitations.
It's the withdrawal symptoms that is often the concern for anyone who is addicted, to feel compelled to avoid these withdrawals, and the cycle of addiction continues on and on..

It's not something you can easily say "just get over it!"

 

[John Who]

This leads to a plethora of questions being asked like :

1. Does the mental health lead to the drug use or vice-versa ??

2. Are all of these mental health claims 100% legitimate ??

3. Does the AFL prefer for players to claim mental health instead of announcing they have a drug problem (i.e. its a better PR image for the code) ??


Given that drug use is way more common in society these days than in previous decades, this murky in-depth topic also has the potential to gloss over those in the community who have genuine mental health issues too.

1. The chicken or the egg? I actually think it's both!
Some may start off with mental health, and this in turn may lead them to doing self-destructive behaviors to their life because they may no longer care. Others might start off with social drugs/hobbies and for whatever reasons, the behaviors become increased and over some period, it can then effect their relationships, job, financial status; which can then result in mental illness. Perhaps they can co-exist together as well.

2. I just want to clarify in some context to this question. People saying they have "mental illness" is not the same as ACTUALLY having a mental illness. One is simply words which literally anyone can say out loud. The other is a set of symptoms that become clearer over a prolonged period, and is often needing a mental health professional to diagnose, using the story of the person as well as objective findings.
Are all AFL claims of mental health legitimate? If there are professional reports of such diagnosis, then I would say yes. Much like scan reports from a radiologist, although perhaps not 100% as definite as a scan report.

3. I think it's the trend to claim mental health more so than claiming a drug problem. Although I think lawyers have a lot to do with this, and not just an AFL directive. It seems more socially acceptable to attach oneself to a "mental illness" label than one of a "drug problem" label.

 

[Foucault1989]

Addiction is not a disease.

Addicts aren't ill they just make poor, lazy decisions then try to try to make excuses for it by blaming addiction. No they made the choice to indulge in a particular activity.

Their problems are easy to solve they just need to make alternative choices.

Whereas if someone has cancer they have an actual disease. The tumour won't go away unless it's treated and operated on.

Whereas addiction and a lot of mental illnesses are self diagnosed.

Wowee. Big calls there. As someone who works with people with mental health and dependency on substances I can assure you that this is the most narrow, black and white, simplistic take possible. Long way off the mark mate.

 

[David Bondo]

Wowee. Big calls there. As someone who works with people with mental health and dependency on substances I can assure you that this is the most narrow, black and white, simplistic take possible. Long way off the mark mate.

If I lock an addict in a room for 7 days so they can't indulge in their vice what happens to them? Maybe some discomfort, maybe some cravings, but that's about it.

I don't believe any person on this planet is pathetic enough that they have no power over their urges.

There's an entire industry that exists and relies on making victims out of people that have never been held accountable for their negative behaviours. Society has made it acceptable for people to not be held responsible for their actions.

The only way to help these people is to make them accountable for their choices in life.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

If I lock an addict in a room for 7 days so they can't indulge in their vice what happens to them? Maybe some discomfort, maybe some cravings, but that's about it.

I don't believe any person on this planet is pathetic enough that they have no power over their urges.

There's an entire industry that exists and relies on making victims out of people that have never been held accountable for their negative behaviours. Society has made it acceptable for people to not be held responsible for their actions.

The only way to help these people is to make them accountable for their choices in life.

Do you know about toxoplasmosis? it's a brain parasite found in cat urine that can make people more aggressive, have impaired impulse control, at what point is this person pathetic for having poor decision making ability? How about encephalitis? Swelling on the frontal cortex impairs decision making. How many other microscopic variables are we unaware of? How about CTE?

Self control is a luxury of a healthy brain. We don't know what is going under the skin.

 

[Roobs321]

Commencing the topic with the example of Beams probably isn't wise, as his grief attachment to his father was well publicised during his final two seasons at the Lions. There was genuine community concern given his struggle in coping. Addiction can also mean many things (as can drugs I guess).

I'm sure that there is some cover-up at times between public statements and private issues, and many of these issues are connected, but best to take the alleged problem for what it is unless other evidence or sufficient room for cynicism arises.

 

[Malifice]

Addiction is a mental health disorder. It is identified as such in the DSM.

This.

 

[raffrox]

If I lock an addict in a room for 7 days so they can't indulge in their vice what happens to them? Maybe some discomfort, maybe some cravings, but that's about it.

I don't believe any person on this planet is pathetic enough that they have no power over their urges.

There's an entire industry that exists and relies on making victims out of people that have never been held accountable for their negative behaviours. Society has made it acceptable for people to not be held responsible for their actions.

The only way to help these people is to make them accountable for their choices in life.

Strong judgemental opinions that are simply not based in facts or the research.

Keeping someone in an artificial environment is proof of nothing. The underlying issues don't just disappear.

What you are saying simply does not work in reality.