What am I missing on Josh Hamilton?

[shoeman530]

Years ago I would have felt the same way. It changes when a loved one fights any addiction.

I can tell you addiction for many is not a choice. Many suffer from some form of mental illness. It's not a life they truly want to live. Do you really think an addict wakes in the morning and chooses to get high? Some do. Many don't! They battle each and every day trying to fight and overcome their addiction.

Is he a role model? YES! There's different types of role models. He's NOT a role model for children. He is a role model for millions that fight addiction.

Please don't be naive with your ignorant statement. Honestly, until you live through, until your life is touched with addiction you truly are clueless. Do yourself a favor. Attend an AA meeting. Listen to their stories. Their nightmares. I can tell you your opinions of addicts will change.

You are correct - he should be commended for pulling himself out of where he was. He can me a role model for others in that situation., The media, however, is making him out to be the next great hero for America's youth. How many signs did you see at Yankee Stadium held up by kids proclaiming Josh their hero. I lost count at six....

[wayne1218]

I don't normally agree with Chad. In this case I agree 1000%

There is a 1st time for everything i guess. I think we agreed once too!

[Three Jack]

Thank you, HB for posting what I have been thinking. It was a nice story but I don't get the glorification of this kid at all. As many have pointed out, he has been strong to overcome the hand he dealt himself and deserved to be applauded for it. But to put him on th enational pedestal that he has been put on is a croc.

Put John Lester on that pedestal. Put Davis, the D-Back pitcher on that pedestal. They should put these two on the cover of SI for overcoming illnesses that they had nothing to do with. If we are going to give Josh Hamilton all this love for overcoming his own personal demons why don't we shower all of those athletes that had the opportunity to become involved in all the things Josh Hamilton did and made all the right choices!

[hokie99]

I agree, his story is remarkable, but he is no hero. I am tired of listening to it to be honest with you.

Honestly, we're stuck having to hear it most thanks to no talent out of touch idiots like Berman and Buck who live under a rock most of the time.

[harold_bush]

Years ago I would have felt the same way. It changes when a loved one fights any addiction.

I can tell you addiction for many is not a choice. Many suffer from some form of mental illness. It's not a life they truly want to live. Do you really think an addict wakes in the morning and chooses to get high? Some do. Many don't! They battle each and every day trying to fight and overcome their addiction.

Is he a role model? YES! There's different types of role models. He's NOT a role model for children. He is a role model for millions that fight addiction.

Please don't be naive with your ignorant statement. Honestly, until you live through, until your life is touched with addiction you truly are clueless. Do yourself a favor. Attend an AA meeting. Listen to their stories. Their nightmares. I can tell you your opinions of addicts will change.

I have no problems agreeing that he is a role model to recovering addicts, but 90% of the people haveing to hear about how great he was over the last couple nights aren't addicts. And again, my post was about JOSH HAMILTON, who I still haven't heard anything abut an abusive sitaution or mental illness. There are plenty of addicts, as I suspect Hamilton is, that are just weak minded individuals that made poor decisions.

Oh by the way, my mother-in-law is an alcoholic, so my life has been very much touched by addiction.

[frankb03]

He chose to use drugs Chado, just like you did. Crack didnt jump up in the air and land in his mouth, you need to check yourself before you call someone and idiot.

He chose his path, it didnt choose him.

JC, it's not that simple. It's hard for the average person to understand. Trust me! For many it's not a choice. It's not something they want to do. It's something they fight and battle EVERY day.

Idiot was the wrong word. Ignorant is the correct word. Most people who don't fight addiction or have their life touched by addiction are ignorant.

[wayne1218]

"Heroes" should be used for Service members, fire fighters, police officers (the good ones) and citizens who go above and beyond to help others

"Role Models" should be used for people who battled a god given problem in their life and fought through it to live a succesful life like Lance Armstrong or any of the many other athletes who have battled cancer and other diseases only to win and succeed.

"Public Speakers" are what Josh Hamilton is. He can help many in his situation and be a "Role Model" to "Them" but to the average person, most think it is a great story but they also recognize it was self destruction and not god given. Was it great that he fought through it? No doubt, but a hero? C'MON!!!!!!!

[jcindaville]

Years ago I would have felt the same way. It changes when a loved one fights any addiction.

I can tell you addiction for many is not a choice. Many suffer from some form of mental illness. It's not a life they truly want to live. Do you really think an addict wakes in the morning and chooses to get high? Some do. Many don't! They battle each and every day trying to fight and overcome their addiction.

Is he a role model? YES! There's different types of role models. He's NOT a role model for children. He is a role model for millions that fight addiction.

Please don't be naive with your ignorant statement. Honestly, until you live through, until your life is touched with addiction you truly are clueless. Do yourself a favor. Attend an AA meeting. Listen to their stories. Their nightmares. I can tell you your opinions of addicts will change.

I have been to my share of AA meetings, trust me on that. But i dont agree with your statement.

If someone is suffering from a mental illness, thats a whole different ball game, i dont recall Chado or Josh Hamilton saying they had mental afflictions. Seems to me that both chose to do crack recreationally and it bit them in the ass. Thats jmo

[wayne1218]

I have been to my share of AA meetings, trust me on that. But i dont agree with your statement.

If someone is suffering from a mental illness, thats a whole different ball game, i dont recall Chado or Josh Hamilton saying they had mental afflictions. Seems to me that both chose to do crack recreationally and it bit them in the ass. Thats jmo

I agree 1000%

Once you try it and start, yes, the addiction becomes beyond your control sometimes BUT ... You chose to try it knowing or hearing before what the possible affects are.

[frankb03]

Oh by the way, my mother-in-law is an alcoholic, so my life has been very much touched by addiction.

Did your mother-in-law addiction affect your life? Did you live with your mother-in-law during her addiction? Did you witness her internal struggle each and every day? If not then it's not the same.

We all know someone that's an alcoholic etc. Knowing someone that suffers from addiction and living/loving someone that suffers from addictions are very different things.

[frankb03]

If someone is suffering from a mental illness, thats a whole different ball game, i dont recall Chado or Josh Hamilton saying they had mental afflictions. Seems to me that both chose to do crack recreationally and it bit them in the ass. Thats jmo

Addiction is a form of mental illness. The association between addition and mental illness is high. It's called dual diagnosis.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1203090143.htm

Dual diagnosis is common yet difficult to treat. Addiction of all types -- to nicotine, alcohol and drugs -- is often found in people with a wide variety of mental illnesses, including anxiety disorders, unipolar and bipolar depression, schizophrenia, and borderline and other personality disorders.

clinical reports that at least half the people who seek help with addiction or mental-health treatment have co-occurring disorders.

[ogarza]

Im not going to get in the middle of IS HAMILTON a HERO or not because there have been cases made for both sides and each is going to believe what he wants...but why blame Hamilton once again for what ESPN deems newsworthy, thats all this is...Hamilton hasnt once asked for any of this nor has he asked to be proclaimed a HERO, ROLE MODEL or anything...he is just living out his dream and overcoming an addiction that nearly ruined his entire life...if anyone is to blame it is ESPN, they are the ones that speak about this daily, which in turn makes all talk show hosts on radio talk about it....im also sick and tired of hearing about FAVRE, but ESPN will not drop it...I mean seriously do they really have to run in the ticker that Favre txted the GM...they blow everything out of proportion and drill it into our heads over and over and over...my thing is Hamilton didnt ask for this...ESPN created it....and as for they not celebrating Lester or Davis, thats because they arent STARS...if either one was on a CY YOUNG type run believe me we would hear their stories over and over and over and over......

[ELJUGO]

What about the fact the guy is hitting the shit out of the baseball??? His performance on the field is the only reason they're really talking about him. The guy is balling out of control!! The fact he beat a drug addiction just makes his story that much more impressive.

If he sucked, nobody would be talking about him. He is an RBI machine and not only did he beat a drug addiction, but he is performing at a world class level after 3 years out of baseball.

Everyone "chooses" to do drugs their first time, certain peoples body's just react differently. The chemicals in peoples brains are not all the same, and usually by the time an addict figures that out it is too late to "just stop". It takes a major commitment.

[kbsooner21]

Im not going to get in the middle of IS HAMILTON a HERO or not because there have been cases made for both sides and each is going to believe what he wants...but why blame Hamilton once again for what ESPN deems newsworthy, thats all this is...Hamilton hasnt once asked for any of this nor has he asked to be proclaimed a HERO, ROLE MODEL or anything...he is just living out his dream and overcoming an addiction that nearly ruined his entire life...if anyone is to blame it is ESPN, they are the ones that speak about this daily, which in turn makes all talk show hosts on radio talk about it....im also sick and tired of hearing about FAVRE, but ESPN will not drop it...I mean seriously do they really have to run in the ticker that Favre txted the GM...they blow everything out of proportion and drill it into our heads over and over and over...my thing is Hamilton didnt ask for this...ESPN created it....and as for they not celebrating Lester or Davis, thats because they arent STARS...if either one was on a CY YOUNG type run believe me we would hear their stories over and over and over and over......

Good point

[frankb03]

If someone is suffering from a mental illness, thats a whole different ball game, i dont recall Chado or Josh Hamilton saying they had mental afflictions. Seems to me that both chose to do crack recreationally and it bit them in the ass. Thats jmo

Many addicts aren't aware that their addiction, in a large part, is caused by their mental illness. As my previous post points out it's very common and difficult to treat. So please don't make blanket statements that their addiction is a choice.

Regarding Chad. I hate to speculate on his life. My guess is he suffers from some form of mental illness. Based on his online 'personality' I'm willing to bet he suffers from bipolar depression. Most people with some form of mental illness don't want to announce to the world that they have a mental illness. There's a negative stigma associated with mental illness.